New York Daily News
Jan. 13, 1997

By Jerry Capeci

A Sammy Bull Market With TV & Book Deal

Five years after Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano swaggered into federal court to pull down the curtain on John Gotti, the mob informant has agreed to open a window on his own life of crime and punishment in a television interview and a new book.

The turncoat underboss, the highest-ranking mobster to testify against his boss, is calling the shots and doing the book his way.

With the secrecy and precision of an FBI undercover operation, Gravano (right) has orchestrated an ABC "Turning Point" special about himself and a tell-all book with author Peter Maas (left).

If all goes according to Gravano's plans, the television appearance ó a lengthy interview with Diane Sawyer that was video-taped at a secluded California resort ó will be aired as the book hits the shelves, sources said.

"Sammy's hoping for a big blast on TV when the book comes out," said a source familiar with Gravano's efforts to coordinate both projects.

Gravano, who admitted murdering 19 people during his life of crime, served less than five years in prison for being one of the most important insiders to testify since Joe Valachi pulled the covers from La Cosa Nostra.

Prosecutors have said Gravano was the best witness they have had, with the high school dropout being able to fend off the best mob defense lawyers without being rattled.

Gravano's testimony was key in getting the Dapper Don convicted after three tries, as well as dozens of other mobsters.

For the past several months, Gravano has been spilling his guts to Maas, who has been holed up with Gravano since beginning the six-figure book collaboration deal, sources said.

Maas, author of "The Valachi Papers," would not comment. Neither would Gravano's lawyer, Larry Krantz.

But sources said Gravano and Maas have a contract that gives Gravano "total editorial control" and that Gravano "has been driving [Maas] nuts" with edits and other changes.

The man who once said, "When John barked, I bit," has been boning up on the mob-book genre by reading works on the Scarfo family, on Jimmy (The Weasel) Fratianno and autobiographies by Joe Bonanno and Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana.

It isn't known when the book will be in stores. But when it does, Linda Milito, whose husband, Louis, was a Gravano victim, has said she will be ready to sue Gravano under laws that prohibit convicts from making a profit on their crimes.

Before working out the book deal, sources said, Gravano had agreed to an unpaid TV interview, telling ABC officials he wanted to "answer all the bulls--and sneaky stuff Gotti's people have been saying about me.

"After listening to this bulls-- for years, it's my turn," Gravano told "Turning Point" producer Lisa Soloway, according to sources.

Soloway declined comment, but ABC spokesman Chris Alexander confirmed that "Turning Point" would air the Gravano special this spring. He said the timing of the show had nothing to do with the expected publication of Gravano's book.