m (Early and family life)
Line 95: Line 95:
*[[Babette]]: Dies as result of an explosion caused by Rosetti.
*[[Franco]]: Beaten to death with a shovel by Rosetti.
*Tonino: Accidentally shot by Rosetti during attempt by Siegel
== Memorable Quotes ==
== Memorable Quotes ==

Revision as of 06:24, December 2, 2012

Giuseppe Colombano Rosetti, nicknamed "Gyp", is a main character in the third season of Boardwalk Empire. He is played by American actor Bobby Cannavale. Gyp is a violent Sicilian gangster from New York City that becomes an adversary of Nucky Thompson.



Early life and family

Gyp Rosetti was born and raised in Sperlinga, a township in north-central Sicily, Italy.[1] His family was extremely poor and lived in a cave carved on the side of a mountain.[2]Nevertheless, Gyp is proud of his father, a brick-layer that broke his back working and died at the age of 50.[3] His mother also died prior to 1923.[4]

Gyp is married to a woman named Giaconda and has two daughters aged 16 and 14.[5] The youngest is named Felisa[6]. They all live in a small apartment in New York City along with Giaconda's mother, Mafalda. The four women are short, plump and dark-haired, and don't take the man in the house seriously, maybe because they are unaware of what he does for a living. Giaconda is particularly domineering.[7]


Rosetti has a strong inferiority complex and a very short temper, reacting violently and often fatally to comments that he perceives as disrespectful, and in particular to those that could challenge his own intelligence. This is often not the intended meaning of such comments. By his own admission[8], Rosetti rarely considers the possibility of a message being innocuous until after he has reacted to it, his temper having the upper hand over his reason. However, he can also think strategically and lay long-term plans which are fuelled just as well by his capacity to hold a grudge for a long time.

In contrast to the tyranical, combative behaviour he displays with men, Rosetti melts in the presence of the domineering women in his family[9] and can be kind to a point to other females, children and animals. Rosetti is not faithful to his wife however, and is in fact sexually attracted to a completely different ideal of women: pale, thin and red-headed.[10] He enjoys auto-erotic asphyxiation in the form applied by a belt to his neck, either tied to the bedpost or on the hands of a woman, implying that he does get aroused by being dominated by women, after all.[11]

While raised Catholic and remaining a believer in his own bizarre way, Gyp's view of religion is loose and self-serving, at one point even berating Jesus Christ while in Church during Easter Sunday, punching a priest on the face and stealing "from God" in the form of the Church's plate in order to punish Heavens for letting his illegal business languish as a result of his own failures as a gangster.[12]


Prior to his war with Nucky Thompson, Rosetti controlled 20 blocks in Manhattan's South Side including speakeasies and brothels. Many of these were lost to other gangs during the time Gyp and most of his manpower camped in Tabor Heights, New Jersey to force Nucky into selling and then stealing his alcohol by cutting his trade route to Arnold Rothstein. While largely autonomous, Rosetti is dependent on and pays a cut to the head of New York's Sicilian mafia, Joe Masseria, who after noticing his loses almost had Gyp killed for being uncontrollable. Gyp convinced Masseria, however, to provide him with the extra material and manpower to establish his own alcohol importing operation in New Jersey, and to wage war directly on Nucky Thompson's turf in Atlantic City. Masseria is the only man in whose company Rosetti behaves humbly and even appears to being afraid of.[13]

Season 3


Main article: Resolution

En route to Nucky and Margaret Thompson's lavish Egyptian themed New Year's party Rosetti's car has a flat tire in Tabor Heights, New Jersey. His entourage of thugs and criminals attempt to change it but find the lug-nuts stuck in place by rust. A passing motorist, Mr. Johansen, offers help. Johansen inflames Rosetti's temper when he acts as though he should know that "3 in 1" refers to oil. Rosetti beats Johansen to death and takes his dog with him to Atlantic City.

Nucky's party is a huge success. The guests are delighted with the theme and expensive gifts. Nucky has Eddie Cantor bring Billie Kent with him to provide musical entertainment. They pull him up for a dance, comparing him to King Tutankhamen, thus interrupting Gyp's attempt to buy rum from Nucky and raising his ire.


Spaghetti and Coffee

Main article: Spaghetti and Coffee

Gyp wakes up at the Kinneret Lodge in Tabor Heights, New Jersey. He is met at the door by his lieutenant, Tonino, who has cold coffee and questions about their purpose in town. Gyp ignores him and approaches the gas jockey at the neighboring filling station. He ascertains that Tabor Heights is the last refueling point in New Jersey when traveling from Atlantic City to New York.

That night Gyp eats at the local diner. He is amused to find spaghetti and meatballs on the menu and tries to order some wine to go with it. Sheriff Sickles emerges from the bathroom and tells Gyp that the coffee is good. Gyp settles for the legal alternative and jokes with Tonino that the dish is just like mama used to make.

Nucky's convoy stops in Tabor Heights as planned but they find the gas station deserted and the pumps locked. Owen tries to break in, looking for a key. Gyp emerges from the darkness with Sheriff Sickles and announces that he has bought the station and will not be supplying to them. He has set up an ambush with at least a dozen armed men waiting in town. With no viable alternative, Owen turns the convoy around to head back to Atlantic City. ("Spaghetti and Coffee")

Bone for Tuna

Main article: Bone for Tuna

Nucky drives out to Tabor Heights to meet Gyp Rosetti and negotiate an end to his blockade of liquor shipments. He has the local Sheriff Victor Sickles accompany him to the meeting. Nucky criticizes Gyp's tendency to take offence so easily but offers a compromise; a final shipment of liquor as a goodwill gesture and a fully paid night in Atlantic City. Nucky awaits Gyp at Babette's Supper Club and reminisces about the dinner he held on the eve of prohibition and the lukewarm welcome he gave Jimmy as he returned from World War I. Their conversation is tense but Gyp tells Nucky that he wants to remain friends. He offers a toast to their shared good luck using the Italian phrase "A nostra buona fortuna". Gyp tries to convince Nucky to join him in a trip to Gillian's place. Nucky declines but drops him off, sharing an awkward look with Gillian on the steps. Gyp confirms that Nucky will be present when he picks up his shipment in the morning.

Gyp demands a private audience with Gillian and questions her about her relationship with Nucky. He asserts that she is paying protection money to Nucky and offers sympathy for the obvious friction between them. She reveals Eli Thompson's betrayal of Nucky and the attempt he made on his brother's life, keeping her part in the scheme to herself.

Gyp is disappointed when Nucky sends Owen with his excuses at the pickup. Gyp pointedly notes Eli's presence. When he bemoans the deal being curt, Eli says that he can christen him with a bottle of champagne. Owen delivers a good luck message from Nucky, garbling the pronunciation of the language as "Bone for Tuna". As Gyp leaves town he lets the perceived insult fester, convinced that Nucky is being sarcastic and intends him to fail. He stops in Tabor Heights to refuel and Sheriff Sickles drives out to meet him. Sickles wishes him good luck. Gyp believes he is being insulted again. He douses the lawman in gasoline and then sets him alight, burning him to death. ("Bone for Tuna")

Blue Bell Boy

Main article: Blue Bell Boy

The newspapers report the murder as an accident. Nucky assembles his men at Mickey Doyle's warehouse and orders them to avoid Tabor Heights and use the back roads through the Pine Barrens. Mickey Doyle comes to Tabor Heights to quiz the new Sheriff, Ramsey. Mickey asks what is being done about the murder. Ramsey assures them that he will take care of Rosetti. Satisfied, Mickey plans to go against Nucky's orders. He tells his men not to stop for anything except fuel in Tabor Heights.

Eli Thompson scouts ahead of the convoy and sees that Rosetti has Ramsey's loyalty. He tries to halt the trucks but the drivers blow past him. He is powerless as he hears the sounds of them being massacred. Gyp's people strip the bodies and plan to dump them in a mass grave. Gyp himself is more concerned with deciding which of the town's waitresses to bed and decides to pursue Roberta, the redhead. ("Blue Bell Boy")


Personal life

Criminal organization



  • Mr. Johansen: Beaten to death for an offhand comment insulting Gyp's intelligence.
  • Sheriff Victor Sickles: Burned to death for wishing Gyp good luck.
  • Roberta: Indirectly kills by moving her into the path of an oncoming bullet.
  • Lillian Kent: Dies as result of an explosion caused by Rosetti.
  • Babette: Dies as result of an explosion caused by Rosetti.
  • Franco: Beaten to death with a shovel by Rosetti.
  • Tonino: Accidentally shot by Rosetti during attempt by Siegel

Memorable Quotes

  • "Look, another mummy!" (regarding Nucky Thompson, "Resolution")
  • Gyp Rosetti (to Arnold Rothstein): "You smug kike midget, creeping around like a fucking dentist with the aether"
    • Lucky Luciano: "Why don't you watch your fucking step...?"
    • Gyp Rosetti: "Why don't you go sit in the corner, short pants?" (turns to Nucky) "And then there's you. Fucking breadstick in a bow-tie. You pasty-faced, cocksucking...[gets interrupted by Nucky]" ("Resolution")
  • "I'll shit you out like yesterday's sausage, you bog-trotting prick." (to Owen Sleater, "Resolution")
  • "Nobody here can take a joke." ("Resolution")
  • "What's that? A gun? I got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun... Everybody got guns!" ("Spaghetti and Coffee")
  • Nucky Thompson: "I learned a long time ago, not to take things personally."
    • Gyp Rosetti: "Everyone's a person, alright? So how else could they take it?"
    • Gyp Rosetti: "Nothing's personal? What the fuck is life, if it's not personal?!" ("Bone for Tuna")
  • "Gyp Rosetti is trouble for everyone." - Nucky Thompson ("You'd Be Surprised")
  • Gyp Rosetti:"I just need to get this said. With all due respect, You put me down in this game. I didn't ask for that. Not even a handshake. Make me want things. Things I can see; that I can almost touch. Then You take 'em away. Not for me, right? Everyone else, but not me. I'm what? A mistake You made? Like some leftovers. And I'm supposed to go through my life... no friendship, no love 'til I'm pissin' in my bed. Coughin' up blood on the sheets- then I'll know right? Then it'll all be clear. Put it in front of me, take it away- Why would You do that?! Just to screw with me? What kind of sick FUCK thinks that way? I'm supposed to trust You? Based on the treatment so far?! What are You up to, huh? I'm here. I'm listenin'! I'm ready for any kind of explanation!"
    • Priest: "Are you alright?"
    • Gyp: "I'm prayin'."
    • Priest: "You're yelling."
    • Gyp: "Can I ask you something?"
    • Priest: "Of course."
    • Gyp: (punches him, takes collection) "Where's God keep the rest of it? ANSWER ME! GET THE MONEY!" ("Sunday Best")
  • (to a townswoman after re-taking Tabor Heights) "Bible Camp's cancelled. And I'm not really doin' Questions and Answers right now dear". ("The Milkmaid's Lot")
  • Gyp Rosetti: "I'm not lookin' to put my hand in your pockets. However things used to work I don't operate that way. I mean look at me and look at you. We got a lot in common, huh?"
    • Chalky White: "And what's that?" 
    • Gyp: "We both got left out in the sun too long. Maybe you a little longer, huh?" ("Two Imposters")


Season three appearances


  1. "Resolution"
  2. "Bone for Tuna"
  3. "A Man, A Plan..."
  4. "The Milkmaid's Lot"
  5. "Margate Sands" clip in the HBO website
  6. Casting notices for Season 3
  7. "Sunday Best"
  8. "Bone for Tuna"
  9. "Sunday Best"
  10. "Bone for Tuna", "Blue Bell Boy"
  11. "You'd Be Surprised"
  12. "Sunday Best"
  13. Ibid.