Frank Cullotta, a member of Chicago’s mob the Outfit, died of a variety of ailments including Covid-19 at a Las Vegas hospital, on Thursday, Aug. 20, according to Deadline. He was 81.
Chicago gangster Anthony “Ant” Spilotro brought Cullotta to Las Vegas in 1978 to oversee the legendary robbery crew called the “Hole in the Wall Gang.” Known for bypassing alarm systems by drilling or precision explosives, the crew burglarized between 250 and 300 homes in Las Vegas by 1981. The crew was caught on July 4, 1981, after a botched robbery at Bertha’s home furnishings store on East Sahara Avenue.
After being told there was a contract on his life, Cullotta cooperated with the FBI and Las Vegas police against Spilotro, who was killed along with his brother Michael in 1986. Cullotta served as a technical consultant on Martin Scorsese’s 1995 gangster epic Casino. He was played by veteran actor Frank Vincent as Frank Marino, and...
Chicago gangster Anthony “Ant” Spilotro brought Cullotta to Las Vegas in 1978 to oversee the legendary robbery crew called the “Hole in the Wall Gang.” Known for bypassing alarm systems by drilling or precision explosives, the crew burglarized between 250 and 300 homes in Las Vegas by 1981. The crew was caught on July 4, 1981, after a botched robbery at Bertha’s home furnishings store on East Sahara Avenue.
After being told there was a contract on his life, Cullotta cooperated with the FBI and Las Vegas police against Spilotro, who was killed along with his brother Michael in 1986. Cullotta served as a technical consultant on Martin Scorsese’s 1995 gangster epic Casino. He was played by veteran actor Frank Vincent as Frank Marino, and...
- 8/22/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Frank Cullotta, a veteran mobster who later became a Las Vegas attraction for his in-depth knowledge of organized crime’s history in Sin City, has died. He was 81 and passed from complications caused by Covid-19.
Cullotta was the right-hand man to Anthony “The Ant” Spilotro, portrayed by Joe Pesci in the film Casino. Another of their childhood friends, Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal, was the inspiration for Robert De Niro’s Ace Rothstein in the film.
Cullotta arrived in Las Vegas from his Chicago hometown in the 1970s and formed a burglary group known as the Hole in the Wall gang. The name derived for their propensity to bust through buildings to avoid door and window alarms. Cullotta ran the operation and paid cuts to Spilotro, and also performed other tasks, including murders, at his childhood friend’s request.
However, an unsuccessful burglary saw Cullotta arrested. He soon feared that Spilotro was targeting him for a hit,...
Cullotta was the right-hand man to Anthony “The Ant” Spilotro, portrayed by Joe Pesci in the film Casino. Another of their childhood friends, Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal, was the inspiration for Robert De Niro’s Ace Rothstein in the film.
Cullotta arrived in Las Vegas from his Chicago hometown in the 1970s and formed a burglary group known as the Hole in the Wall gang. The name derived for their propensity to bust through buildings to avoid door and window alarms. Cullotta ran the operation and paid cuts to Spilotro, and also performed other tasks, including murders, at his childhood friend’s request.
However, an unsuccessful burglary saw Cullotta arrested. He soon feared that Spilotro was targeting him for a hit,...
- 8/22/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Sokol Dec 9, 2019
Martin Scorsese dealt the story of Casino straight and only bluffed on the names.
As much as Martin Scorsese may have skewered gangster history by telling Frank Sheeran's version of things in The Irishman, he got it exactly right when he did it on his own with Casino. This 1995 gangster classic is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, by Nicholas Pileggi, the author of Wise Guys and Goodfellas’ source material. All Scorsese had to do to stay true to the real-life story was change the names.
Sam “Ace” Rothstein, played by Robert De Niro, was based on the renowned gambler Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal; Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro was based on Anthony John “Ant” Spilotro; Sharon Stone's Ginger McKenna is based on Geri McGee, Rosenthal's wife. Phillip Green (Kevin Pollak) is based on Allen Glick, who owned the Argent Corporation.
Martin Scorsese dealt the story of Casino straight and only bluffed on the names.
As much as Martin Scorsese may have skewered gangster history by telling Frank Sheeran's version of things in The Irishman, he got it exactly right when he did it on his own with Casino. This 1995 gangster classic is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, by Nicholas Pileggi, the author of Wise Guys and Goodfellas’ source material. All Scorsese had to do to stay true to the real-life story was change the names.
Sam “Ace” Rothstein, played by Robert De Niro, was based on the renowned gambler Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal; Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro was based on Anthony John “Ant” Spilotro; Sharon Stone's Ginger McKenna is based on Geri McGee, Rosenthal's wife. Phillip Green (Kevin Pollak) is based on Allen Glick, who owned the Argent Corporation.
- 12/8/2019
- Den of Geek
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