drive from Los Angeles to, 85
history of, 87–88
Hoover Dam and, 88
military airport at, 89
race wire in, 92–93, 168
Siegel’s move to, 85–99
Syndicate financing of casinos in, 186
Wilkerson’s plans for, 110–16, 167. See also specific hotels and casinos
Las Vegas Club, 89
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 97, 118, 147, 161
Lawford, Peter, 145
Lehman, Irving, 84
Levine, Red, 24, 27
Levinson, Barry, 37
Lewis, Tom, 97
Lewisburg federal prison, 75
Lewis Street speakeasy (New York), 14
Linden Drive house (Beverly Hills), 155, 164–65, 167–70, 182
Lindy’s (Los Angeles restaurant), 78
Little Joe, 91
Lombard, Carole, 45
Lorre, Peter, 179
Los Angeles Examiner, 58, 60, 64, 79, 179, 183
Los Angeles Herald-Express, 173
Los Angeles Times, 170–71
Luciano, Charles “Lucky” (Salvatore Luciana): Buchalter’s surrender and, 65
deportation of, 150
Dewey’s prosecution of, 49–50
Dragna and, 35
at Havana con-ference of the Syndicate, 150–52
Lansky and, 11, 22
Maranzano and, 26, 27–28
as Masseria’s enforcer, 26
Murder Inc. and, 51
in Rothstein organization, 12–15
Schultz’s death and, 39
Siegel’s death, possible involvement in, 173–74
World War II assistance to United States, 107, 149–50
Madden, Owney, 33–34
Madison Hotel, 105
Mandalay Resort, 187
Maranzano, Salvatore, 25–27, 39
Marie Galante (film), 36
Martin, Dean, 186
Mason, Jerri, 165, 167, 170–73, 177, 181, 183
Masseria, Joseph “The Boss,” 25–26, 39
Maxwell, Elsa, 43
May, Allan, 128
McAfee, Guy, 35, 54, 93, 147
McBride, Mickey, 90
McCarran, Pat, 116, 125, 127, 154
Metha Nelson (schooner), 58, 60, 61, 66, 79
MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio), 144
MGM Grand Resort (Las Vegas), 187
Miami: Lansky’s investments in, 108
Siegel’s visits to, 116
Miner’s Bowery Theatre (New York), 5
Mob Museum (Las Vegas), 187
Mocambo, 104
Monaco, 181
Morgan, Henry, 73
Morgan, Swifty, 168–69
Muir, Florabel, 17, 43, 55, 160, 172
Murder Inc., 51–68, 73, 82, 184. See also Syndicate; specific targets
Murder, Inc. (film), 73
Mussolini, Benito, 25, 66, 149
narcotics trafficking, 20, 36, 58, 63, 135, 151, 154
Nationwide News Service, 54, 75
Nealis, Eddie, 35
Nevada Projects Corporation, 119, 121, 130, 140, 151–52, 179–80. See also Flamingo Hotel
Newman, Benny, 46
Normandie (ship), 149
Northern Club (Las Vegas), 88–89
O’Connor, Carol A., 30–31
Octopus. See McAfee, Guy
Ostholthoff, A. E., 125–27, 131, 133–35, 154
Owens, William, 131
Pair-O-Dice (casino), 89
Palace Chop House, 38
Parsons, Louella, 43, 44
Persel, Lillie, 4
Pianezzi, Peter, 48
Pickfair (mansion), 44
Pickford, Mary, 44
Pileggi, Nick, 11, 182–83
Prohibition, 11–12, 14, 17, 22, 31, 36, 47, 88, 89
prostitution, 5, 35, 49, 87–88, 149
Puzo, Mario: The Godfather, 173
race wire: Continental Press, 90–93, 108, 127, 158
Trans-American, 90, 91–92, 127, 135, 158, 166
Racing Form, 95
Raft, George: arrest for bookmaking with Siegel and Smiley, 95–96
Barrie and, 78, 79, 94
at Delfern Drive residence, 42, 54, 76
at Flamingo, 146, 148
Flamingo financing from, 155–56
Hearst and, 144
Mob Museum items donated by, 187
Siegel’s acting career and, 45
as Siegel’s entrée to Hollywood, 33–34, 44
Siegel’s friendship with, 33–34, 79, 86
Siegel’s last visit with, 169
on Siegel’s vanity, 46–47
Stewart and, 55
treasure hunting expe-dition financed by, 57
Virginia Hill and, 100–101, 105
Ragen, James, Sr., 90, 93, 127–28, 166
Rat Pack, 186
Reader’s Digest, 46
Redondo Beach, 53
Reles, Abe “Kid Twist,” 51, 73, 76–77, 79–83
Reles, Rose, 73
Reppetto, Thomas, 13, 135
American Mafia, 26
residences of Siegel: Arden Drive, Beverly Hills, 36
Cannon Street, New York, 3, 6
Central Park West, 122, 134
Delfern Drive, Los Angeles, 41–43, 54–56, 60, 64, 74–76, 81, 94, 96–99, 194n7
Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills, 99
Linden Drive, Beverly Hills, 155, 164–65, 167–70, 182
McCarty Drive, Beverly Hills, 37–38
Scarsdale, New York, 30–31, 36
Waldorf Astoria (New York), 25
Rex (casino ship), 56–57, 75
Richardson, Jim, 79
Riechenthal, Jennie. See Siegel, Jennie Riechenthal
Riviera casino, 186
Robinson, Edward G., 64
Rockaway, Robert, 10, 11, 26, 68, 136–37
Romanoff’s (restaurant), 100
Romero, Juan, 155, 164
Roost Café, 47
Roselli, Johnny, 44, 47, 90
Rose Marie (performer), 145
Rosen, Jack, 184
Rosen, Joseph, 83
Rosen, Morris, 172, 183–84
Rosen, Wendy (granddaughter), 20–21, 37, 184, 185
Rothberg, G. Harry, 114–15, 119, 157
Rothberg, Sam, 114, 119
Rothstein, Arnold (“The Brain”), 12–14, 18, 20, 23, 38, 134
Royal Nevada casino, 186
Rubenstein, Peter, 137–38
Runyon, Damon, 160
Sahara casino (Las Vegas), 186
St. Francis Hotel (San Francisco), 132
Sanders, George, 146
Sands casino (Las Vegas), 186
Santa Anita horse track (Los Angeles), 31, 34, 36–37, 43, 76, 111
Santa Monica, 56, 58
Sardi’s, 18
Scarface (film), 34
Scarsdale, New York, 30–31, 36
Schafer, Lenny, 118
Schiller, Abe, 159–60
Schultz, “Dutch” (Arthur Flegenheimer), 14, 18, 38–39, 49
search warrants for Delfern Drive, 53, 74–76
Sedway, Bea, 106
Sedway, Moe: El Cortez purchase and, 108
Flamingo construc-tion and, 129, 130
Hotel Wilker-son and, 113, 114–15
kicked out of Flamingo by Siegel, 158–59
in “management change” at Flamingo after Siegel’s death, 172–73, 184
race wire and, 92–93, 158
Siegel’s Vegas hotel-casino idea and, 109–10
as suspect in Siegel’s death, 174–75
Segal, “Champ,” 77
Selznick, Myron, 57
Seward, Tom, 115, 118, 157
Shapiro, Jacob “Gurrah,” 14, 23, 28, 31, 50
Shaw, Irwin, 183
Sherman, Charles “Chink,” 29
Shulman, Irving, 40
Sica, Joe, 91–92, 166
Siegel, Barbara (daughter): birth of, 30
Huie and, 61
informed of Siegel’s death, 177
life after Sie-gel’s death, 184
in Los Angeles, 59, 61
parents’ divorce and, 121–22
portrait in Esther’s apartment, 185
at Siegel’s funeral, 178–79
Siegel, Benjamin “Bugsy”: acting ambitions of, 45–46
arrest for bookmaking, 95–96
arrest for Greenberg murder, 74–78
arrest for rape, 19–20, 192n1
birth of, 3
bootlegging career during Pro-hibition, 11–18, 20
at Buchalter trial, 81
childhood of, 3–7
death of, 171–73
divorce from Esther, 121–23, 178
early crimes of, 7–11
El Cortez purchase and, 108
FBI surveillance of, 125–27, 128–29, 132–33, 144, 154
Flamingo con-struction and, 115–42
gambling by, 34, 36–37, 42, 44
generosity of, 160–62
Greenberg murder and, 69–84
in Las Vegas, 85–162
leadership style of, 148–49, 153–54
in Los Angeles, 33–48
loyalty of, 15, 122–23
in Luciano’s gang, 26–30
marriage to first Esther, 20–22
marriage to second wife Virginia Hill, 135–36
Mur-der Inc. and, 49–68
nickname of, 15
overselling shares of Nevada Projects Corporation, 119, 140, 151–52, 180
parenting advice to Esther, 138–40
temper of, 8, 45, 55, 106, 141–42, 159–60, 170
vanity of, 46–47
Virginia Hill’s romance with, 100–108. See also residences of Siegel; specific names of business ventures
Siegel, Bessie (sister). See Soloway, Bessie Siegel
Siegel, Esther (Esta, Estelle) Krakauer (wife): apartment of, 185
at Del-fern Drive residence, 54, 59–61, 94–95
Di Frasso and, 42
divorce filed by, 121–23, 178
Huie and, 60–61, 64
inheritance of, 180
marriage of, 20–22
move back to New York, 96–97
in Scarsdale, 30–31, 36
Siegel’s death and, 177–78
at Siegel’s funeral, 178–79
Siegel’s last contact with, 169
the Syndicate’s commitment to, 183–84
Siegel, Esther (sister), 3
Siegel, Ethel (sister), 3, 36
Siegel, Jennie Riechenthal (mother), 1–3, 60, 78, 179
Siegel, Lil (sister-in-law), 37
Siegel, Maurice/Morris (brother), 3, 7, 37, 79, 162, 177, 178–79
Siegel, Max (father), 1–3, 7, 17, 60, 61, 64, 78, 161–62, 179
Siegel, Millicent (daughter): birth of, 25
death and burial of, 10
on Flamingo Hotel, 136
Harlow as “godmother” to, 40
Huie and, 61
informed of Siegel’s death, 177
life after Siegel’s death, 184–85
in Los Angeles, 59, 61, 64
parents’ divorce and, 121–22
portrait in Esther’s apartment, 185
at Siegel’s funeral, 178–79
Siegel’s parental advice regarding, 138–40
Siegels 1941 (Las Vegas restaurant), 139–40
Silvers, Phil, 54–55
Simpson, Adeline E., 6
Sinatra, Frank, 54, 55, 152, 186
Smiley, Allen, 95–96, 137, 169, 170–71, 173, 177, 178
Soloway, Bessie Siegel (sister), 3, 99, 106, 122, 178
Soloway, Sollie, 99, 106
Speed (film), 78
Stacher, Doc: Greenberg murder and, 69–70
at Havana conference of the Syndicate, 151, 152, 173–74
on Lansky’s attempts to protect Siegel, 166–67
at Luciano’s de-portation party, 150
rape charge against Siegel and, 19
Reles’s death and, 83
on Siegel-Hill relationship, 121
on Siegel’s death, 165, 176
Stadelman, Richard, 120
stage extras union, 44–45
Stardust casino (Las Vegas), 186
Steffens, Lincoln, 7–8
Stewart, Gloria, 40, 55–56
Stewart, Jimmy, 40, 55–56, 78
Stolla, Rose, 4
Sunset Strip, 35
Sunset Towers Hotel (Los Angeles), 95, 169
Syndicate: Bruneman murder and, 47
commitment to Esther Siegel, 183–84
creation of, 11, 27–28
Dragna and, 35
El Cortez pur-chase and, 108
financing of Vegas casinos, 186
Flamingo and, 156, 180
Greenberg murder and, 69, 70–71, 72–73, 82
Havana Conference of, 149–52, 173
Lansky and Siegel awarded all gambling rights outside New York City, 31
Murder Inc. and, 49, 50, 51, 65
race wire and, 34
Schultz murder and, 38–39
Sed-way’s ejection from Flamingo and, 158–59
Siegel’s loyalty to, 15
Siegel’s profitability for, 37
stage extras union and, 44–45
as suspects in Siegel’s death, 173–74
Virginia Hill and, 181–82. See also specific individuals
Tannenbaum, Albert “Allie Tick Tock,” 71–73, 76–77, 79–83
Taylor, Dorothy. See Di Frasso, Dorothy
Taylor, Elizabeth, 59
Teamsters Union, 186
Teitelbaum, Harry, 39
Temple Sinai (Hollywood, Florida), 136
Tereba, Tere, 151
Terranova, Ciro, 26
Thackeray, William Makepeace: Vanity Fair, 103–4
Thunderbird casino, 186
Tibbett, Lawrence, 37, 40
Tijuana dog track, 53
Till, Emmett, 60
Townsend, Brigham, 161
Tracy, Spencer, 78, 144
Trafficante, Santo, Jr., 150
Trans-American (race wire), 90, 91–92, 127, 135, 158, 166
Trocadero (Los Angeles nightclub), 104, 111, 115
Tropicana casino (Las Vegas), 186
Turkus, Burton: Murder, Inc., 73
21 Club (New York), 17
United Jewish Appeal, 158
Valentine’s Day massacre, 23
Valentino, Rudolph, 34, 155, 179
Vendome (Los Angeles), 111
Venetian Resort (Las Vegas), 187
Villa Madama (Italy), 66
Waldorf Astoria (New York), 25, 30, 105
Walker, Jimmy, 13
Ward, Charlie, 52–53, 76
Warren, Earl, 57, 112
Watering Hole #25 (Las Vegas), 87
Webb, Del, 121, 131, 133–36, 156
Weinberg, Sidney, 30
Weiss, Mendy, 77, 83–84
Wiener, Louis, Jr., 116–18, 119–20, 124–25, 160–61
Wilkerson, Billy: on Flamingo open-ing, 144, 146
gambling by, 111–12
Hotel Wilkerson and, 113–15
Las Vegas hotel-casino concept of, 110–16
Nevada Projects Cor-poration and, 119, 130, 140–41
nightclubs and restaurants started by, 111
sale of land to Siegel, 130
Siegel’s “buyout” of, 140–42, 156–57
Siegel’s death and, 167, 180
Siegel’s “partnership” with, 115–19
Wilkerson, W. R., III, 157, 180
The Man Who Invented Las Vegas, 111, 115, 121
Williamsburg Bridge, 2, 3, 4, 17
Winchell, Walter, 70, 148, 160
Wolf, George, 134–35
Workman, Charlie “The Bug,” 38–39
World Series (1919), 13, 18
World War II, 89, 107–8
Wray, Fay, 179
Wynn Resort, 187
r /> Xavier Cugat band, 145, 147, 152
Young, Loretta, 97
Zwillman, Abner “Longy,” 10, 14, 22, 40, 46, 71, 103
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Bugsy Siegel Page 23