Where did Henry Hill live on Long Island? This question often comes up when discussing the life of Henry Hill, a notorious mobster and the inspiration behind the movie “Goodfellas.” Henry Hill’s story is a captivating tale of crime, power, and betrayal, and his time on Long Island played a significant role in shaping his life. In this article, we will delve into the details of Henry Hill’s life on Long Island and the impact it had on his criminal career.
Henry Hill was born on June 12, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York. However, his family moved to the Long Island neighborhood of Queens Village when he was just a child. This area, located in the southeastern part of Queens, became his home for the next few decades. Queens Village was a typical suburban neighborhood during the 1950s and 1960s, offering a seemingly idyllic setting for a young boy to grow up in.
Despite the seemingly normal upbringing, Henry Hill’s life took a dark turn as he grew older. He began to associate with a group of neighborhood kids who were involved in petty crime. This group, which included future mobsters like James Burke and Thomas DeSimone, would later become the core of the Lucchese crime family. Henry Hill’s involvement with the Lucchese family would ultimately lead to a life of crime and violence.
During his time on Long Island, Henry Hill’s criminal activities began to escalate. He was involved in various crimes, including drug dealing, armed robbery, and extortion. His association with the Lucchese family also brought him into contact with other powerful mobsters, including John Gotti, the notorious boss of the Gambino crime family. Hill’s life on Long Island was characterized by a rapid descent into the underworld, with his criminal activities becoming more violent and dangerous.
One of the most notable events in Henry Hill’s Long Island life was his arrest in 1980 for the attempted murder of a man named Joseph “Joe Batters” Batts. Hill was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the crime, which served as a wake-up call for him. While in prison, Hill decided to cooperate with law enforcement, providing information on his fellow mobsters and the inner workings of the Lucchese family. This cooperation led to the arrests and convictions of many high-ranking mobsters, including John Gotti.
After his release from prison in 1991, Henry Hill settled in the same Queens Village neighborhood where he grew up. He became a controversial figure, speaking publicly about his criminal past and writing a memoir, “Hoodlum,” which was later adapted into the film “Goodfellas.” Hill’s life on Long Island was a rollercoaster ride of crime and punishment, but it was also a time of personal growth and redemption.
In conclusion, Henry Hill’s time on Long Island was a critical period in his life, marked by his descent into the criminal underworld and his eventual rise to become one of the most notorious mobsters in American history. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of living a life of crime and the power of redemption. Where did Henry Hill live on Long Island? The answer is Queens Village, a place that would forever be etched in his memory as the backdrop for his tumultuous journey through the criminal world.
