Paramount’s Tulsa King is about banished New York mobster Dwight “The General” Manfredi, an entirely fictional character whose life is loosely based on the mafia’s dark history. Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan continues to expand the Sheridanverse with Tulsa King. Sylvester Stallone plays Manfredi in the actor’s first starring role in a television series, and Tulsa King’s real-life inspirations evoke one of the bloodiest eras in the history of the Sicilian mafia.
Manfredi is not based on a single person, but his banishment to Tulsa is highly reminiscent of what happened to the Inzerillo crime family of Palermo, Italy. Back in the ’80s, while the Gambinos ruled New York, the city of Palermo was ruled by the ruthless Salvatore Riina, also known as the “Boss of Bosses” and “The Beast,” whom authorities deem responsible for thousands of murders. In fact, the events that inspired Tulsa King are much bloodier than even the true stories that inspired The Godfather or Goodfellas.
Is Anything Real In Tulsa King?
The story in Tulsa King may draw inspiration from the Inzerillo family and their relationship with the mafia. In a successful bid to take leadership of the Sicilian mafia, Salvatore Riina and the Corleonesi faction of the mafia nearly exterminated the Inzerillo family and their other rivals throughout the ’70s. After the Gambinos and the Inzerillos’ other American allies intervened on the family’s behalf, Salvatore Riina allowed the Inzerillos to escape his wrath, provided they leave and never set foot on Sicilian soil ever again. The banished Inzerillos lived their lives in exile in New York, mostly content with staying under the radar and the protection of the powerful New York mafia, at least, until the Gambino crime family fell in the mid-80s.
Tulsa King flips these events by banishing a New York capo to Oklahoma. Though Dwight’s banishment to Tulsa doesn’t explicitly come with the condition that he never sets foot in New York again, it’s heavily implied. As Chickie Invernizzi tells Dwight, “There’s nothing for you here.” While everyone else in the room danced around the term, Dwight said ‘banishment’ out loud to evoke the history of the Inzerillo family, events his fellow New York mobsters know all too well.
However, Tulsa King is entirely fictional, no real-life New York mobster was ever banished to Tulsa under the pretense of establishing new territory for the mafia. That said, apart from how Dwight’s experiences echo the exile of the Inzerillo family, there are elements in the show that are accurate and realistic. Like many other movies and series based on true crime stories, Tulsa King borrows from the real world. This includes how Dwight is being monitored by the police, which is standard procedure for known mafia members who just got out of prison. More importantly, Dwight’s very exile is reflective of the fate that awaits anyone who has outlived their usefulness to the mafia.
What Dwight Being Banished In Tulsa King Means
Dwight Manfredi’s banishment takes on a different meaning when examined not just from its historical context, but also the fact that he is being monitored by the cops in Oklahoma. Chickie and Pete Invernizzi essentially gave Dwight a consolation prize for taking the fall and keeping his mouth shut in prison for 25 years. However, as the pilot reveals that the cops still have eyes on Dwight, there might be more to the story than just Dwight getting passed over for the role of underboss, even though he did his time while staying faithful to the mafia’s code of honor and silence.
On one hand, Tulsa King depicted a common police practice: monitoring recently freed mafia associates. On the other hand, the ATF officer himself says outright that Dwight’s case is not within the purview of the alcohol, tobacco, and firearms department. This could be a clue that the mafia is keeping Dwight in the dark about certain factors concerning his banishment from New York. Considering the bloody history attached to banishment and exile in the mafia, Tulsa King’s Dwight Manfredi is likely in more danger than he thinks.