Tinseltown Gangsters - by Jeffrey Sussman (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

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?'

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.

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.

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.

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!

Sussman turns his attention to the mob in Hollywood during the 20th century. He begins with Joseph Kennedy, the patriarch of the Kennedy family, who reportedly used the connections he established with the mafia during Prohibition in Chicago to borrow money to purchase the low-budget film company FBO Pictures in 1920 and turn a quick profit. Sussman's meticulous research indicates that mobsters soon realized there were more opportunities for illegal wealth in Hollywood. For instance, notorious gangster Bugsy Siegel hobnobbed with A-list celebrities and got loans from them that he never repaid. He also took control of the Screen Extras Guild and refused to provide extras to the studios until they paid up. Meanwhile, former boxer Mickey Cohen financed the publication Hollywood Nite Life to allegedly extort celebrities in return for not publishing incriminating articles about them. A great addition to collections about the history of film or organized crime, chronicling famous and lesser-known mobsters who made a killing, literally and figuratively, in Hollywood. Sussman's diligent research and juicy storytelling will appeal to fans of his other works.

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.

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.

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