Casino 1995 True Story

• Casino 1995 True Story Trailer
• Casino 1995 True Story Cast

We are familiar with this famous movie that told us the story of mob life in this thriving, young city that has always been rumored to harbor such evil doings. According to Cullotta, the tough guy that made his way to Las Vegas in the late 70s and the one who’s life this movie is loosely based upon, “It’s about 75% to 90% accurate. They got to juice it up. It’s a movie. Real life is boring. Movies, that’s what they do, they juice them up. I was the technical consultant on the movie. Nick Pileggi did a tape on me. If it wasn’t for me, there would be no book ‘Casino’, and there would have been no movie ‘Casino.’”

His role was portrayed in the movie by Frank Vincent. However, this is just one story that was told about this growing desert town. The real story began when the mafia began their tyranny of the desert town long before the era in which the film depicts.

The mafia’s control over this gambling city began way back when:

1947 photo of the outdoor swimming pool at Bugsy Siegel’s Flamingo Hotel.

According to UNLV Associate History Professor, Michael Green and author of the ‘History of the Silver State’, “The state of Nevada legalized gambling and reduced the residency requirement for divorce; both of which were designed to get people to come here, like the place, and stay here and invest. But if they didn’t, at least they would spend some money while they were here.” Also, “World War !! Was a key turning point thanks to a lot of military bases being built in Nevada and the surrounding states. Also, in 1941, the first hotel on the strip opened – the El Rancho Vegas – on April 3. It had about 65 rooms so it wouldn’t exactly fit in today. The El Cortez opened the same year, downtown, and that may have been the first Lansky/Siegel property. It’s also in 1941 that Nevada legalized off-track betting which made the race wire very profitable, and that’s really what excited the interest of Lansky and Siegel. The hotel business followed.”

• The Casino movie true story reveals that Sam and Ginger Rothstein's real-life counterparts, Frank and Geraldine Rosenthal, had a daughter named Stephanie and a son name Steven. Geraldine also had a daughter from a previous relationship with her high school love, Lenny Marmor (James Woods' character in the movie).
• The story is based on Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, who ran the Stardust, Fremont and the Hacienda casinos in Las Vegas for The Mob from the 1970s until the early 1980s. Source(s): Wikipedia 1 0.
• The 1995’s classic the Casino is based on a real story. All of us know it, but to which extent? Which moments and episodes happened in life and which ones were pure movie magic? Let’s engage in a fascinating journey together to dig up the truth behind the sheik of Hollywood, shall we?

This was the place that practically started the Vegas mafia.

This including skimming from profits which led to the ultimate murder of Siegel himself for doing the skimming! Michael Green says that things moved quickly after that, “The Thunderbird is built soon afterward and that’s tied to Lansky. The Desert Inn is being started. . . In comes Moe Dalitz and the Mayfield Road Gand from Cleveland, and you do have, at this point – a proliferation of mob ownership and investment.”

Casino is a 1995 American epic crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, produced by Barbara De Fina and distributed by Universal Pictures.The film is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese. The true story behind the movie 'Casino', this book of the same title goes into far more detail about the rise and fall of Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal. As you read it, you notice that the movie changed certain details - more than likely to translate better to film. The reality is far more brutal and fascinating than the movie however.

Kefauver vs. Crime 1951:

The mob continued to infiltrate the Las Vegas area by purchasing land for cheap, specifically the road to Los Angeles. Green also points out, “ These were professionals at running casinos, at gambling. They’ve been involved in these activities for a long time. It was not as if there was a group out her training them. We did not have a hotel college then. These were the guys with experience. That certainly helped them – they knew how to run these operations. The truth is, the mob here in the ‘50s would be, compared with the mob of Frank Cullotta’s era, boring, because they didn’t have burglary rings and killers running around. These were business people.”

Another thing that pushed the mob to its iconic status was the lack of investigations of the backgrounds of the casino owners. Also, then gambling was legalized in Nevada, it was stated that the county would police their own turf which turned out to be inadequate in managing the magnitude of the operation. This only helped the mobsters take control over everything. This was easy to overlook though because the mafia was making a lot of money for the state.

So, it turns out that the skimming operation, as portrayed in the movie ‘Casino’ was real. However, this operation had its mishaps which often led to greed, murder and mismanagement.

Life in the ‘Casino’ era:

The ‘60s and ‘70s brought forth a new wave of gangsters, including Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal played by Robert De Niro in ‘Casino’ as Sam “Ace” Rothstein who was a mastermind at gambling. He’s the one who took the time to learn all of the stats and the conditions of those that he was betting on. For example, he knew all about the sports and athletes such as whether or not who was sick and who wasn’t. He was tight with the trainers who let him know who had a cold or even a tooth ache! This information was key for him to profit off of his gambling efforts.

The former associate of “Lefty” was Frank Cullotta grew up with another man who made his way into the mob scene. His name was Anthony “Tony” Spilotro and he was sent to Vegas by the Chicago mafia to help control their interests in the casinos there. Joe Pesci’s character in ‘Casino’ was loosely based on Tony’s life.

“Tony” was tied to at least two dozen murders.

However, in the movie ‘Casino’ the only life long friendship that was portrayed was between “Tony” and “Lefty” played by Pesci and De Niro’s characters. However, according to Cullotta, “I know Tony didn’t grow up with this guy, but they say he’s a childhood friend. That’s bullsh*t. Tony probably met “Lefty” somewhere around in the ‘60s, because I know in 1961, when I first met “Lefty,” he was by Tony’s house and he was gambling. They were playing gin. And Tony beat him out of a lot of f*cking money and if this was his good friend. . . I know Tony and he wouldn’t gamble with good friends. Tony was close to “Lefty” but he didn’t grown up with him like I did.”

Cullotta and several associates were known in those days as the “Hole in the Wall Gang” because they were known for going through the walls of homes, banks and other places to burglarize them. According to Cullotta, “We didn’t just go around burglarizing any house. We used to have information. We did it on tips. Information from insurance agents, people that worked in casinos – friends of friends that knew friends have money and, of course, we game them 10-20% of whatever we made.” In the process murder played a role in Las Vegas. However, much of this began to come to an end when The Federal government began to probe into the mob dealings in the city. That’s when the game began to end.

Tony Spilotro’s grave.

In 1960, the Black Book was created to keep gangsters off casino premises. These new regulations aimed at banning certain people from the casinos and they were named in this Black Book. During this decade, Bobby Kennedy, brother of president J.F.K., was tasked with dismembering the organized crime that was still going on in Vegas. This led the passage of the Corporate Gaming Act in 1969 which changed the law so that only key stockholders and executives were able to be licensed to own a casino. Before this, anyone who owned part of a casino could be licensed. However, the mob was strong enough to find a way around this and so the RICO act was passed in 1970 which “allows prosecution and civil penalties for certain acts (including illegal gambling, bribery, kidnapping, murder, and money laundering performed as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise.” It had been used to gather whole groups of criminal empires at a time. Years of trials and testimonies followed.

Tony Spilotro Chicago Perp Walk.

Professor Green talks about the fall of the mobsters saying, “Back in the ‘70s, these mobsters were at discos, they were at restaurants, and by ‘97, the last remnants were at a used car dealership. I think that speaks to how far down they’ve gone.” Eventually, the system beat them.

These day, Cullotta says, “I think there’s thieves out here. I doubt there’s organized crime, outfit or syndicate out here. I don’t see that here. I don’t feel it. I don’t hear anyone talk about it. It’s definitely not in the casinos. All the corporations are in the casinos now. There’s no more organized crime in these casinos at all. I’m sure there’s some guys that still do it, but they’re not high-rollers. They’re not big guys.” They are all gone.

Tags

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. Martin Scorsese's film Casino (1995), and its main character Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is based on Rosenthal's career in Las Vegas.

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.

Casino 1995 True Story Trailer

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]

1. ^ ^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.
2. ^Rosen, Charley (2001). The Wizard Of Odds: How Jack Molinas almost destroyed the game of basketball. pp. 162–233.
3. ^Rosen 2001, pp. 162–233.
4. ^Pileggi 2001, p. 65. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
5. ^'Frank Rosenthal FBI File'. FBI Vault. FBI. 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
6. ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 69–70. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
7. ^ ^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.
8. ^Pileggi 2001, p. 175. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
9. ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 97–100. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
10. ^Pileggi 2001, pp. 195–197. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
11. ^'Lefty Rosenthal, Kingpin in Las Vegas, Dies at 79'. nytimes.com. October 18, 2008.
12. ^Smith, John L. (2003). Of Rats and Men: Oscar Goodman's Life from Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas. p. 147.
13. ^Pileggi 2001, p. 6348. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPileggi2001 (help)
14. ^Santiago, Roberto (February 11, 2008). 'Roberto Santiago: Player Interview: Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal'. FrankRosenthal.com. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
15. ^'Las Vegas Review-Journal'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
16. ^''Lefty' Rosenthal was an FBI snitch'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
17. ^'Las Vegas' first female FBI agent was master of disguise'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
18. ^'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 1995 True Story Cast