Anthony Mirra
A volatile Bonanno family soldier whose reckless trust in an undercover FBI agent triggered one of the most devastating infiltrations in Mafia history.
1927–1982 (age 55)·American mobster·Birthday: July 18·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anthony Mirra lived and died by the brutal codes of New York's Bonanno crime family. Operating out of Manhattan's Little Italy, he was known as a tough, feared, and unpredictable soldier, eventually rising to capo. His legacy, however, is defined by a single catastrophic error in judgment. In the late 1970s, Mirra vouched for and introduced a small-time jewel thief named Donnie Brasco to the family's inner circles. Brasco was in fact FBI agent Joseph Pistone, and his six-year deep-cover operation, enabled by Mirra's sponsorship, resulted in over 100 indictments and crippled the Bonanno family. Mirra's fate was sealed by his own actions; after being released on bail and suspected of being an informant himself—a suspicion stemming from the Brasco disaster—he was lured to a parking garage in lower Manhattan and executed. His story is a stark parable of hubris and betrayal in the underworld.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anthony was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Died at 55
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
Key Achievements
- Personally introduced undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone ('Donnie Brasco') into the Bonanno crime family, enabling a historic infiltration.
- Rose from soldier to caporegime within the Bonanno family, controlling criminal operations in Manhattan.
- His actions directly led to the convictions of numerous high-ranking mafia figures in the 1980s.
Did You Know?
He was a first cousin of Bonanno boss Philip 'Rusty' Rastelli.
Mirra was reportedly so volatile that other mobsters were wary of him.
The character of Tony Mirra in the film 'Donnie Brasco' was played by actor Bruno Kirby.
“You never talk. You never say a word.”
