Tinseltown Gangsters: The Rise and Decline of the Mob in Hollywood

by Jeffrey Sussman

Overview

Like sharks to blood in the water, the mob arrived in Hollywood greedy and ready to tear away huge chunks of cash. Opportunistic mobsters saw labor unions as the means for muscling into the movie industry and extorting millions of dollars from studio bosses. Control the unions to which projectionists, art directors, cinematographers, electricians, scene designers, stagehands, extras belong, and you control the whole industry.

Painting colorful portraits of numerous mobsters, producers, actors, and directors, Tinseltown Gangsters tells the gripping, fast-paced, true story of corruption and greed in Hollywood throughout much of the twentieth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538173565
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.95(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey Sussman is the author of seventeen nonfiction books, seven of which have been published by Rowman & Littlefield. In addition to Tinseltown Gangsters, Sussman is the author of Sin City Gangsters: The Rise and Decline of the Mob in Las Vegas; Big Apple Gangsters: The Rise and Decline of the Mob in New York; and Boxing and the Mob: The Notorious History of the Sweet Science. He lives in New York City

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Joseph Kennedy: The First Shark

Chapter 2: Bugsy Siegel: Dream City Gangster

Chapter 3: Mickey Cohen: Little Tough Guy

Chapter 4: Willie Bioff: Solid Gold Extortionist

Chapter 5: Handsome Johnny Rosselli: Smooth as Silk

Chapter 6: Harry Cohn: White Fang

Chapter 7: Thelma Todd: The Death of the Ice Cream Blonde

Chapter 8: Sidney Korshak: The Outfit’s Fixer in Hollywood

Chapter 9: The Cotton Club Murders

Chapter 10: Lords of Pornography

Editorial Reviews

In Tinseltown Gangsters, Jeffrey Sussman reveals the dark secrets of the American mafia and the Hollywood film industry. With meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Sussman exposes the mob’s influence over the stars, the studios, and the scandals of Tinseltown. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of crime and cinema.

Gary Jenkins

Jeffrey Sussman has established himself as one of the premier writers on La Cosa Nostra and organized crime. Tinseltown Gangsters is another opus that enhances this reputation.

Ron Chepesiuk

Tinseltown Gangsters is not just a captivating page turner, but also a valuable historical account that exposes behind the scenes insights into the movies, its scandals and the entertainment industry's long standing involvement with organized crime. Sussman's heavily researched dive into this hidden world is a testament to uncovering the sordid, behind the scenes business of the movie world. This book is a gem for both true crime enthusiasts and Hollywood aficionados alike. Highly recommended.

Robert A. Santucci

For years, Hollywood has been fascinated by the world of the mafia, but until now, there really hasn’t been a comprehensive look at what role the mob actually played in Hollywood’s formative years. Jeffrey Sussman’s masterpiece changes all that. In vivid detail that’s as well researched as any history book but as captivating as any crime novel, Sussman provides an in-depth look at some of the biggest names in the underworld, Hollywood, and politics, and how those areas so often seemed to intersect with one another. This book is required reading for anyone seeking an answer to the questions of 'How did Hollywood get this way?' or 'What happened to the mob?'

Frank Morano

Tinseltown, implying a shiny, soft place, was an easy target for organized crime. Jeffrey Sussman again takes us on a harrowing journey, showing how gangsters preyed on the soft targets, big and small, in Tinseltown, USA.

Joseph Giannini

Jeffrey Sussman presents a riveting picture of the most degenerate, immoral characters in the movie industry, included are the sexual behavior of actors and executives, along with their relationships with members of organized crime over numerous decades. Tinseltown Gangsters is concise and well done. Bravo to Mr. Sussman!

S. M. Chris Franzblau

Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a two page Bibliography, and a two page Index, Tinseltown Gangsters: The Rise and Decline of the Mob in Hollywood is an exceptionally well written, organized and presented history of the Mafia's involvement with (and eventual expulsion from) the film industry in Hollywood. Unique, fascinating, comprehensive, detailed, documented and informative, Tinseltown Gangsters is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library True Crime collections and supplemental Criminology curriculum studies lists.

Midwest Book Review