Frank Sheeran

**Francis "Frank" Sheeran** is the titular main protagonist of Martin Scorsese's 2019 epic crime film, *The Irishman*. He is an Irish associate of the Bufalino Crime Family, who's occupation as a hitman ruins his life as he grows older. He is based on the real life hitman of the same name.

He was portrayed by Robert De Niro, who also played Johnny Civello in *Mean Streets*, Travis Bickle in *Taxi Driver*, Jimmy Doyle in *New York, New York*, Jake LaMotta in *Raging Bull*, Rupert Pupkin in *The King of Comedy*, Jimmy Conway in *Goodfellas*, Max Cady in *Cape Fear*, Ace Rothstein in *Casino* and William Hale in *Killers of the Flower Moon*.

## Biography

### Early life

Francis Joseph Sheeran was born in October 25, 1920 in Darby, Pennsylvania to Thomas Sheeran Jr. and Mary Agnes Hanson. In August of 1941, Sheeran enlisted in the United States Army.

### 1950's

Sheeran, now a World War II veteran, takes a job as a union delivery truck driver, where he begins illegally selling some of the meat shipments to an Italian-American gangster, nicknamed, "Skinny Razor", who then introduces Sheeran to the local Philadelphia Crime Family, led by Angelo Bruno. After the delivery company finds out about Sheeran's theft of the meat, they try to have him put in jail, until Frank's union lawyer, Bill Bufalino, has the case thrown out. Bufalino introduces Frank to his cousin, Russell, the leader of the Bufalino Crime Family, which Frank starts working for as a hitman. Through his connections with the Bufalinos, Sheeran meets labor union leader, Jimmy Hoffa, who he begins working for as well as growing a close friendship with him.

### 1970's

After Hoffa is arrested and replaced as Teamsters president, he begins to grow more disrespectful of other Teamsters members, which causes Russell to order Sheeran to confront Hoffa, as his behavior is displeasing the heads of the local crime families. By 1975, while Frank and Russell are driving to Bill's daughter's wedding, Russell informs Frank that the dons are fed up with Hoffa and that Frank must take a plane to Detroit to kill Hoffa. Frank, along with Hoffa's foster son, Chuckie O'Brien and loan shark Sally Bugs, pick up Hoffa, who was meant to go to meeting with Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano and Anthony Giacalone. Instead Hoffa is brought to his house, where after he sees the house is empty when Sheeran told him Russell and Tony Pro where, he attempts to exit the house, to which he is murdered by Sheeran, who quickly walks away, before two unknown gangsters cremate Hoffa's body.

### 1980

By 1980, Sheeran, Russell, Tony Pro and various other gangsters are convicted on various charges unrelated to Hoffa's murder, to which one by one each gangster dies as they grow older in prison.

### c. 2002

Eventually, Sheeran, the only surviving gangster is released from prison and put in a nursing home. Due to his disconnection with his daughters, who all believe he had something to do with Hoffa's disappearance, especially Peggy, he tries to reconcile with them, but fails. Around this time, Frank begins seeing a Catholic priest, who Sheeran informs of his lack of remorse for his murders, aside for the murder of Hoffa. Just before the priest leaves, Frank asks if he can leave the door slightly open, one of Hoffa's habits.

## Deaths

* **Two unnamed German soldiers:** Shot to death.
* **Whispers DiTullio:** Shot twice in the head on Russell Bufalino's orders.
* **Unnamed bodyguard:** Shot to death.
* **Joe Gallo:** Shot to death.
* **Jimmy Hoffa:** Shot in the back of the head on Russell Bufalino's orders.
* **Sally Bugs:** Shot in the face.
	+ Total: 7