Genco Abbandando

Genco Abbandando is a fictional character from the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo, and the film adaptations The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. He serves as Don Vito Corleone's first consigliere for 20 years until he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. As Genco's health worsens he is replaced by Don Corleone's adopted son, the German-Irish Tom Hagen. In the beginning of the novel, Don Corleone brings his sons and Johnny Fontane to visit Genco in the hospital immediately after Connie Corleone's wedding, and Genco half-jokingly asks the Don to frighten death away. In the film adaptation, Don Corleone's visit to Genco's deathbed is featured as a deleted scene. Hours after the Don's visit, Genco passes away.

Genco and Vito's friendship as young men in Little Italy, New York is elaborated in both the novel and The Godfather Part II. Genco befriends Vito after the latter's arrival in New York and the Abbandando family helps young Vito as he grows up and employs him in the family grocery store. After Don Fanucci forces Genco's father to hire his nephew and fire Vito, the two go their separate ways until Vito decides to start a business importing olive oil from Italy. He asks Genco to help him start the business, and in honor of his friendship with Genco, Vito names the company "Genco Pura Olive Oil Company." Using the company as a front for his growing crime syndicate, Vito eventually designates Genco as his consigliere.

In both the novel and the films, Genco is portrayed as a shrewd and wise consigliere. When Hagen counsels patience to Sonny Corleone after the Don returns from the hospital, Sonny upbraids him by saying, "If I had a wartime consigliere, a Sicilian, I wouldn't be in this shape! Pop had Genco, look what I got." In the novel, Hagen himself often regards Genco as the superior consigliere to the family.

In The Godfather Part II, the part of Genco is played by Frank Sivero.