Al Pacino’s new memoir ‘Sonny Boy’ charts his path to movie stardom
On the set of The Godfather, during the early days of filming, Al Pacino was worried about being fired. Francis Ford Coppola, the relatively inexperienced director under pressure himself from Paramount studio heads, had told Pacino, a then-little-known actor, that he was “not cutting it.” Soon that pressure would become less intense. Pacino’s strong performance during the filming of a scene in a restaurant involving a double killing rescued him from the studio chopping block. And an off-camera lunch with Hollywood legend Marlon Brando gave Pacino a much-needed morale boost. Finally, already in his 30s and with a less-than-stunning résumé, the New ...
Learn MoreSicilian mafioso Tommaso Buscetta broke the sacred oath of omertà 40 years ago
In April 1988, mafioso-turned-informant Tommaso Buscetta testified before the U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which was investigating the state…
Learn MoreThe world’s top 5 cybercrime schemes
Last year a ransomware gang took control of the networks of two major casino corporations in Las Vegas. Caesars Entertainment…
Learn MoreAuthor explores ties between mobsters and U.S. presidents
On a hot summer day in the early 1980s, Eric Dezenhall, then in his 20s and working in President Ronald…
Learn MoreCharles Luciano survived ‘gang ride’ 95 years ago
With unseasonably warm weather for a mid-October evening, Officer Henry A. Blanke dropped the convertible top of his Ford patrol…
Learn MoreColumbus Day and its ‘Mafia’ origins
On July 21, 1892, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed that Friday, October 21st, would be a celebration of the 400th anniversary…
Learn MoreVeteran crime reporter Anthony M. DeStefano doubles as Mafia author
In the mid-1970s, New York reporter Anthony M. DeStefano didn’t know much about the Mafia. But working at Fairchild News…
Learn MoreThe top 5 heists in Mob history
What makes a “good” heist? Is it an exceptionally detailed plan, a cast of colorful characters or an unfathomable amount…
Learn More