Philip (Philly Brush) Tartaglia

Philip Tartaglia was a Genovese Family soldier active in narcotics, policy, dice and card games, extortion, strong-arm work, and high-end robberies.

Philip (Philly Brush) Tartaglia was born on July 2, 1930. He was originally from 125 East Broadway in Lower Manhattan. He later resided at 430 E. 14th Street in Manhattan, then at 73-12 67th Road in Middle Village in Queens, and in Brooklyn. By his late 40s, he relocated to Las Vegas, where he would settle down and reside for the rest of his life.

Philip Tartaglia

He was a veteran Genovese “soldier” who stood about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. He was bald with a neat, clean, and well-dressed appearance. Philly Brush was known to have a bit of a short fuse.

FBI #285793A

His activities included narcotics, policy, dice and card games, extortion, strong-arm, and high-end robberies.

When Tartaglia was in the NY area, he liked to eat and hang at Ponte’s Restaurant off the Westside Highway. This was one of his mainstays. Angelo Ponte was a Family associate and garbage carting executive who was a multi-millionaire many times over from his carting and real estate investments.

Ponte's Restaurant

Although often identified as a Bonanno member, I could be wrong, but I do not believe he was “with” this Family, but rather a Genovese crew from Manhattan. Nearly all his active associates were Genovese-connected. Philly was raised in downtown New York and was reportedly a nephew to an old-time Genovese member named Victor Romano.

A Heavy Gambler with a Short Fuse

Tartaglia was good with his hands and was known for doing “work.” He had a short “fuse” and was a well-known gunman and somewhat of a “hothead,” quick to resort to violence as a solution to problems.

He was also a very heavy gambler all his life and could always be found in the various floating card games and crap games in Lower Manhattan and the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, where he later operated his own social club.

Side Note: It was during an evening of card playing at his Westside gambling den that he first met a young Jewish kid named Stu Unger. They would become fast friends, with Tartaglia serving as a sort of surrogate father to Unger.

As it turned out, Unger became one of the most accomplished and renowned “card players” (specifically “Gin Rummy”) in the nation. Philly would eventually “back” Unger in his gambling endeavors.

In 1954, Tartaglia was arrested in Manhattan for the beating of a policeman with his own nightstick. The beat cop tried arresting Philly for disorderly conduct when Tartaglia actually grabbed for the cop's revolver to shoot him, but the gun fell, so he grabbed the billy club and repeatedly struck the officer, knocking him down and shattering the club.

In 1960, he was indicted with Irving Cole for shooting a security guard named Leo Dolan, paralyzing him from the waist down during a gun battle while the two were attempting to rob a Brinks armored truck carrying $24,000 cash payroll.

Tartaglia and Cole actually shot down two guards that day.

In the late 1950s to 1960s, he was one of many indicted for narcotics conspiracy (heroin). I believe he went “on the lam” for a while. No disposition on the case was available. Tartaglia served several prison terms during his life.

Previous known associates while he resided in New York City included Victor Romano, an old-line Family soldier and uncle to Philly Brush; Anthony (Hickey) Di Lorenzo, a top Family member before his killing; Cosmo (Gus) Frasca, a top old-line Family capo; Gaetano (Toddo) Marino , an old-line Genovese capo, and an original member; Vincent Rizzo, a jeweler by trade, major fence, narcotics figure, and soldier; Angelo Ponte, a Family associate and garbage rackets figure; Matteo Di Lorenzo, Family hoodlum; and Gerald DeLorenzo, a Family associate.

Put on the Carpet

Although I’m not certain of the year it happened, Philly Brush was put on the “carpet,” a very serious carpet indeed...and almost lost his life for one of the most serious of mob infractions.

During a verbal argument, Tartaglia lost his temper (which he was famous for) and actually “struck” another “good fellow” which created a major problem for him. After a series of “meets” where higher-ups pleaded his case and asked to spare his life, Philly was banned from the New York area (actually he was banished indefinitely.) He was also stripped of all his rackets and any “action” he had going in New York. He lost everything and had to start all over.

Luckily, he had an “ace in the hole” named Stuey Unger. He and Stu relocated to Las Vegas, and the rest is history, as they say.

Philly recreated himself, concentrating on “nursing” Stuey, who was Philly’s “cash cow” in future years. Being that both men loved - eating and breathing - gambling, they were in heaven! Philly would “earn” well in coming years, slipping into New York City on rare occasions to visit, but, of course, never staying here.

Philly Brush Tartaglia was another of those little-known but integral members who made up the various Family regimes over the years. No DOD is available.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Philip (Philly Brush) Tartaglia

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Philip (Philly Brush) Tartaglia

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