When Nicky calls Sam after Sam kicked the big cowboy from Nicky's crew out of the casino for cursing him, Nicky apologizes, then hangs up the phone. Nicky then asks the cowboy why he 'took off his boots and put his feet on the blackjack table.' However, Sam never told Nicky this information. As Ginger and Nicky are talking in the garage. Spilotro managed the Outfit's illegal casino profits (the 'skim') when four of the casinos, The Stardust, The Fremont, The Hacienda, and The Marina, were managed by Frank Rosenthal; replacing Outfit member John Roselli in Las Vegas. He was the leader of the 'Hole in the Wall Gang', which he formed in Las Vegas when he moved there in 1971.

Questioning the Story:

Did Sam Rothstein manage any other casinos besides Tangiers?

Unlike the portrayal in the movie Casino where Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro) runs only one casino, the Tangiers, in real life Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal ran four casinos simultaneously, including the Stardust, Hacienda, Fremont and Marina for the Chicago mafia. For legal reasons, the Stardust was renamed the Tangiers in the film. -Las Vegas Sun

Did teamsters really fund the Tangiers?Yes. After being pressured by the mob, the Teamsters fund loaned the Argent Corporation, solely owned by Allen Glick, the money to buy the Stardust and other casinos. Mr. Glick was portrayed in the movie Casino by character Philip Green (Kevin Pollak). -Online Nevada Encyclopedia
Did security really crush the hands of a cheater?

According to Frank Rosenthal himself, yes, this did occur but not under the circumstances portrayed in the movie Casino. The two men who were electronically signaling each other were part of a larger group that had been scamming all the casinos for an extended period of time. The actions taken were meant as a message to the group to deter any of the others from coming back to do the same. -Miami Herald

Did Sam and Ginger have a daughter like in the movie?

The Casino movie true story reveals that Sam and Ginger Rothstein's real-life counterparts, Frank and Geraldine Rosenthal, had a daughter named Stephanie and a son name Steven. Geraldine also had a daughter from a previous relationship with her high school love, Lenny Marmor (James Woods' character in the movie). Robin Marmor was born on December 27, 1957, and was eleven years old when her mother met Frank. She was not depicted in the movie. To learn more about Frank Rosenthal's wife and family, read Nicholas Pileggi's book Casino, which was the basis for the Martin Scorsese movie.

Were the lion performers Sam hired to work at the Tangiers based on Siegfried and Roy?

Indeed they were. When Siegfried and Roy's contract was about to expire with a competing casino, Mr. Rosenthal (Sam) hired them to perform at the Stardust. Part of the agreement was a significantly higher salary, custom dressing room and space for their animals. 'Lido de Paris Starring Siegfried and Roy' was born and so was a friendship that lasted a lifetime. -FrankRosenthal.com

Did Nicky really get banned from every casino in Vegas?Yes. In December 1979, Tony Spilotro, the real-life Nicky Santoro, was blacklisted by the Nevada Gaming Commission, preventing him from entering any casino.
Did the real Nicky Santoro have a son?

Yes. In 1966, Tony and Nancy Spilotro (the real Nicky and Jennifer Santoro) adopted their only son, Vincent. -The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. The Mob

Did Nicky really recruit his brother and other guys from back home to commit heists?

Yes. The pack was referred to as 'The Hole in the Wall Gang' because they cut holes in walls and ceilings to enter their target locations. Included in this group were his brother, Michael Spilotro, Herbert 'Fat Herbie' Blitzstein, Wayne Metecki, Samuel Cusumano, Joseph Cusumano, Ernesto 'Ernie' Davino, 'Crazy Larry' Neumann, Salvatore 'Sonny' Romano, Leonardo 'Leo' Guardino, Joseph Blasko and their leader, Frank Cullotta. Frank Cullotta is portrayed in the movie Casino by actor Frank Vincent, as Nicky Santoro's sidekick Frankie Marino.

Did they really put a rival's head in a vise after he shot up a bar?

Yes. Anthony Spilotro, the basis for Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro character, caught one of the two men who killed the Scalvo brothers without permission. Frank Cullotta testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial that Spilotro did torture Billy McCarthy. Spilotro told him that McCarthy was beaten and when he refused to name his accomplice, his head was put in a vise and tightened until his eyeball popped out. At that point, he gave them Jimmy Miraglia's name and they slit his throat. -Sun Times

Did Nicky Santoro sleep with Sam Rothstein's wife?

Yes, the real Nicky Santoro, Tony Spilotro, did sleep with Frank Rosenthal's wife, which ultimately played a part in his demise. Nicholas Calabrese testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial in 2007 that mob hit man John Fecarotta told him that Spilotro was targeted for his affair with Rosenthal's wife. -Chicago Tribune

Was Phillip Green's business partner, Anna Scott, murdered in her home?Yes. The real-life Anna Scott, Tamara Rand, was murdered in the kitchen of her San Diego home. She was shot on November 9, 1975 soon after having loan issues with her mob-tied business partner, Allen Glick. -San Diego Reader
Was there really a Gaming Control Board investigation into Sam's attempt to get a gaming license?

Yes. The real Sam, Frank Rosenthal, did have a hearing with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Furthermore, he argued with the chairman, the current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and was denied a gaming license. In 1988, he was officially put in the 'Black Book' (List of Persons Excluded from Licensed Gaming Establishments in the State of Nevada). -Las Vegas Sun

Did FBI agents run out of gas and land their plane on a fairway?

According to the Casino true story, the FBI agents did land their plane on the fairway at the Las Vegas Country Club where the Rosenthals lived. However, it was due to mechanical problems rather than a lack of fuel. -Skimming the Las Vegas Casinos

Did the real Sam 'Ace' Rothstein have his own TV show?

Yes he did. The Frank Rosenthal Show was taped at the Stardust and brought in many big-name guests, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Wayne Newton, Liberace and O.J. Simpson. For those of you who are curious, he claims to have never juggled on the show. -FrankRosenthal.com

Casino Movie Nicky Santoro

Casino Movie Nicky And Ginger

Was Sam the best handicapper in America?According to Sports Illustrated, Frank Rosenthal is 'one of the greatest living experts on sports gambling'. -Sports Illustrated article 'The Biggest Game in Town'
Is Sam responsible for putting sports betting into casinos?

Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, the real Sam, is credited with putting sports betting in Las Vegas casinos. In 1976, he set up the first sports book in the Stardust, which featured six large televisions. -USA Today

Did Sam and Ginger really get divorced?

Yes. According to Frank, the real story is that he filed for the divorce and for full custody of their children. Geri did not contest it. Their divorce was finalized on January 16, 1981. -FrankRosenthal.com

Did Ginger really try to run off with their daughter and Lester?

According to Frank Rosenthal (the real Sam Rothstein), his wife and her ex-boyfriend, Lenny Marmor, ran off with his daughter, his son and his money. In the movie, Lenny Marmor is the Lester Diamond character portrayed by James Woods. -FrankRosenthal.com

Did Artie Piscano die of a heart attack when the FBI found mob records in his home?

No. The Casino movie character Artie Piscano was based on Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna. The raid on his home happened on February 14, 1979. Unlike what is depicted in the movie, Tuffy did not die of a heart attack during the raid. He was sentenced to prison for his participation in skimming Las Vegas casinos and was released in 1998. He died ten years later on July 21, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri. -The Chicago Syndicate

Did Sam survive a car bomb assassination attempt?Yes. On October 4, 1982, Frank Rosenthal left Tony Roma's restaurant on East Sahara Avenue and got into his Cadillac which then exploded. Amazingly, he survived with minor burns and injuries. A variety of factors have been attributed to his survival, including a metal plate under the driver's seat, the driver's side door being open at the time of the explosion, and pure luck. -NY Times

Why did Sam's car have a metal plate under the driver's seat?

The 1981 Cadillac Eldorado had a balancing problem that was affecting the car's handling. GM installed the metal plate under the driver's seat to correct the problem. -UniqueCarsandParts.com/au

Did Ginger end up with low lives and drug dealers in Los Angeles?

Yes. The true story behind Geri Rosenthal (Ginger in the movie) reveals that her interaction with these people ultimately led to her untimely death. On November 9, 1982, at the age of 46, she died in an LA motel from a drug overdose of valium, cocaine and whiskey. She is buried in Mount Sinai Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Were Nicky Santoro and his brother, Dominick, really killed?Yes, the real-life Spilotro brothers were beaten to death, but not in a cornfield as portrayed in the movie. According to Nicholas Calabrese, a former mob hitman who testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial, the brothers were told they were being promoted in the mob. Anthony Spilotro was to become a 'capo' and his brother, Michael, was to become a 'made member'. They were driven to a mob home in Bensenville, Illinois and were beaten to death in the basement. They were later transported to the cornfield in Enos, Indiana. -Chicago Tribune


Is the real Sam still alive?

Mr. Rosenthal died at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack at his Miami Beach home on October 13, 2008. -NY Times

Did Sam insist on having an equal number of blueberries in each muffin?

According to Nicholas Pileggi, author of the book Casino, Frank Rosenthal was extremely meticulous. He did regulate the number of blueberries per muffin, with each muffin containing at least ten blueberries. -NY Times

Casino: Behind the Movie Interviews & Video

Watch video featuring interviews with Frank Rosenthal, the real Sam Rothstein, portrayed by Robert De Niro in the movie. Also, see footage of Tony Spilotro, the real Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci).

Frank Rosenthal Interview Watch Frank Rosenthal interviews andhistoric video featuring mobster AnthonySpilotro, portrayed by Joe Pesci in themovie Casino.

Casino Trailer Watch the Casino movie trailerfor the film starring Robert De Niro, JoePesci and Sharon Stone. Directed by MartinScorcese, Casino tells the storyof sports handicapper Frank 'Lefty'Rosenthal in mob-run Las Vegas during the1970's.

The Story of Tangiers Casino

Scorsese probably is best known for films such as Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), or The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), however, he has often stated Casino as one of his favorite ever productions due to its simplicity in storytelling and clever narrative. Here we will dive deep into Scorsese’s creation explaining both the premise, the impact, and its real-life connections.

Casino’s Plot Explained

The screenplay of ‘Casino’ was based on the 1995 non-fiction book ‘Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas’ by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the script with Scorsese. The film’s main character arc is centered on Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein (De Niro) a Jewish-American gambler who is offered the chance to oversee the day-to-day operations at the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas. The premise is regularly likened to Scorsese’s other gangster classic, 1990s Goodfellas (also starring De Niro and Pesci).

Mafia associate Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, a sports handicapper is sent by the Chicago Outfit to run the Tangiers Casino and oversee skimming operations as well as numerous other extortion related operations. Alongside Sam is his childhood friend and mob enforcer Nicky Santaro (Pesci), his younger brother Dominick and Nicky’s childhood friend, Frankie Marino. These 3 act as Sam’s protectors and enforcers.

Sam quickly begins to increase the casino’s profits which are skimmed by the mafia before taxes are paid. After meeting fellow hustler and former hostess Ginger Mckenna (Sharon Stone) they quickly fall in love, marrying and having a daughter soon after. Due to Ginger’s previous relationship, things soon take a turn for the worse. Sam has Nicky and his crew beat up con-artist Lester Diamond after they catch him conning Ginger out of $25,000. Ginger soon turns to alcohol and quickly develops a problematic drug dependency.

Things Take a Turn for the Worst

Sam begins to bring himself into the public eye. He becomes a local talk show host boosting his profile much to the displeasure of the Chicago bosses. Inside men arrange for Sam’s gaming license to be denied, jeopardizing his position thus souring his relationship with Nicky as he believes his reckless behavior towards police and the Nevada Gaming Board is to blame.

The Midwest Mafia bosses place careless Kansas City underboss Artie Piscano in charge of all cash transactions. He regularly rants about the cash costs in the grocery store, this in turn leads him to be monitored by the FBI and has now wired his store. Secretly he has written everything he knows of the Las Vegas skimming operation in a private notebook.

After Ginger and Sam fall out and seek a divorce, Ginger goes to collect her things from Sam’s deposit box. Nicky acting as security for the deposit box starts and affair with Ginger leading to Sam disowning Ginger and renouncing Nicky as a friend. After obtaining the contents of the deposit box, Ginger is soon arrested by the FBI as a witness after drunkenly crashing her car into Sam’s (which is parked in the driveway).

After a man on the inside confesses to the authorities, the FBI launches their operation to put a stop to the mafia’s control of the casino. Artie dies of a heart attack while a search warrant is carried out in his home. The FBI approach Sam asking for help by showing him photos of Nicky and Ginger together, but he turns them down. The Mafia bosses are soon arrested and put on trial resulting in a slew of murders, orchestrated by them to prevent anyone from testifying against them.

Sam barely escapes death by a car bomb suspecting Nicky to be the culprit. Amid the chaos, Ginger dies from a drug overdose and Nicky has now made himself the main target of the bosses after they grow tired of his ongoing legal issues. They order Frankie and his crew to ambush Nicky and Dominick, they are taken to an Indiana cornfield where they are brutally beaten and Buried Alive.

With the mob now out of Licensing fronts, Tangiers Casino Las Vegas and many others are purchased by big corporations then demolished to make way for larger Hotel-Casinos to the anger of Sam. He retires to San Diego and returns to being a sports handicapper. Famously in his own words, ending up “right back where I started”.

Casino’s Impact and Real-Life Connections

Casino initially received mostly positive reviews from critics, however, it was a fair reduction on the attention received by Goodfellas 5 years prior. ‘Casino’ is now regarded as one of the best Vegas related movies on par with Ocean’s Eleven (2001). The film’s critical profile has increased in years since its release with critics many years later calling it a much more acclaimed and mature work than the thematically similar Goodfellas.

Tangiers casino is based on the real-life Stardust Hotel, one of the real casinos run by Frank Rosenthal (Sam in Casino). Frank did also have his own television show, suitably named ‘The Frank Rosenthal Show’. The show was filmed at the Stardust Hotel and played host to guests including Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope. Chicago Outfit, who are the main gang focus of the film is perhaps best known for their connection to boss Al Capone.

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