Who is Karen Friedman Hill? 10 interesting facts about Henry Hill's ex-wife

Who is Karen Friedman Hill? 10 interesting facts about Henry Hill's ex-wife

If you are a fan of crime films, chances are high that you have come across the American classic Goodfellas (1990). The film narrates the rise and fall of American mobster Henry Hill and his family and friends. Among the roles that caught the eyes of many is that of Henry Hill's ex-wife, Karen Friedman Hill, portrayed by Lorraine Bracco. So, who is she? Discover fascinating facts about Karen Hill.

Karen Friedman Hill
A scene from Goodfellas (1990) (L) with actress Lorraine Bracco playing Karen Friedman Hill, and (R) a wedding photo of Karen and Henry. Photo: @monte_hendricks on Twitter (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Karen Friedman Hill became famous for her association with the American mafia. Her husband was a Lucchese crime family mob associate, an Italian-American mafia criminal organisation from New York City in the United States.

Profile summary

Full nameKaren Friedman Hill
GenderFemale
Date of birth16 January 1946
Age77 years old (as of 2023)
Zodiac signCapricorn
Place of birthNew York City, New York, USA
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionJudaism
SexualityStraight
Hair colourBlack
Eye colourBrown
SiblingsTwo
Marital statusDivorced
Ex-husbandHenry Hill
ChildrenTwo
Net worth$1 million–$5 million

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10 interesting facts about Karen Friedman Hill

Karen Hill's popularity rose after the publication of various media depicting her association with Henry Hill. As a result of her status as the wife of one of America's biggest mobsters, fans are eager to learn more about her. Here are some interesting facts about Karen Friedman Hill.

1. Karen Friedman Hill was born in 1946

Karen was born to Jewish parents on 16 January 1946 in New York City, New York, USA. How old is Karen Hill? She is 77 years old (as of 2023), and her zodiac sign is Capricorn.

Karen comes from a middle-class family that resided in Long Island around the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County, USA. She also has two siblings. Karen Friedman Hill's young sisters are Sandy and Adrienne.

2. She used to work as a dental assistant

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Karen had a career as a dental assistant and hygienist in New York. According to her children's book On the Run: A Mafia Childhood, Karen revealed that she worked as a dental assistant when she met Henry Hill in 1965.

3. Karen met her husband on a double date

Karen met Henry Hill in 1965 through Paul Varioi, a mobster and a made man in the Lucchese crime family. Paul insisted Henry accompany his son on a double date at Frank Manzo's restaurant, Villa Capra.

However, the date was disastrous, resulting in Henry standing her up at the next dinner date. Eventually, the pair began going on dates, where Henry introduced Karen to his lavish lifestyle. Their dates marked the beginning of her relationship with Hill and her introduction to the mafia world.

4. She married Henry after dating briefly

After dating for four months, Karen and Henry eloped to North Carolina to marry. They chose North Carolina as marriage requirements were less strict there and to avoid disapproval from Karen's parents. Soon after, the pair held a Jewish wedding service in New York that Henry's mobster associates attended.

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5. Karen was involved with a criminal group

What happened to Karen Hill? She was involved in the American mafia through her husband, Henry Hill. Henry was an associate of the Lucchese crime family, an Italian-American mafia syndicate, one of the five families that dominated organised crime in New York City.

6. Her life in crime inspired an award-winning movie

Karen Friedman Hill's life in crime is in the media through film and books. Her most notable portrayal was in the 1990 Oscar award-winning film Goodfellas, a Martin Scorsese-directed flick. In the movie, actress Lorraine Bracco plays Karen, and actor Ray Liotta plays her husband. Goodfellas is an adaptation of the 1985 book Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family by Nicholas Pileggi.

7. She has two children

After getting married, the pair started a family and had children. How many kids did Henry and Karen Hill have? The ex-couple had two children: A son, Gregg Hil,l and a daughter, Gina Hill.

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8. Karen and her family entered witness protection

1980, Henry was arrested and faced a long sentence on narcotics trafficking charges. As a result, he agreed to become an informant. This decision resulted in the family entering the US Marshals' Witness Protection Program. They changed their names and moved around several undisclosed locations and states.

9. She divorced her husband in 1990

After nearly 25 years of marriage, Karen filed for divorce from her husband in 1990. The reason for the divorce was reportedly Henry's continuous crimes while in witness protection, resulting in a conviction for illegal substance trafficking in 1987.

10. Karen got removed from witness protection

In the early 1990s, the family got booted from the witness protection program. Why was Henry Hill removed from witness protection? He was released from witness protection due to his continuous crimes while in the program.

FAQs

  1. Who is Karen Friedman Hill? She is an American woman famously known as the former wife of mafia mobster Henry Hill.
  2. What is Karen Hill's age? She is 77 years old (as of 2023) and was born on 16 January 1946.
  3. Where is Karen Friedman Hill now? She remains anonymous despite being removed from the witness protection program in the early 1990s.
  4. Who was Karen Friedman Hill in her young days? She used to work as a dental hygienist in New York, USA.
  5. What are Karen Friedman Hill's movies? She has never appeared in any film. Actress Lorraine Bracco portrays her in the 1990 film Goodfellas.
  6. What makes Goodfellas so good? The film's storytelling, cast and performances make it stand out in its genre. It won an Oscar award.
  7. What is Karen Friedman Hill's net worth? She has an alleged net worth of between $1 million to $5 million.

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Karen Friedman Hill is an American woman famous for her involvement in the American mafia led by her husband. Her association was primarily through her husband, Henry Hill, an associate of the Lucchese crime family.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com