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Mobster, “Goodfellas” Inspiration Henry Hill Dies

His life didn’t end as part of a “hit,” with a bullet in his head.  Instead, the mobster whose life inspired a book and one of Hollywood’s classic movies has died after a long illness.

FOX News Radio’s Sabrina Sabbagh reports from Los Angeles:

Audio clip:

Henry Hill is a name most people don’t know, but he was the mobster-turned-government informant that the movie “Goodfellas” is based on.

(“Goodfellas”) “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”

His story was first portrayed in the book “Wiseguys,” which was adapted into a screenplay for “Goodfellas,” starring actor Ray Liotta in the role of Hill.

(“Goodfellas”) “If we wanted something, we just took it.”

Hill was a member of a mafia family in New York from the 1960′s through the ’80′s.  After becoming an informant for the FBI and entering the government’s Witness Protection Program, Hill testified against his former organized crime bosses.  He died at a Los Angeles hospital after battling a longtime illness.  He was 69.

Sabrina Sabbagh, FOX News Radio.