Henry Hill - Goodfellas

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Goodfellas (1990)
Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
based on the book "WISEGUY" by Nicholas Pileggi

Reel Face:

Real Face:

Ray Liotta
Born:
December 18,
1955
Birthplace:
Newark, New
Jersey, USA

Henry Hill
Born: 1943
Birthplace:
Brooklyn, New
York, USA

Robert De Niro
Born: August
17, 1943
Birthplace: New York, New
York, USA

Jimmy "The
Gent" Burke
Born: ?
Birthplace: ?
Date of Death: April 13, 1996
(Stomach Cancer,
Died in Prison)

"At the age of twelve, my ambition was to become a gangster. To be a wiseguy was better than being President of the United States. To be a wiseguy was to own the world." - Henry Hill

Questioning the Story:

Is Henry Hill the only character in Goodfellas who is based on a real life mobster?
No. The other characters represent real life mobsters except their names were changed. Jimmy “The Gent” Conway (Robert De Niro) is Jimmy Burke, Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) is Tommy DeSimone (nephew of former Los Angeles boss Frank DeSimone) and Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino) is Paul Vario.

How many times is the 'F' word used in the film?
According to soyouwanna.com, the 'F' word is used 246 times. This may top the Eminem film 8 Mile, which usatoday.com cited as having more than 150 uses of the 'F' word. If anybody has a reference to an exact number for 8 Mile, please send it along.

Was Henry Hill really arrested for the first time for selling untaxed cigarettes?
No. Henry Hill's first arrest was for using a stolen credit card in a gas station to buy a couple of tires. Also, Cicero (Vario) did not congratulate Henry afterwards for keeping his mouth shut; Cicero was behind bars at the time for contempt.

Was Henry Hill in the Army?
In 1960, when Henry was seventeen, he joined the army and became part of the US Army Paratroopers. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Henry remained in the Army until 1963, but always kept in touch with Tuddy and Paulie.

Did Karen Hill really flush a kilo of coke down the toilet when the police raided the house?
No, this was likely added to heighten the tension of that particular scene.

Who lived to reap the benefits of the Lufthansa Heist?
Lufthansa Cargo Jet

In his Jonesville Station radio interview linked
below, Henry Hill tells Glenn Jones that he didn't get any of the money from the famous heist that occurred on December 11, 1978 at the Lufthansa Air Cargo terminal in New York City. 72 fifteen-pound cartons of untraceable money were removed from the vault. Henry says that most of the money was probably taken by the mob bosses. Of the six criminals involved in the heist, Henry is the only one still alive today.

Are the murders following the Lufthansa Heist represented accurately?
The murders occurred, but the film shows them out of order. Some even happened months and years after the heist.

(USER QUESTION) I heard that the FBI agent at the end of the film who persuades Henry (Ray Liotta) and Karen (Lorraine Bracco) to go into the Witness Protection Program was the actual real life agent who convinced the real Henry and Karen Hill that they had no real choice. Is this true?

Yes. It is the actual real life FBI agent in the film.

Pictured left are Henry Hill and his wife Karen

What happened to Henry Hill after joining the Witness Protection Program?
The first seven years of Henry Hill's life-after-the-mob included trials and testifying. Henry Hill was also involved in the composition of Nicholas Pileggi's "WISEGUY," which is the basis for the film Goodfellas. He has subsequently been involved in the writing of several other books, including a cookbook and A Goodfella's Guide to New York.

Is Henry Hill still in the Witness Protection Program?
No, Henry Hill and his family are no longer in the Witness Protection Program. In an online Court TV chat session Henry said the following, "I am officially out of the Witness Protection Program. It's a great program, but for a person like myself in the field of business that I'm in today, it's a bit difficult. I do commend those people. They risk their lives for scumbags like myself." At the time of his entry into the program, officials played him taped recordings of his enemies ordering his death.

Is Martin Scorcese's mother really in Goodfellas?
Yes. She has a bit part with Joe Pesci. They ad-libbed a scene about his character borrowing a ridiculously large knife.

What awards has the film been accredited with?
Goodfellas was nominated for six 1990 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress, and Screenplay. It won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which was awarded to Joe Pesci for his role as Tommy DeVito. The film went on to be ranked #94 on the American Film Institute's "100 Greatest Movies" list compiled in 1996. Browse the AFI list (here).

Does Henry Hill find the Sopranos an accurate portrayal of the mob?
In a Court TV online chat session, Henry said the following about the Sopranos,

"The Sopranos is the closest thing to the real life that I've ever seen. And if Tony Soprano would move into Bensonhurst or Harlem he would fit in as a Capo. His cookbook sucks, though. It's the only thing phony about the show." You can purchase Henry Hill's acclaimed cookbook at the right.

Does Henry Hill have a website?
Yes. Henry Hill does have a website. You can find it at goodfellahenry.com. Be sure to check out the "Threat of the Week," but mind the profanity.

Listen to Henry Hill Talk About His Life, the Film, and What He Does in His Life After the Mob:
In a radio show interview, Henry Hill talks to Glenn Jones on his show Jonesville Station. Henry answers questions about life after the mob, working on books, the Lufthansa Heist, and even slips in a few cusswords before Glenn Jones has to remind him that he is on the radio.

LISTEN (.ram, 1:03min)

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