LANSKY (TV)
Summary
This dramatic movie portrays the life of organized crime boss Meyer Lansky through a series of flashbacks. The story begins with an older Lansky in Israel awaiting word from the Israeli Supreme Court on whether he will be granted permanent citizenship into the country. He reflects back to when he was a boy living in Poland and witnessed the brutal killing of an elderly Jewish man and the ensuing violence in his village. Then, Lansky moves to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and becomes attracted to street gambling. Lansky and his childhood friend, Benjamin Siegel, notice the tricks in gambling, leading Lansky to witness first-hand its violent side. Benjamin teaches Lansky a few things about fighting, and Lanksy meets Charlie Luciano, who offers to protect Lansky's gambling games for a small price. Lansky stands up to Luciano and makes a proposition that demonstrates his keen business sense. Soon, Lansky, along with Siegel and Luciano, have moved into bigger operations by running booze for a crime boss. Lansky proves that he is destined to be a boss by making a phony deal involving the booze without any bloodshed. Lansky is then offered a chance to work for Arnold Rothstein because the crime boss sees a rare quality in Lansky. Back in Israel, Lansky is discouraged when he learns that the U.S. has pulled his passport. In flashback, Lansky learns that Rothstein was killed: he wants to expand his business interests and knows that the other ruling crime bosses must be eliminated. But Lansky's home life suffers because of his undivided attention to his business.
As World War II rages, Lansky builds an empire and tries to help Luciano get out of prison, and his efforts pay off, but Luciano must go live in Sicily for a few years to stay out of prison. And a new plan to build hotels and resorts in Nevada is supervised by "Bugsy" Siegel. Back in Israel, Lansky is denied citizenship and expelled from the country forever and must find a place to call home. In flashback, a large amount of money is lost in Nevada and a few of Siegel's decisions become major issues among the crime family. Certain members of the "family" want to vote on whether to cut Siegel loose, but Lansky says he will go out to Nevada to speak with Siegel. After a raid by the FBI, Lansky goes on trial before a senatorial committee regarding his activities in gambling and other business ventures, and stands up for himself as a Jewish man. Lansky also speaks with Siegel about the cash flow problem in Nevada and gives him a deadline to show a major profit. But Siegel is ousted and Lansky is powerless to stop the ensuing actions. Back in the present, Lansky is trying to find a country that will grant him asylum and he is arrested by the FBI at the Panama airport. Facing a number of legal charges, Lansky suffers a heart attack as the court proceedings begin. Years later, Lansky is living in Miami Beach and grants a journalist an "off-the-record" interview about his life.
(This program contains adult-oriented material and language.)
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: February 27, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:56:23
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:56806
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Biography; Crime and criminals; Organized crime
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frederick Zollo … Executive Producer
- Nicholas Paleologos … Executive Producer
- David Mamet … Executive Producer, Writer
- Fred Caruso … Producer
- Bostic Beard … Associate Producer
- Juanita Diana … Associate Producer
- John McNaughton … Director
- Uri Dan … Based in part on the book "Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob" by
- Dennis Eisenberg … Based in part on the book "Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob" by
- Eli Landau … Based in part on the book "Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob" by
- George S. Clinton … Music by
- Richard Dreyfuss … Cast, Meyer Lansky
- Yossi Karmon … Cast, the Rabbi/Shopkeeper
- Moscu Alcalay … Cast, the Jewelry Shopkeeper
- Fima Noveck … Cast, the Hasid in Grodno
- Joshua Praw … Cast, Meyer Lansky (Age 8)
- Bernard Hiller … Cast, Max Lansky
- Jill Holden … Cast, Yetta Lansky
- Larry Moss … Cast, Benjamin Lansky
- Christopher Marquette … Cast, Jake Lansky (Ages 9-11)
- Ryan Merriman … Cast, Meyer Lansky (Ages 12-14)
- Benjamin K. Smith … Cast, the Irish Gang Leader
- Brian Casey … Cast, Irish Boy #1
- Adam Hendershott … Cast, Irish Boy #2
- Daniel Sagal … Cast, Irish Boy #3
- Anthony Medwetz … Cast, Benjamin Siegel (Age 11)
- Amit Alon … Cast, the Boy Outside Jewelry Shop
- Paul Sincoff … Cast, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (Ages 17-30)
- P.C. Friberg … Cast, the Old City Civilian
- Max Perlich … Cast, Meyer Lansky (Ages 19-28)
- Matthew Settle … Cast, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel (Ages 17-26)
- Stanley DeSantis … Cast, Arnold Rothstein
- Scott Rabinowitz … Cast, Zev Ben-Dov
- Jeff Perry … Cast, the American Lawyer
- Illeana Douglas … Cast, Anna Lansky
- Bill Capizzi … Cast, Joe "The Boss" Masseria
- Eric Saiet … Cast, IRS Man #1
- Michael Krawic … Cast, IRS Man #2
- Brian Frank … Cast, the Maranzano Deskman
- Ron Gilbert … Cast, Salvatore Maranzano
- David Selburg … Cast, the Maranzano Bookkeeper
- Lawrence Arancio … Cast, Buddy's Doctors
- Nicky Corello … Cast, Albert Anastacia
- James Harper … Cast, Longy Zwillman
- Tom La Grua … Cast, Frank Costello
- Dean Norris … Cast, the Naval Captain
- Anthony LaPaglia … Cast, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
- Randy Polk … Cast, the Heavyset Man in Cinema
- John Gavigan … Cast, the Longshoreman
- Robert Miano … Cast, Vito Genovese
- Eric Roberts … Cast, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
- Peggy Jo Jacobs … Cast, Virginia Hill
- Scott Haven … Cast, the Flamingo Surveyor
- Beverly DÕAngelo … Cast, Teddy Lansky
- A.J. Tannen … Cast, the Reporter at LOD Airport
- Ron Pacheco … Cast, Paul Lansky (Age 17)
- Octavia L. Spencer … Cast, Evelyn the Maid
- Tom Towles … Cast, the Henchman at NYC Apartment
- Mitchell Roche … Cast, Buddy Lansky (Age 19)
- Kenneth Meseroll … Cast, the FBI Agent at NYC Apartment
- Maria Carmen Diaz … Cast, the Conga Dancer
- Peter Siragusa … Cast, Moe Dalitz
- Tom Dreesen … Cast, the Flamingo Emcee/Eddie Shum
- Laura Tyler … Cast, the Flamingo Waitress
- Claudine Barros … Cast, the Paraguay Stewardess
- Angelo Pagan … Cast, the Asuncion Customs Official #1
- Marcello Sousa … Cast, the Asuncion Customs Official #2
- Jeffery Sharmat … Cast, Buddy Lansky (Age 10)
- Devon Michael … Cast, Paul lansky (Age 8)
- Arnie Alpert … Cast, the Asuncion Customs Official #3
- Francis Guinan … Cast, Senator Estes Kefauvet
- Bert Remsen … Cast, Senator Tobey
- Ron Perkins … Cast, Moses Polakoff
- Michael Townsend Wright … Cast, Jake Lansky
- Bix Barnaba … Cast, the Hallandale Lounge Maitre dÕ
- Maura Vincent … Cast, the Hallandale Lounge Waitress
- Diva Haase … Cast, the Hallandale Lounge Singer
- Michelle Bonilla … Cast, the Panama Stewardess
- Eddie Driscoll … Cast, the Supper Club Maitre dÕ
- Peter Dobson … Cast, the Man at Supper Club
- Manuel de Jesus … Cast, the Cuban Interpreter
- Raul Guterres … Cast, the Cuban Revolutionary
- Phil Reeves … Cast, the FBI Agent on Jetliner
- Susie Spear … Cast, the Female Miami Reporter
- Michael Steve Jones … Cast, the Male Miami Reporter #1
- Matthew Butcher … Cast, the Male Miami Reporter #2
- Larkin Campbell … Cast, the Male Miami Reporter #3
- Michael Barrett Caron … Cast, the Miami Immigration Official #1
- Frank M. Gero … Cast, the Miami Official in Charge
- Joseph Dee … Cast, the Miami Immigration Official #2
- Robert Kennedy … Cast, the Miami Immigration Official #3
- Kathe Mazur … Cast, the Miami Hospital Nurse
- James Noah … Cast, the Federal Judge
- Michael I. Freilich … Cast, the Miami Anesthetist
- Lynne Marie Stewart … Cast, the Waitress at Wolfie's
- Maury Ginsberg … Cast, Uri Behar
- Mickey Knox … Cast, the Older Man at Wolfie's