is sinatra considered a mob groupie?

I'm not sure, but Caan is from New York and I think he grew up around some of these guys. I have heard that he first met Andy Mush around the time they were preparing The Godfather. He was also seen paling around with other Colombos, particularly Persico and Franzese. In 2002, he even produced a movie with Franzese called This Thing Of Ours. Another guy involved in that was Danny Provenzano who has a racketeering conviction and is described by law enforcement as a Genovese associate. Paul Vario's grandson was also involved. Caan is like a wiseguy magnet . Andy Mush is also Scott Caan's godfather. Scott's full name is actually Scott Andrew Caan.

Another guy Caan was friendly with was Meyer Lansky. There is an interview with Caan where he talks about Lansky a little bit.




To call Sinatra a mob groupie is an understatement. To quote Jimmy Alo, "That guy always wanted to be a gangster." I have Alo's interview around here somewhere. George Raft wanted to be a gangster as well.

this movie sucked!

Hey, be careful what you say about that movie! ....... A good friend of mine named Paul bought that movie for me as a gift.

I liked it. Not that it was going to run away with all kinds of awards....but I thought the premise of the movie was an interesting one.

ha ha sorry don cardi....ya know what they say everyone is entitlted to their own opinion! glad you enjoyed it tho. was not my cup of tea, perhaps for the star power that was in it i expected more outta it











[/quote]

Who says crime doesn't pay?

Is Curtis Silwa going to be brought in as an extra, the man hasn't met a camera he doesn' like.

Gotti producer says Pesci backed out of film
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY
July 27, 2011


LOS ANGELES -- The producer of a biopic on the Gotti crime family says Joe Pesci backed out of the project months ago and isn't entitled to $3 million he is seeking.

Pesci sued Fiore Films in Los Angeles on Wednesday, claiming producers reneged on a deal to cast him in a starring role in the Gotti film.

Fiore Films CEO Marc Fiore says Pesci's representatives told him in writing months ago that the actor wouldn't do any work on the film until they replaced they replaced a director who left the project.

Fiore says he has tried unsuccessfully in recent weeks to work out a deal with Pesci's representatives for a smaller part.

Pesci's attorney, Brandon Tesser, says it's untrue that the actor pulled out of the film and that any casting change hadn't been conveyed to the Oscar-winner until recently.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/07/27/entertainment-us-people-joe-pesci_8588136.html

That's the best thing that happened to the movie so far. Joe Pesci has probably read my post.

Don't get me wrong, I love Pesci, he's a great actor, but he's simply way too old to play Ruggiero.

Wow, Gotti Jr. looks like his dad.

As for Pesci backing out? Wasn't the real Ruggiero bigger? I don't understand how Pacino is playing Dellacroce either.

Al Pacino can play everyone.

yes quack quack was huge well over 300lbs

Pacino looks weathered, hes starting to show his age, so he might be able to pull off suffering dellacroce in a minor role..

Ugh Travolta as Gotti? Not liking this, potentially a great film if there was a different actor as Gotti.

i dunno Travolta is a good actor. i have hope that he can pull it off, he has come a very long way from Vinny Barbarino. He has been a good villain and a good good guy! I think the Gotti Jr is going to try and make Gotti Sr look like a cross between a good guy and a villain

Except the minor role he was apparently offered was...Anthony Casso.

http://www.tmz.com/2011/07/27/joe-pesci-...travolta-mafia/

The physical differences aside, Foster is a great actor.



Ben Foster snags role as John Gotti Jr. in 'Gotti' biopic, joins John Travolta, Lindsay Lohan
BY Nancy Dillon
DAILY NEWS WEST COAST BUREAU CHIEF
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011, 8:55 PM

LOS ANGELES - After gunning for the likes of Jeremy Renner and James Franco, producers of the upcoming Gotti family biopic have cast "Six Feet Under" actor Ben Foster in the pivotal role of John Gotti Jr.

The 30-year-old will face off against John Travolta's portrayal of the infamous mafia don John Gotti Sr. and round out a cast that includes Al Pacino, Kelly Preston and Lindsay Lohan.

Foster said he got a break when Gotti director Barry Levinson cast him in the 1999 coming of age movie "Liberty Heights," and he was "honored" to join the mobster movie.

"Barry Levinson was the first director who took a chance on me, and I have a career because of him," Foster said in a statement.

"Gotti: In The Shadow Of My Father" begins shooting in New York this January and is billed as an intimate, insider's view of life at the top of the Gambino crime family.

"I love Ben's passion for the role," Fiore Films CEO Marc Fiore told the Daily News. "This isn't a shoot-em-up gangster movie. It's a story about a father and son. Ben has the edge that most people expect with Junior, but he can play the other, deeper side too."

Fiore said Lohan's deal isn't finished yet, but he's "hoping" to close it soon.

He declined further comment on Joe Pesci's lawsuit claiming producers unfairly whacked his deal to play Gotti enforcer Angelo Ruggiero.

The suit, filed last Wednesday, is asking for $3 million plus punitive damages.

"(Pesci) ended his very strict and healthy diet, and has so far gained approximately 30 pounds in anticipation of playing Ruggiero, who was well known for his heavy and stock build," the lawsuit said.

"It's a joke. Mr. Pesci is going to embarrass himself," Fiore told the News last week.

He said Pesci joined the project under previous director Nick Cassavetes, and when Cassavetes walked away, Pesci's manager wouldn't discuss a contract until another director was hired.

"If this is what Joe wants to do, we'll see him in court," Fiore said. "He's not getting a penny from me."





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4I8A1jZbWY

Ben Forster? Just check how he looks like on google images. No resemblance at all. This is going to be a joke.

your right! ben foster looks like a short Irishman!

Y'know I actually dont mind that guy. I liked his go in Alpha Dog. I kind of interested in how he'll try and portray Jr. You guys are right but, I wonder if he'll be able to pull it off.

Still...Al Pacino.
And lets admit it, we'll probably all go see it, wont we?

If Al Pacino is in and De Niro, i am in!

whose bankrolling this production again?

I heard GoodFella Henry was going to play the neigbor that goes missing and they actually cut his head off and put it on a stake in John Gottis Frontyard

Watched Conan the Barbarian lately?

You realize this is not going to be a real mob movie, Gotti Jr is not going to show anything he was involved in. This is going to be a Dad and Son love story.I'll wait for the DVD.

That's my biggest problem with the film. And the irony is, in real life they couldn't stand each other.

Exactly he loved that lewis Kasman guy more than John Jr. This movie looks absolutely horrible. Yes pacino is in it but lets face it pacino has done some real stinkers the past 10 years We know the gotti's will portray him as a loveable guy and not the power hungry egotistical degenerate he really was. even the 1996 gotti movie was a fictionalized portrayal of him even though Assante did a real good job

For some reason this comment has me in stitches.

Jr always seemed kinda mookish to me. He was the guy that saved a list of made-guys after all. If he had some sort of plan involving that piece of paper it failed miserably. I wonder if that'll be in the movie.

I've got to agree, Foster holds no resemblance what-so-ever to Junior. I do like his acting but... I can't see how he can resemble John Junior. Number #1 he is going to have to hit the weights room but there's a lot more than that. I actually think that John Travolta could look a bit like John Junior, it's a pity (in that sense) that he is playing John.

What notable figures have yet to be cast: Salvatore Gravano, Paul Castellano...I'm not sure who else...

I'm really nervous about this movie.

Chazz Palminteri is Ready to Join 'Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father'
August 24, 2011
Source: Variety
by Ethan Anderton

Our last update on the film had Ben Foster reuniting with director Barry Levinson for Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father. With the actor taking the role of John Gotti, Jr. essentially the entire Gotti family has been cast. Now Variety has word on another great name joining the cast as someone outside of the crime family but still very much involved with the mob. Apparently Chazz Palminteri has landed the role of Mafia boss Paul Castellano, the man who succeeds Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family. It's after the murder of Castellano in 1985 that the elder John Gotti takes over the criminal organization.

Between Analyze This and The Usual Suspects, the actor has had a wide array of experience in different types of crime films, but in this case, Palminteri is really excited to be working with a cast that also includes John Travolta, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Kelly Preston and Lindsay Lohan. The actor says, "I have seen this film come together from the very start and am pleased to be able to work alongside such great talent to bring this story to the bigscreen. I have been a longtime admirer of Barry Levinson and am looking forward to working with him." There's no doubt Palminteri has just the right presence to play Castellano, and his addition just makes this project all the more intriguing.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/chazz-palminteri-ready-to-join-gotti-in-the-shadow-of-my-father/

The new book "Mob Killer," about Charlie Carneglia, details some of Gotti Jr's history with the Gambino family. Not sure if any of that will get into the film.