History, Ray Liotta to Chronicle New York Mafia Families in Documentary Series

By R. Thomas Umstead
last updated

'Five Families' examines rise and fall of the Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese families

History Channel
(Image credit: History)

History Channel will examine the rise and fall of New York's infamous mafia families in a new documentary executive produced by Ray Liotta, the network announced Wednesday.

The eight-part series, Five Families, chronicles the exploits of New York's five mafia families --  Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese -- which for decades ruled New York and built the American Mafia into an underworld empire, according to network officials. 

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Five Families traces the mafia from its explosive and violent growth in Prohibition and its golden age of domination in the 1970s and 1980s, up through its heated and ultimately losing war with law enforcement, said the network.

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Liotta will serve as executive producer for Five Families along with Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Michael Stiller. ■ 

 

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.