Rocco Lampone Character Analysis in The Godfather

Lampone is an associate in Peter Clemenza’s regime. He is a former soldier who sustained a knee injury under combat in North Africa that left him with a limp. After Lampone was discharged from the army in 1943, Clemenza took him in due to a war-induced shortage of reliable Mafia soldiers. Lampone first works as a contact in the Corleone’s garment rackets and handles government employees charged with providing bootlegged food stamps for sale on the black market. Lampone’s good judgement and knack for knowing when to use force steadily earns him Clemenza’s respect. Clemenza eventually chooses Lampone as his new “button man” after Paulie Gatto’s betrayal of Don Corleone. Rocco later becomes Michael’s trusted enforcer and takes Tessio’s place as caporegime after Tessio’s betrayal of the Family and his subsequent murder.

Rocco Lampone Character Timeline in The Godfather

The timeline below shows where the character Rocco Lampone appears in The Godfather. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...pondering over who will replace Paulie as “button man” in the Family, Clemenza decides on Rocco Lampone, a military veteran who has worked for the Family for years and who consistently... (full context)

...no means gone stupid or soft.” Pretending that they suspect nothing about Paulie, Clemenza and Rocco then drive around with Paulie on the pretext of scoping out suitable places where they... (full context)

...before leaving Carlo a bloody pulp on the stoop. Sally Rags reports the incident to Rocco Lampone, who then reports it to Clemenza. The caporegime curses “that goddamn Sonny and his... (full context)

Rocco Lampone drives his car to a small hotel off the Jones Beach Causeway where Barzini’s... (full context)

...her he is going to be late for their date that evening. Suddenly, Michael arrives. Rocco Lampone and Tom Hagen accompany him. “You have to answer for Santino,” Michael says, “you... (full context)

...send Carlo to Las Vegas and exile him from the Family Business. Michael, Hagen, and Lampone then lead Carlo to a car parked outside the home. (full context)

To dispose of any remaining traitors, Clemenza and new caporegime, Lampone take control of the remaining Barzini rackets and murder those men still loyal to the... (full context)

...Relieved, Kay goes into the kitchen to make drinks when she sees Clemenza, Neri, and Lampone enter Michael’s room with their bodyguards in tow. “Don Michael,” Clemenza says. Kay watches as... (full context)

...the Family to Las Vegas. Peter Clemenza now leads his own New York Family, while Rocco Lampone is now the Corleone’s senior caporegime. Al Neri is in charge of security in... (full context)