Al Capone

I managed to catch the end of a relatively old film about Al Capone. It was quite informative: I had never realised that he died of Syphillus.
Anyway the actor who played Capone was a really really famous actor but I cant think of his goddamn name. Does anybody have any idea. The film was made around the 50's/60's I think.

Although I haven't seen it, I know Rod Steiger played Al Capone. Is that who you mean? I think it was in the 50s or maybe 60's.

TIS

I saw that film on friday, The St Valentines day Massacre, it was quite good, but the Al Capone actor was a thiin twit and i hated him!!!

Welcome James Gambler!!!

Who is the actor you are referring to?

TIS

Can I jump in here JGD, I know the film you mean it's the 1967 version St Valentines day massacre and the actor was Jason Robards. George Segal was also in this film In the IMDB it mentions the fact that Robards was an unusually slim Capone

FH

GodDaughter hello and happy posting welcome to the boards

You people are all so nice.
JGD : I agree with you-I found him rather irritating somehow.
I cant believe somebody else saw it on Friday nite because I thought everyone in here was American (and therefore would'nt have channel 4 or bbc or whatever channel 'The St.Velentine's Day Massacre was on".

Oh yeah and since you are English:
You wouldnt happen to know if E4 show 1 or 2 episodes of The Sopranos per Saturday night?
Last saturday they showed 2 but this week I think they only showed 1 episode: or else maybe I missed one?!

I cant help you there goddaughter I ususally go out every saturday night, I think it may only be one but not sure...Wiseguy may be able to help you out there. You'll see him around here he's a Brit too

FH

Welcome, Goddaughter!
Capone not only died of tertiary syphillis, he was also a heavy cocaine user, according to Lawrence Bergreen, his most recent biographer.
"The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," though high-budget by Corman's standard, is full of his usual energy and elan. Very good effort. Look fast for Jack Nicholson in a bit part. The best movie Capone, imhop, was Rod Steiger

Turnbull,

I know we are talking movie "Al Capones", however I remember my parents would watch the old tv show "The Untouchables" with Robert Stack. the same actor had an ongoing role as Al Capone. I have his face in mind, but cannot remember his name. I got accustome to thinking of him as Capone! Do you know who I mean? and btw, what is your view of that series overall?? (You may be too young to remember it,however I'll bet you know all about it)

TIS, if I recall, Capone was rarely if ever played on The Untouchables. It was set at the time when Al had already been put away and his chief lieutenant Frank Nitti was running things. Can't remember the actor's name who played Nitti. I met him once at a restaurant he had some connection with in Kansas City. That was about 1980 but he looked no different than he had on TV in the 50s in The Untouchables.

Is Nitti the character you're thinking about?

Hi Genovese,

Yes, I do remember Frank Nitty and the person who played him, although I don't know his real name. I don't remember how often Al Capone was on the series, but gosh, I swear he was.

Now in another post Turnbull mentioned the actor Neville Brand, and I think that's the actor I am thinking of. Perhaps they had a few segments on Capone, and it just stuck with me. Now I am confused!!! (Nothing new)

TIS

Alas, TIS, I am old enough to remember the series well . Neville Brand did indeed play Capone, and yes, the Capone character seldom appeared because Frank Nitti was in charge. Nitti was played by Bruce Gordon, a standard bad-guy actor of the era. I thought the series was pretty decent by ca. 1959 standards--watched it regularly. The Capone biographers point out that Eliot Ness was indeed "untouchable," but totally ineffective--he was such a publicity hound that the Caponites almost always knew when he was going to strike, and simply dodged him.

Ah yes, I had forgotten about Brand. I thought he was pretty good.

This board really brings back some old memories.

Thanks Turnbull!!!

I had no doubt that you'd know the answer! I think perhaps that series is what first sparked my interest in "organized crime" movies. As a kid, I don't know if I totally understood it, but I enjoyed watching it at that time. I remember the narrative during each episode. Wasn't it someone named either Peter or Walter Winchell? Or am I really off-base?

TIS

It was Walter Winchell, a famous syndicated radio and newspaper entertainment columnist, whose heydey was in the '30's and '40's, but who was on the skids by the late '50's (which was probably why he took the "Untouchables" narration job). BTW: Winchell played a real-life role re. organized crime:
Winchell was a great pal and admirer of J. Edgar Hoover. He praised Hoover and the FBI ceaselessly in his columns and radio programs, and Hoover, in return, fed him tips about criminals and Commies the FBI were pursuing. Winchell also had contacts in organized crime. When Louis (Lepke) Buchalter, who may have been the most money-making Mob boss in history, and was the proprietor of Murder, Inc., took it on the lam in the late '30's, the FBI was unable to find him. Finally, Lepke's pals in the rackets (Albert Anastasia, Meyer Lansky, Longy Zwillman) convinced him to give himself up and face a Federal racketeering charge, that would probably result in a ~5-year sentence. Lepke fell for it, and the Mob guys arranged for Lepke to surrender to--Walter Winchell! Winchell, by prearrangement, drove Lepke in his car a few blocks, where Hoover himself was waiting personally. "Mr. Hoover, this is Lepke," Winchell said famously (and then, many times on his radio program!). The Lepke "deal" was a double-cross: he was convicted on Federal racketeering charge, but the Feds immediately turned him over to New York State, which prosecuted him for murder. He was executed in Sing Sing's electric chair in 1943, along with several of his Murder Inc. employees.

[img]http://mmstn04.sac2.fastsearch.net/5d0cbeac000003b500000bbb0000b6a2[/img] Hey Turnbull, or anyone else who might know...I read Jimmy Frattiano's book some years ago, but I don't have it. In the book there is an anecdote about a mob boss getting insulted by the way Italian mobsters were being portrayed on The Untouchables. They were garashly dress with thick accents. This boss put out a contract on Desi Arnaz of DesiLu Productions, the producers of the show. The boss was getting old and senile and the hitmen really didn't really want to do it. After a few failed attempts, the boss said 'Forget it' and the guys were relieved. Jimmy the Weasel said "Desi Arnez never knew how close he came to getting clipped". Funny story, but does anyone know who ordered that? Giancana?

PS Great story Turnbull...

That's hilarious, BK. At least since they didn't pull it off. I can see Desi explaining to Lucy "this is the business we've chosen".

Nice new crown btw.

[img]http://mmstn04.sac2.fastsearch.net/5d0cbeac000003b500000bbb0000b6a2[/img] Thanx Genovese.
BTW if you haven't read The Last Mafioso by Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno, I recommend it highly. Alot of good stories in it and the guy doesn't sound like he doesn't know what he's talking about.

I always preferred non-fiction. Don't know why I hadn't read much on the mob. Hell, I thought I knew some stuff until I came here. I'm putting that one on my list. Thanks.