Casino Movie Based On
The 1995 movie Casino directed by Martin Scorsese is a cult classic but did you know the plot was inspired by a real-life story? Well you do now! The story was inspired by Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal who managed the Fremont, Hacienda and Stardust casinos in Vegas for the Chicago mob in the 70’s and 80’s. Casino Jack received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 39%, based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, 'Kevin Spacey turns in one of his stronger performances, but Casino Jack is a disappointingly uneven fictionalized account of a fascinating true story.' The Casino movie character Artie Piscano was based on Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna. The raid on his home happened on February 14, 1979. Unlike what is depicted in the movie, Tuffy did not die of a heart attack during the raid. He was sentenced to prison for his.
| Born | Frank Lawrence Rosenthal June 12, 1929 |
|---|---|
| Died | October 13, 2008 (aged 79) |
| Spouse(s) | (m. 1969; div. 1981) |
Frank Lawrence Rosenthal (June 12, 1929 – October 13, 2008), also known as 'Lefty' Rosenthal, was an American professional sports bettor, former Las Vegascasino executive, and organized crime associate. Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro), the protagonist of Martin Scorsese's film Casino (1995), is based on Rosenthal.
Early years[edit]
Illinois[edit]
Frank Rosenthal was born in Chicago, Illinois, in a Jewish family and grew up in the city's West Side. As a youth, he learned sports betting in the bleachers of Wrigley Field and would often skip classes to attend Chicago sporting events.[1] Rosenthal's father also owned racehorses, whereby he became familiar with betting odds and percentages at a young age.
By the mid-1950s, Rosenthal was working with the Chicago Outfit. Chosen for his expert odds-making ability, he ran the biggest illegal bookmaking office in the United States on behalf of the Mafia—specifically, the Outfit. Based in Cicero, Illinois, under the guise of a home improvement company, Rosenthal and the Outfit bought 'contracts' to fix sporting events.[2] After being indicted as a conspirator on multiple sports bribery charges, Rosenthal moved the operation to North Bay Village in Miami, Florida, to avoid attention.[3]
Miami[edit]
By 1961, Rosenthal had acquired a national reputation as a sports bettor, oddsmaker, and handicapper, and in Miami he was frequently seen in the company of prominent Outfit members Jackie Cerone and Fiore Buccieri.[4][incomplete short citation] At this time Rosenthal was issued with a subpoena to appear before U.S. SenatorJohn McClellan's subcommittee on Gambling and Organized Crime, accused of match-fixing. He invoked the Fifth Amendment 37 times and was never charged. Due to this, Rosenthal was barred from racing establishments in Florida.
Despite his frequent arrests for illegal gambling and bookmaking, Rosenthal was convicted only once, after pleading no contest in 1963 to allegedly bribing a New York University player to shave points for a college basketball game in North Carolina. He was also a suspect in multiple business and car bombings in the greater Miami area during the 1960s. It was at this time the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an ongoing case file on Rosenthal which amassed 300 pages.[5] In order to once again escape police attention, Rosenthal moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1968.[6][incomplete short citation]
Las Vegas career[edit]
A big promoter of sports gambling, Rosenthal secretly ran the Stardust, Fremont, Marina, and Haciendacasinos when they were controlled by the Chicago Outfit.[7] He also created the first sports book that operated from within a casino,[7] making the Stardust one of the world's leading centers for sports gambling. Another Rosenthal innovation was hiring more female blackjack dealers, which in one year helped double the Stardust's income.[8][incomplete short citation]
In 1976, the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) discovered that Rosenthal was secretly running four large casinos without obtaining a state gaming license, holding a hearing to determine his legal ability to obtain a license. The hearing was headed by Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman (and future U.S. Senator) Harry Reid. Rosenthal was denied a license because of his arrest record, and his documented reputation as an organized crime associate,[9][incomplete short citation] particularly because of his boyhood friendship with Chicago mob enforcer Anthony Spilotro.[10][incomplete short citation]
Rosenthal married Geri McGee on May 4, 1969. McGee already had a daughter, Robin L. Marmor, from a previous marriage with ex-husband Lenny Marmor. Rosenthal and McGee later had two children together, Steven and Stephanie. There were infidelities on both sides, with McGee secretly having an affair with Spilotro.[11] The marriage ended in divorce in 1981, with Rosenthal attributing the failure primarily to McGee's inability to escape her dependence on alcohol and drugs. After leaving Rosenthal and stealing a portion of their savings, McGee died at a motel in Los Angeles on November 9, 1982, at age 46, of an apparent drug overdose. Her death was ruled accidental, from a combination of Valium, cocaine, and alcohol.[1][page needed]
Later years and death[edit]
On October 4, 1982, Rosenthal survived an assassination attempt in Las Vegas, in which a bomb attached to the gasoline tank was detonated when he started his car.[7] While Rosenthal had dined at the Tony Roma's restaurant at 602 E. Sahara Avenue, a person or persons unknown placed the bomb in his car. Rosenthal likely survived because of a manufacturing device unique to his particular model car (a 1981 Cadillac Eldorado): a stout metal plate under the driver's seat, installed by General Motors on all El Dorado models to correct a balancing problem. This plate shielded Rosenthal's body from most of the explosion's force. Although no one was ever charged for this murder attempt, Milwaukee mob boss Frank Balistrieri was possibly responsible. Balistrieri, who was known as the 'Mad Bomber' to law enforcement, was heard (via wiretap) blaming Rosenthal for the legal problems the mob-controlled casinos were suffering. Similarly, just weeks before the bombing, Balistrieri told his sons he intended to get 'full satisfaction' for Rosenthal's perceived wrongdoing.[12] Other likely suspects include Kansas City mob bosses, who were recorded on an FBI wiretap tape calling Rosenthal 'crazy'; Spilotro, either acting with others or on behalf of the Outfit; and outlaw bikers who were friends of Rosenthal's ex-wife, Geri McGee.
Rosenthal left Las Vegas about six months later, and moved to Laguna Niguel, California. He focused on raising his children, who were both accomplished youth swimmers. Rosenthal was later formally banned from Las Vegas casinos in 1987, when he was placed in 'the Black Book', making him persona non grata—unable to work in, or even enter, any Nevada casino because of his alleged ties to organized crime.[13][page needed] However, in June 1990, Rosenthal won an unprecedented court ruling to have his name removed. Rosenthal was represented in the hearing by future Las Vegas MayorOscar Goodman. Goodman and Rosenthal lost, however, in the Nevada Supreme Court in 1991, and Rosenthal's ban was reinstated.
Rosenthal later moved from Laguna Niguel to Boca Raton, Florida, where he ran a sports bar called 'Croc's', and finally to Miami Beach, where he ran a sports betting website and worked as a consultant for several offshore sports betting companies.[14]
Rosenthal died on October 13, 2008, at the age of 79, of an apparent heart attack.[15] After his death, it was disclosed by Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jane Ann Morrison that Rosenthal had been a top echelon informant for the FBI, and his wife Geri was also an FBI informant.[16][17]
In popular culture[edit]
The film Casino (1995), directed by Martin Scorsese with a screenplay co-written by Nicholas Pileggi from his biography Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, is largely based on Rosenthal's time in Las Vegas. The film takes some creative license with the facts and timeline, but is broadly accurate to Rosenthal's story and his relationship with Anthony Spilotro, on which the character Nicky Santoro (played by Joe Pesci) is based. Rosenthal is represented by the character Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (played by Robert De Niro). The character of Ginger McKenna Rothstein, his wife in the film (played by Sharon Stone), is based on Geri McGee, Rosenthal's wife in real life.
In an interview about the movie, Rosenthal stated that his character portrayed by Robert De Niro was quite but not fully similar to him, namely '7 on a scale of 1 to 10', and when asked about Stone’s portrayal of his wife, he stated, “I really wouldn't want to get into that area. It's an area that is distasteful and brings back bad memories. I wouldn't be willing to dispute what you just said, but I certainly wouldn't confirm it.”[18]
References[edit]
- ^ abPileggi, Nicholas (1995). Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. pp. 24–25, 65, 69–70, 97–100, 175, 195–197, 348. ISBN0-684-80832-3.
- ^Rosen, Charley (2001). The Wizard Of Odds: How Jack Molinas almost destroyed the game of basketball. pp. 162–233.
- ^Rosen 2001, pp. 162–233.
- ^Pileggi 2001, p. 65. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^'Frank Rosenthal FBI File'. FBI Vault. FBI. 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
- ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 69–70. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^ abcMorrison, Jane Ann (October 18, 2008). 'Jane Anne Morrison: Spilotro was merely a killer; Lefty mastered the more frightening Glare'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ^Pileggi 2001, p. 175. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 97–100. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 195–197. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^'Lefty Rosenthal, Kingpin in Las Vegas, Dies at 79'. nytimes.com. October 18, 2008.
- ^Smith, John L. (2003). Of Rats and Men: Oscar Goodman's Life from Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas. p. 147.
- ^Pileggi 2001, p. 6348. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
- ^Santiago, Roberto (February 11, 2008). 'Roberto Santiago: Player Interview: Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal'. FrankRosenthal.com. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
- ^'Las Vegas Review-Journal'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^''Lefty' Rosenthal was an FBI snitch'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^'Las Vegas' first female FBI agent was master of disguise'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^'Interview with Frank Rosenthal, a Casino Legend in Vegas'. CasinoDiscussion.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
External links[edit]
- Frank Rosenthal on IMDb
- 'Nevada Gaming Commission's List of Excluded Persons now-defunct listing'. Archived from the original on April 23, 2007. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
- 'Frank Rosenthal'. Find a Grave. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
| Casino Jack | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | George Hickenlooper |
| Produced by | Gary Howsam Bill Marks George Zakk |
| Written by | Norman Snider |
| Starring | Kevin Spacey Barry Pepper Rachelle Lefevre Kelly Preston Jon Lovitz Maury Chaykin |
| Music by | Jonathan Goldsmith |
| Cinematography | Adam Swica |
| Edited by | William Steinkamp |
Hannibal Pictures Rollercoaster Entertainment | |
| Distributed by | Art Takes Over Films (ATO) |
| |
| 108 minutes | |
| Country | Canada[1] |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12.5 million |
| Box office | $1.1 million[2] |
Casino Jack (known in certain territories as Bagman) is a 2010 comedy-dramathriller film directed by George Hickenlooper and starring Kevin Spacey. The film focuses on the career of Washington, D.C. lobbyist and businessman Jack Abramoff, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal that led to his conviction as well as the conviction of two White House officials, Rep.Bob Ney, and nine other lobbyists and congressional staffers. Abramoff was convicted of fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion in 2006,[3] and of trading expensive gifts, meals and sports trips in exchange for political favors.[4][5] Abramoff served three and a half years of a six-year sentence in federal prison, and was then assigned to a halfway house. He was released on December 3, 2010.
Casino Movie Based On Book
Spacey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Abramoff, eventually losing to Paul Giamatti for his role in Barney's Version.[6]
Plot[edit]
A hot shot Washington DC lobbyist and his protégé go down hard as their schemes to peddle influence lead to corruption and murder.
Cast[edit]
- Kevin Spacey as Jack Abramoff
- Kelly Preston as Pam Abramoff
- Rachelle Lefevre as Emily J. Miller
- Barry Pepper as Michael Scanlon
- Jon Lovitz as Adam Kidan
- John David Whalen as Kevin A. Ring
- Yannick Bisson as Oscar Carillo
- Graham Greene as Bernie Sprague
- Eric Schweig as Chief Poncho
- Maury Chaykin as Big Tony
- Christian Campbell as Ralph Reed
- Spencer Garrett as Tom DeLay
- Joe Pingue as Anthony Ferrari
- David Fraser as Karl Rove
- Jeffrey R. Smith as Grover Norquist
- Daniel Kash as Gus Boulis
- Conrad Pla as Agent Hanley
- Hannah Endicott-Douglas as Sarah Abramoff
- Ruth Marshall as Susan Schmidt
- Reid Morgan as Brian Mann
- Duke Redbird as Senator Nighthorse
Production[edit]
Filming took place in June 2009 in various locations across Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, including McMaster University and downtown Hamilton. The film was scheduled for release in December 2010 and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.[7]
This was Hickenlooper's final film. He died on October 29, 2010, seven weeks before its scheduled December 17, 2010, national opening.[8]
Reception[edit]
Casino Jack received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 39%, based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, 'Kevin Spacey turns in one of his stronger performances, but Casino Jack is a disappointingly uneven fictionalized account of a fascinating true story.'[9] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 51 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating 'mixed or average reviews'.[10]
Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, stating that 'Casino Jack is so forthright, it is stunning.'[11]
References[edit]
Casino Movie Based On
- ^'Casino Jack -- Film Review by Michael Rechtshaffen'. thehollywoodreporter.com. October 14, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ^'Casino Jack (2010)'. Box Office Mojo. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^Abramoff Pleads Guilty, Will Help in Corruption ProbeArchived December 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^'US lobbyist jailed for corruption'. BBC News. 2008-09-04. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^'Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison'. Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^Kevin SpaceyArchived August 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Evans, Ian (2010), 'Casino Jack premiere photos - 35th Toronto International Film Festival', DigitalHit.com, retrieved 2012-04-10
- ^'Entertainment News, Celebrity Interviews and Pop Culture - ABC News'. Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
- ^'Casino Jack (2010)'. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
- ^'Casino Jack Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^Ebert, Roger. 'Casino Jack'. RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC.
External links[edit]
- Casino Jack at AllMovie
- Casino Jack at Box Office Mojo
- Casino Jack on IMDb
- Casino Jack at Metacritic
- Casino Jack at Rotten Tomatoes
- Casino Jack production website at Hannibal Pictures