Hollywood and the Mob

Since the earliest days of the American film industry, the Mafia has sought to make a fast buck through intimidation, threats and violence. From the 1930s, when the mob was extorting the studios for the equivalent of twenty million dollars a year, right up to the present day, which has seen Mafia henchmen sent to prison for threatening action star Steven Seagal, Mafia figures such as Al Capone, Sam Giancana and John Gotti have tried to infiltrate the studio lot and exert their control. At the same time, Hollywood has made its own mark on the Mafia. James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Al Pacino and Tony Soprano have all taught the boys how to dress and increasingly the Mafia imitates Hollywood rather than the other way round. This exhaustively researched book, distilled from hundreds of sources, discloses the secret history of Hollywood and the Mafia.