Philip Testa

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Philip Testa (April 21, 1924 - March 15, 1981), also known as "The Chicken Man" or "Chicken Man Testa" (due to being involved in a business that raises and handles chickens) was an American Mafia figure, known for his brief leadership of the Bruno Family & The Philadelphia Mafia, as well as for being the inspiration for a song recorded by Bruce Springsteen in 1982.

Testa was the underboss of the Philly mob under long-time leader Angelo Bruno, known for his good nature and tendency to avoid dealing in violence or drugs. Bruno was killed on March 21, 1980 in a hit that was most likely ordered by a rebel faction from Atlantic City under Nicodemo ("Little Nicky") Scarfo.

Testa succeeded Bruno, but not for long. Almost exactly a year later, on March 15, 1981, at 2 AM, Testa returned to his home in South Philadelphia, when a nail bomb went off under his porch, tearing up his entire house. Eyewitness accounts claimed that pieces of his body were scattered blocks away. The nail bomb was alledgedly done on the orders of his underboss Pete Casella. The roofing nails were put in the bomb to make it look like it was retaliation for killing union president John McCulough, but Pete Casella was found out and banished from La Cosa Nostra by the Commission and he died of a heart attack in Florida. Immediately, the press jumped on the story, claiming that a Philadelphia Mafia War had begun, and they were right; it would be the beginning of a string of several civil wars that wouldn't end until 1995.

When Bruce Springsteen read the newspaper while recording demos for his new album, the headline read: "Chicken Man Blown Up In Philly". He adapted that line and wrote the song "Atlantic City" about the growing problem of the Philly Mafia wars in his home state of New Jersey and Philadelphia. With the opening of "Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night/Now they blew up his house too", and references to Nicky Scarfo, Bruce Springsteen garnered a surprise pop hit for his most critically-acclaimed, but least successful album, 1982's Nebraska.

Philip Testa's son, Salvatore Testa, an up and comer in the mob, was elevated by Scarfo to the rank of capo in the months after his father's death, but was eventually murdered as well 3 years later.