General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

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Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Honk » Wed May 07, 2025 4:43 pm

Patrickgold wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 4:34 pm
Honk wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 4:06 pm Question for the Chicago experts - about 20 years ago I took my first trip to Vegas. While I’m playing poker at the Stratosphere, there’s a regular at my table who was talking about Chicago outfit people in an obvious Chicago accent.

I pried a little and asked some questions and he was a loosely connected associate who was a thief/burgular but I cannot recall his name now.

From what I remember he had just wrote a book called Thief but my searches are coming up empty.

Any ideas on who it was?
It’s called “Thief!” And it’s about William Slick Hanner. I have it but have never read it. I think I started but he sounded to full of himself and I never finished. Maybe it is a good book but never read it. Anybody read it?
That’s it! Not sure how I didn’t find it online since I had the books name correct.

Thanks!

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Patrickgold » Wed May 07, 2025 4:34 pm

Honk wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 4:06 pm Question for the Chicago experts - about 20 years ago I took my first trip to Vegas. While I’m playing poker at the Stratosphere, there’s a regular at my table who was talking about Chicago outfit people in an obvious Chicago accent.

I pried a little and asked some questions and he was a loosely connected associate who was a thief/burgular but I cannot recall his name now.

From what I remember he had just wrote a book called Thief but my searches are coming up empty.

Any ideas on who it was?
It’s called “Thief!” And it’s about William Slick Hanner. I have it but have never read it. I think I started but he sounded to full of himself and I never finished. Maybe it is a good book but never read it. Anybody read it?

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Honk » Wed May 07, 2025 4:06 pm

Question for the Chicago experts - about 20 years ago I took my first trip to Vegas. While I’m playing poker at the Stratosphere, there’s a regular at my table who was talking about Chicago outfit people in an obvious Chicago accent.

I pried a little and asked some questions and he was a loosely connected associate who was a thief/burgular but I cannot recall his name now.

From what I remember he had just wrote a book called Thief but my searches are coming up empty.

Any ideas on who it was?

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Camo » Wed May 07, 2025 2:25 pm

Snakes wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 2:21 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:42 pm
Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit
I'm asking about the book which i believe used the real names and mentioned Chicago. Again i haven't read it but i'm under the impression it's very different to the movie, Scoresese says his movies were "inspired by" Pileggi's books rather than based on which is why he changed the names and elements of the story.

Unless your second and third paragraphs are referring to the book and i've misinterpreted you in which case thanks for the information?
The book is a good read. I recommend it. He gets most of his info from Lefty and Culotta. I don't remember there being anything too outrageous included.
Thanks Snakes, i was mostly interested in you, Antiliar and Polack Tony's opinions since you three (along with Villain who is no longer here) have taught me the most about Chicago indirectly.

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Camo » Wed May 07, 2025 2:23 pm

Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 2:08 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:42 pm
Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit
I'm asking about the book which i believe used the real names and mentioned Chicago. Again i haven't read it but i'm under the impression it's very different to the movie, Scoresese says his movies were "inspired by" Pileggi's books rather than based on which is why he changed the names and elements of the story.

Unless your second and third paragraphs are referring to the book and i've misinterpreted you in which case thanks for the information?
My apologies. I haven’t read the book either. However, with only having the film to go off of, I can only assume that the book was as trash as the film, considering one was based upon the other.
Again though it wasn't based on it, it was "inspired by" it in the same way that The Departed was "inspired by" the Whitey Bulger case. Obviously Casino is more of a direct adaptation of Casino but Scorsese butchers the names and details to fit his narrative because he's' an artist. He left out or altered so much of "Wiseguy" in Goodfellas that i'm willing to at least consider it's more accurate.

I don't think it's fair to compare Scorsese's artistic licence to a book which may be reasonable. It definitely may be trash that's what i'm trying to find out lol i'm just not going to go off the movie since i know Marty had no interest in accuately depicting anything, he was interested in his own art with these books and stories as a basis but not concrete storyline he had to follow.

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Snakes » Wed May 07, 2025 2:21 pm

Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:42 pm
Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit
I'm asking about the book which i believe used the real names and mentioned Chicago. Again i haven't read it but i'm under the impression it's very different to the movie, Scoresese says his movies were "inspired by" Pileggi's books rather than based on which is why he changed the names and elements of the story.

Unless your second and third paragraphs are referring to the book and i've misinterpreted you in which case thanks for the information?
The book is a good read. I recommend it. He gets most of his info from Lefty and Culotta. I don't remember there being anything too outrageous included.

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Aunt+Baby » Wed May 07, 2025 2:08 pm

Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:42 pm
Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit
I'm asking about the book which i believe used the real names and mentioned Chicago. Again i haven't read it but i'm under the impression it's very different to the movie, Scoresese says his movies were "inspired by" Pileggi's books rather than based on which is why he changed the names and elements of the story.

Unless your second and third paragraphs are referring to the book and i've misinterpreted you in which case thanks for the information?
My apologies. I haven’t read the book either. However, with only having the film to go off of, I can only assume that the book was as trash as the film, considering one was based upon the other.

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Camo » Wed May 07, 2025 1:42 pm

Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm
Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit
I'm asking about the book which i believe used the real names and mentioned Chicago. Again i haven't read it but i'm under the impression it's very different to the movie, Scoresese says his movies were "inspired by" Pileggi's books rather than based on which is why he changed the names and elements of the story.

Unless your second and third paragraphs are referring to the book and i've misinterpreted you in which case thanks for the information?

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Aunt+Baby » Wed May 07, 2025 1:29 pm

Camo wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?
That movie sucked. It featured all east coast actors and not one Chicagoan such as Farina, Madsen, Montagna etc. the only one who even attempted a Chicago accent was pesci, and even that was half assed

As far as accuracy goes,no it wasn’t accurate. They couldn’t even mention Chicago outright, and that LV story in general isn’t all that interesting. The real meat on the bone & intrigue was occurring in Chicago obviously.

Also we know now that Phil Ponto was perhaps the most important straightened out guy in LV for the outfit

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Camo » Wed May 07, 2025 12:59 pm

How accurate is Nicholas Pillegi's Casino? I'm aware it's not regarding Spilotro's murder but is his time in Vegas generally accurate or what? I've seen the movie obviously but i've never read the book and i'm considering doing so if it's at least somewhat accurate. Is Frank Cullota his source or is it purely newspaper articles or what?

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Aunt+Baby » Wed May 07, 2025 12:34 pm

RushStreet wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 9:11 am Panozzo is definitely a throw back. Crazy is an understatement.

I wonder how many people he has killed over the years that the feds can't indict him on.
Guy is a nut

And his brother Louie was a trashy dirt bag, from what I’ve heard. Anyone have any info on him? Seemed like a gopher

Bobby was/is a real player.

I’ve heard Outfit guys stick to themselves in jail & try not to socialize too much with east coast cats

Of course, there are exceptions, such as Joe Lombardo bunking with Merlino, Chickie Chang, and others, and Marco DAmico & Tony Dote as well

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by RushStreet » Wed May 07, 2025 9:11 am

Panozzo is definitely a throw back. Crazy is an understatement.

I wonder how many people he has killed over the years that the feds can't indict him on.

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by NorthBuffalo » Wed May 07, 2025 9:04 am

great old photo making the rounds - Giancana in the basement:
Image

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by NorthBuffalo » Wed May 07, 2025 8:46 am

Aunt+Baby wrote: Wed May 07, 2025 8:39 am Any idea on which NJ fam Rocky Infelice was working with during his “exile” in the 60s, after his H pinch?
There is an FBI wire of Infelise and Cowboy Mirro working on a score with Corky Vastola of DeCavs.
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... arch=Mirro

Re: General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

by Aunt+Baby » Wed May 07, 2025 8:39 am

Any idea on which NJ fam Rocky Infelice was working with during his “exile” in the 60s, after his H pinch?

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