Lefty Rosenthal and Outfit murders from the 1970s.

[B.]

Great timing. I re-watched Casino recently from start to finish for the first time in over a decade and had a newfound love for it (I used to think it was one of the more boring of the classic mob movies). Been wanting to dig more into the grit behind the scenes, so thanks for this.

[Ed]

As Ivan pointed out, Rosenthal had a previous history of violent behaviour and you don't rise to the top without being a cagey operator. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to discover he whispered in the ears of his mob superiors that so-and-so was a problem and had to be "dealt" with. Knowing full well how Spilotro dealt with problems.

I thought Casino was so much better than Departed.

[Villain]

As I previously said, during his younger days Lefty was invloved in all kinds of bombings and even possibly murders and what do you expect from a guy who came under Yaras and Patrick, and his long time friendship with one of the Outfits most ruthless hitmen is not a coincidence

[Snakes]

Nice article, Ed. Thanks

[Ed]

You're absolutely right Villain. Well said. Roemer always talks about this guy or that guy (ie Donald Angelini) wasn't involved in the heavy stuff but to succeed in that world, you have to play the heavy sometimes and be willing to use (or condone) violence to get your way.

Snakes, you're welcome.

[Ivan]

As Ivan pointed out, Rosenthal had a previous history of violent behaviour and you don't rise to the top without being a cagey operator.

Well, actually, you're the one who pointed it out, I just pointed out that you pointed it out.

There's a passage in Casino (the book) where an agent kind of scoffs at the idea of Lefty being nonviolent, saying that it's impossible to be around the kind of guys he hung out with as much as he did without getting some blood on you yourself.

Great timing. I re-watched Casino recently from start to finish for the first time in over a decade and had a newfound love for it (I used to think it was one of the more boring of the classic mob movies). Been wanting to dig more into the grit behind the scenes, so thanks for this.

B. if you're interested I know more about that movie than anyone in their right mind should, so feel free to inquire about it. It's 90% real but there are a lot of composite characters (Remo is Aiuppa and Balistrieri, for example) and combination scenes (e.g., the scene toward the end where the guy is whacked in Costa Rica is a combination of Jerry Lisner getting killed by Frank Culotta, and an FBI theory about Jay Vandermark getting killed in Latin America that turned out to be false. BTW the hitman in the scene is played by... wait for it... Frank Culotta. Yes, he got paid to re-enact one of his own murders. Nice work if you can get it!)

You know that the politician played by Dick Smothers was Harry Reid in real life, right?

Also, the Japanese dude whose plane they sabotaged was a gentleman by the name of Akio Kashiwagi in real life. They call him "K.K. Ichikawa" in the film. He later got offed by the Yakuza with a katana, because why not. He also had a run-in with The Donald at one point.

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/12/us/a ... lions.html

[DPG]

I named the first cat I got my ex wife Remo. Best part of Casino by far, "And when I'm getting out of jail hopefully you'll be waking up out your coma." "Where's the big tough guy who told my friend to stick it up his ass?"

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

[Ivan]

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

Yeah, he's in the movie a lot. He does most of the killings in the montage at the end of the film.

He has this thing in Las Vegas where you can pay him a hundred bucks to drag you around the city and give you a "mob tour". I was tempted to do this when I lived there but ultimately decided against it.

[DPG]

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

Yeah, he's in the movie a lot. He does most of the killings in the montage at the end of the film.

He has this thing in Las Vegas where you can pay him a hundred bucks to drag you around the city and give you a "mob tour". I was tempted to do this when I lived there but ultimately decided against it.

I would imagine most the places he robbed are gone now. Does he still do this? Ive got some friends from St Louis that moved out there I'm gonna go see next year. I want to go back and see the museum again, I wasn't feeling to well the first time I went.

[Ivan]

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

Yeah, he's in the movie a lot. He does most of the killings in the montage at the end of the film.

He has this thing in Las Vegas where you can pay him a hundred bucks to drag you around the city and give you a "mob tour". I was tempted to do this when I lived there but ultimately decided against it.

I would imagine most the places he robbed are gone now. Does he still do this? Ive got some friends from St Louis that moved out there I'm gonna go see next year. I want to go back and see the museum again, I wasn't feeling to well the first time I went.

Yes, he's still at it.

http://www.holeinthewallgang.biz/casino-tour-.html

I might be out there this winter so maybe I'll take the plunge. It has good reviews.

The museum is great by the way, but it needs more Scarfo. I ran into Scott Dietche from there forum there when he was promoting a book and he was a cool guy. I wanted to go and meet John Alite when he was there just for the LOLz but I couldn't make it that day. I later talked to some lady who worked there about him and she said he was creepy as hell.

[dixiemafia]

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

He's also the hitman that hit Andy Stone and Nance in Costa Rica

[DPG]

Frank C is also the guy who brings the phone to Remo when Nance calls from the "Partnership Trial.'

Yeah, he's in the movie a lot. He does most of the killings in the montage at the end of the film.

He has this thing in Las Vegas where you can pay him a hundred bucks to drag you around the city and give you a "mob tour". I was tempted to do this when I lived there but ultimately decided against it.

I would imagine most the places he robbed are gone now. Does he still do this? Ive got some friends from St Louis that moved out there I'm gonna go see next year. I want to go back and see the museum again, I wasn't feeling to well the first time I went.

Yes, he's still at it.

http://www.holeinthewallgang.biz/casino-tour-.html

I might be out there this winter so maybe I'll take the plunge. It has good reviews.

The museum is great by the way, but it needs more Scarfo. I ran into Scott Dietche from there forum there when he was promoting a book and he was a cool guy. I wanted to go and meet John Alite when he was there just for the LOLz but I couldn't make it that day. I later talked to some lady who worked there about him and she said he was creepy as hell.

I would like to see something added on Hot Springs. The museum in Hot Springs is not very good imo, just goes to much with the hype instead of actual documented facts. They make it out to be Luciano, Costello and Lansky's operation, which is far from the truth. Haven't been to it in a few years but I plan on goin when I go see my mother this winter. Id really love to go work there.

[Adam]

Kind of a tangential discussion, but Roemer always wrote pretty highly about Rosenthal. Always building him up about how smart he was and how good he was to his kids. From Roemer's writings I kinda thought Rosenthal had been an informant way before it was released officially. Roemer was a bad writer and unsubtle as hell. He writes about Cerone that wat too.

[Confederate]

Kind of a tangential discussion, but Roemer always wrote pretty highly about Rosenthal. Always building him up about how smart he was and how good he was to his kids. From Roemer's writings I kinda thought Rosenthal had been an informant way before it was released officially. Roemer was a bad writer and unsubtle as hell. He writes about Cerone that wat too.

I think you mean he wrotes about Accardo that way. Roemer was obvious in his bias for or against certain Outfit people. He loved Accardo and spoke very highly of Ralph Pierce, Dominic Blasi, Lefty Rosenthal all who could do no wrong. He hated Giancana, DeStefano, Spilotro, Alderisio who could do no right.

[Adam]

Hi Confederate. I appreciate the discussion. Obviously Accardo. That's a given. But personally I think his "writing" style about Rosenthal is much more similar to Cerone than others. More so than the others he essentially "liked". But just my opinion. Roemer was a weird guy.