Known as one of the last "gentleman gangsters", Piccolo and his two younger brothers Michael and Joseph all became made men in the Philadelphia family. The brothers owned the mob hangout "Piccolo's 500 Restaurant" in South Philadelphia. Piccolo was a caporegime in the Philadelphia family under boss Angelo Bruno. After Bruno's murder, he became consigliere under boss Nicodemo Scarfo replacing previous consigliere Frank Monte who was murdered. A nephew of Piccolo, Scarfo was introduced into the family by his uncle. Scarfo and underboss Phil Leonetti, Piccolo's great nephew, ruled the Philadelphia family and its Atlantic City, New Jersey branch with brutality and violence from 1982 to 1988. During the early 1980s, while Scarfo was briefly in prison, Piccolo was heavily involved in the running