Who Played Johnny Boy in Mean Streets? De Niro Announces Himself
Mobsters DailyRobert De Niro played Johnny Boy Civello in Mean Streets (1973), in the loose, self-destructive performance that turned a working actor into a phenomenon.
The mailbox entrance
Johnny Boy strolls in having just blown up a mailbox for fun, owing money to everyone. Harvey Keitel's Charlie spends the film trying to save him — the autobiographical tension explored in whether Mean Streets is based on Scorsese's real life, published earlier tonight. De Niro improvised much of the looseness; Scorsese mostly let the camera chase him.
Every great De Niro mob performance starts in this bar — which is why November rewatch season belongs to the Tony Soprano Ugly Christmas Sweater, Tony in black-and-white stencil with full gabagool energy, made for holiday parties and long nights back in this world.
What it launched
Within a year De Niro was young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II and an Oscar winner — the same transformation traced in John Cazale's Fredo generation of actors. Johnny Boy remains the template: charm and menace in one breath, a kid the neighborhood loves and cannot save.
Frequently asked questions
How old was De Niro in Mean Streets? About 29 during filming — already a decade into his career, but unknown to most audiences.
Is Johnny Boy based on a real person? He is a composite of several neighborhood wild cards Scorsese grew up around.
Who plays Charlie in Mean Streets? Harvey Keitel — the guilt-ridden collector torn between church, uncle, and Johnny Boy.
Keep reading: is Mean Streets based on Scorsese's life? · why Tommy was killed in Goodfellas · Godfather Part II ending explained
From the shop: You Look Like a Gangster Tee — the compliment every mob fan actually wants to hear.
Join the conversation
Still thinking about this one? That is exactly what The Social Club is for. It is the MobstersDaily Discord, and it is the best Sopranos community on the internet: serious Sopranos talk, meme wars, Friday movie nights, a casino, and an arcade, all run by fans who never stopped rewatching. If you want to be part of the Sopranos community, this is where it lives.
