Lauretta Giegerman: The Showgirl Who Married A Mob Boss
lauretta giegerman, Born October 28, 1894. Manhattan. Jewish family. Parents: Jacob and Celia. Seven siblings. Worked as a Broadway showgirl under the name “Bobby.” Met Frank Costello (real name Francesco Castiglia). He was a childhood friend. They married in 1918. He was a mobster. She stayed silent. For 35 years. No children. No interviews. No public appearances. Lived in a seven-room apartment on Central Park West. Summered in Sands Point. He built a crime empire. She built a wall. When he died in 1973, she vanished completely. Nobody knows what happened next. Nobody asked.
LAURETTA GIEGERMAN: COMPLETE FACTS
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lauretta Giegerman (also spelled Geigerman, Lauretta, Loretta) |
| Stage Name | “Bobby” |
| Born | October 28, 1894, Manhattan, New York County |
| Death Year | Unknown; records indicate life extended beyond 1973 |
| Age at Death | Unknown |
| Ethnicity | Jewish |
| Heritage | German Jewish (parents were German immigrants) |
| Father | Jacob H. Geigerman |
| Mother | Cecelia Josephs (also listed as Celia) |
| Siblings | Ruth Mehrman, Harold Giegerman, Jessie Geigerman, Jerome Giegerman, Sidney Giegerman, Theodore Giegerman, William B. Giegerman |
| Career | Broadway showgirl, vaudeville performer |
| Profession Before Marriage | Performer, dancer |
| Husband | Frank Costello (Francesco Castiglia) |
| How They Met | Childhood friends |
| Marriage Date | 1918 (one source says 1915, but 1918 is more commonly cited) |
| Marriage Duration | 35 years (some sources say “over 50 years,” discrepancy exists) |
| Children | None |
| Primary Residence | 7-room apartment, Central Park West, Manhattan |
| Summer Residence | Sands Point, New York |
| Husband’s Profession | Mafia crime boss (“Prime Minister of the Underworld”) |
| Husband’s Birth | January 26, 1891 |
| Husband’s Death | February 18, 1973, age 82 |
| Public Profile | Extremely private; no interviews, minimal documentation |
| Social Status | High-profile spouse of infamous mobster; chose obscurity |
| Known Characteristics | Quiet, private, devoted, discretion, warmth |
| School Attendance | Unknown |
| Education Level | Unknown |
| Hobbies | Unknown |
| Health | Unknown |
| Personality | Reserved, calm, patient |
| Net Worth | Unknown |
| Current Status | Unknown; presumed deceased |
The Marriage That Defied The Mob World
- Frank and Lauretta got married. She was 24. He was 27. Both from similar backgrounds. He had just released from jail for carrying a concealed weapon. She was a Broadway performer.
That same year he married her, he started working for Ciro Terranova. The gambling empire began. The crime network expanded. But Lauretta stayed home.
She never attended meetings. Never appeared at events. Never asked questions. Never complained publicly.
Sources say she was his “childhood friend.” That they grew up together. But one source says they married in 1915, another says 1918. The date is uncertain. The year he went to prison is certain. The year he began his criminal rise is certain. Their marriage year contradicts between sources.
The Children They Never Had (And Why)
They had no children. Not one. Unusual for that era. Strange for a mobster’s wife. Some sources say they “tried but could not.” Some sources say nothing at all.
Nobody documented the reason. Nobody asked Frank why. Nobody asked Lauretta. It remained private. Like everything else about her.
This matters because a childless marriage in the 1920s-1950s was remarkable. It meant she had no heirs. No grandchildren. No legacy passing forward. No family continuing her name. Just silence.
The Disappearance After 1973
Frank died February 18, 1973. Age 82. She was 78. They had been married 35 years (or longer, sources conflict).
After his death: nothing. No records. No documentation. No interviews about her life. No memoirs. No photographs. No stories about her final years.
One source says “her life extended beyond 1973” but offers no dates. No location. No confirmation she was alive in 1975, 1980, 1990. Just: “beyond 1973.”
She simply ceased to exist in the historical record.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was Lauretta Giegerman?
A: Lauretta Giegerman was a Broadway showgirl born October 28, 1894, in Manhattan, New York. She married mob boss Frank Costello in 1918 and remained married to him for 35 years until his death in 1973.
Q: What was Lauretta Giegerman’s profession?
A: She was a Broadway showgirl and vaudeville performer under the stage name “Bobby” before marrying Frank Costello.
Q: When did Lauretta Giegerman marry Frank Costello?
A: Marriage records indicate 1918, though one source claims 1915. The exact year contains a discrepancy across historical sources.
Q: Did Lauretta Giegerman and Frank Costello have children?
A: No. They had no children during their 35-year marriage. The reason remains undocumented.
Q: Where did Lauretta Giegerman live?
A: She lived in a 7-room apartment on Central Park West in Manhattan and summered in Sands Point, New York.
Q: What ethnicity was Lauretta Giegerman?
A: Lauretta was German Jewish. Her parents, Jacob and Cecelia (also listed as Celia), had immigrated from Germany.
Q: How long were Frank Costello and Lauretta Giegerman married?
A: They were married for 35 years. Some sources claim “over 50 years,” creating a discrepancy.
Q: When did Lauretta Giegerman die?
A: The exact date of death is unknown. Records indicate her life extended beyond Frank’s death in 1973, but no death date has been documented.
Q: What was Lauretta Giegerman’s relationship with the mob?
A: She maintained complete distance from her husband’s criminal operations. She never attended meetings, never appeared at events, and never involved herself in mob business.
Q: How many siblings did Lauretta Giegerman have?
A: She had seven siblings: Ruth Mehrman, Harold Giegerman, Jessie Geigerman, Jerome Giegerman, Sidney Giegerman, Theodore Giegerman, and William B. Giegerman.
Q: Why is Lauretta Giegerman not well-known?
A: She deliberately chose a private life away from publicity. She granted no interviews, made no public appearances, and maintained complete discretion throughout her life.
Q: What was Lauretta Giegerman’s net worth?
A: No documentation exists regarding her net worth. Her financial status remains unknown.
