Francesca Zuitco
| Francesca Zuitco | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Francesca Louise Maggio July 13, 1927 Greenwich Village, NY |
| Died |
May 19, 1969 Greenwich Village, N |
| Cause of death | Murdered by James Anderton |
| Occupation | Grocer |
| Spouse(s) | Anthony Zuitco, Sr. |
| Children | Anthony Zuitco, Jr. |
Francsca Zuitco was the mother of famed hitman/bodyguard Anthony Zuitco, Jr.
Bio
Early Days
Francesca was born in Greenwich Village to a first-generation Italian unwed woman. Her mother, having been born 17 years prior, arrived in New York as a 6-year-old after her family had been hunted down and murdered by a crime organization in Sicily. Little is known about Francesca's mother, as she kept her past quiet in fear of bringing her parents' and siblings' fate upon herself.
Acting & Hollywood
Francesca grew up loving the theater, sneaking into multiple stage shows in the city and watching from the back of the theater. She found herself memorizing the shows despite never seeing the script.
One night in 1941, while watching a show, she was caught by the theater owner as she quietly recited every line being performed. Instead of kicking her out, the owner asked if she'd like a part in an upcoming show. He said he could only pay her $10 a week (a drastic cut from the typical $20 a week pre-WWII), and she immediately accepted.
Over the next five years, Francesca acted in every show she could get into, eventually making a name for herself among the off-Broadway theaters. In 1946, a stagehand told her a man was looking for her in the lobby. Going out front, she was greeted by a representative of the Paramutual Pictures studio, saying they were casting women for an upcoming film being shot in New York. Word of mouth regarding acting skills had reached certain talent agencies, and her abilities and looks matched what they needed. Agreeing to a week of shooting for a staggering $75, Francesca appeared in her first film, as a dancer and background extra in the musical Here's Hoping You're There, Kid (1947).
Her dancing helped her land roles in 14 other movies produced by other Hollywood studios over the next 4 years. By 1951, Francesca had returned to New York to revisit her stage career. Having more experience in Hollywood and even receiving lines in a few of the films she was in, she was able to get roles at some of the better theaters within the city. She spent most of the 50's acting in various theater productions.
Anthony & A Family
The one thing Francesca didn't have was a family of her own. In 1954, her mother, who had been living with her for the last 15 years, died, leaving Francesca alone. In the fall of 1958, Francesca decided to detour down one of the neighborhood streets where her mother said she had lived as a young child. Stepping into a small store, she perused its offerings when a man approached her. Turning, she met the owner, Anthony Zuitco, Sr. staring at her. He fumbled the bag of potatoes he was holding, which made her laugh. After some conversation, he asked her out, and she accepted.
Over the next year, the two were together. Francesca never made a big deal about her acting career, as having a family was more important to her than anything she had done before. On May 1st, 1959, the two were married in a small ceremony in the grocery store owned by Anthony. The entire neighborhood was there, cheering them on. Francesca moved in with Anthony, selling her apartment and keeping the savings she had set aside for a rainy day.
On February 3, 1960, she gave birth to her only son, Anthony Zuitco, Jr..
Death
Francesca and her husband Anthony Zuitco, Sr were both killed by a lone gunman while their son, Anthony, Jr., was inside the store looking at candy.
On May 19, 1969, while Francesca and Anthony, Sr. were out front of their store talking to customers, a gunman by the name of James Anderton, who was hired by Vincenzo Sporteino, opened fire on the two, emptying an entire clip at them. Anderton fled the scene just before police arrived. Francesca grabbed Anthony Sr.'s hand and watched as Anthony Jr. collapsed beside her, crying. She tried to hush him, telling him it was okay, but died before she could finish telling him.
Her savings stash (having accumulated interest for over 50 years) would eventually be found by a grown Anthony Jr. and used to help create his legitimate business Z Industries’ Manufacturing.