by Joe Corso
“Do ya think his wife can give a description of either of you to the police?” Red asked.
Shooter shook his head. “Nah! Things happened pretty fast, Red. We wore topcoats, sunglasses and fedoras, so it would be hard for anyone to give an accurate description of either of us, especially because all she looked at was our guns.”
“Yeah,” Tarzan added. “When his wife answered the door she wasn’t looking at our faces. She was looking at our guns. It’s too bad she had to be there. We were hoping she’d be out shopping somewhere so we could catch Chicken Wings at home alone; but it made sense she’d be there as well. She doesn’t work, so where would she be but at home? No problem, though. I ordered her to go to her bedroom in a voice that scared even me, and told her to stay there.”
Red laughed. Tarzan could be a scary guy when he wanted to be.
“She turned and went to her bedroom and that’s where she stayed. As soon as I heard the door close I put one in the back of Chicken Wings’ head. Then we were careful not to make any noise when we left.”
Red leaned back in his chair, a little more relaxed now that Chicken Wings was taken care of.
Lennie, the mechanic, knocked on the door and stuck his head in. “Red, you better come in here. You might want to see this.”
The three men rushed into the mechanic’s office, where a story was breaking. Tarzan and Shooter were talking low, motioning toward the TV. Red put up his hands and waved to get their attention.
“Quiet. I want to hear this.”
The two men turned to see what Monica Strong, the NBC reporter assigned to report on the murder, had to say. The camera dollied to a close-up of her face, showing the seriousness of what she was about to say. Looking directly into the camera, she began to speak in the somber voice taught to her in school for dramatic effect.
“Salvatore Penza, also known as Sally Chicken Wings, was shot in his home by two gunmen at approximately 11:17 this morning. Mrs. Penza told the police that her doorbell rang, and she opened the door to two men wearing black overcoats, dark glasses and black fedoras. The gunmen ordered her into her bedroom, and that’s when she heard a shot. She couldn’t give the police any further description of the men. A police spokesman said the murder appeared to be a contract killing. Stay tuned for more on this story. We’ll get back to you as soon as we have more to report.”
Red turned the TV off and the men turned their chairs to face him. Tarzan tilted his head and motioned toward the back door. As he walked to the picnic table he was smiling. The men sat back down and resumed their conversation.
“It’s hard to give a description of someone when the guy is covered from head to toe and pointing a very large gun in your face,” said Tarzan.
Red agreed. “I heard enough. Good job, guys.”
The boys, thinking the conversation was over, got up to leave but Red told them to sit down. He had something else to tell them. They sat back down, wondering what this was about. Red took a moment to light a cigar. He turned the tip to see an orange glow. Satisfied, he leaned his elbow on the table and looked toward Tarzan.
“I want you to contact all the captains and tell them that Chicken Wings was caught skimming big time. Don’t say who discovered he was doing this. They’ll know the reason for the hit, but if they’re ever pinched they can never say you guys told them. Remember, you can’t talk about what you don’t know.”
CHAPTER 10
Providence, Rhode Island,
The sign on the door said “National Cigarette and Pinball” but in reality it was the base of operations for Raymond Patriarca, located on Atwells Avenue in the Federal Hill Neighborhood of Providence, and was known to family members as “The Office.” All Patriarca’s business dealings took place there.
Patriarca was a strict and ruthless leader from the old school of Mafiosa. He had been running his family successfully for decades and he made sure no other crime families operated in New England. He was a successful leader because he kept a low profile and gave the police no cause to come after him. But underlying his ability to keep a low profile was his ability to lead his family into new areas of crime, such as the lucrative business of pornography and narcotics. Oddly his lieutenant, Vincent Teresa, forbade the family to deal in drugs.
Patriarca’s demeanor was somber as he sat back in his plush leather chair. He wore a serious expression on his intimidating and deeply lined face; but then he always looked serious. In the room with him were Teresa and “Jerry” Anguilo. Jerry was a big earner and was involved in the numbers racket in Boston. And because he wasn’t a “made” member, rival mobsters were shaking him down. Usually you had to murder someone to get “made”, but Anguilo pulled a cutie. He knew his chances of becoming “made” were slim to none so he offered Patriarca a deal: $50,000 up front and a guarantee of $100,000 a year if he’d open the books. Patriarca knew a bargain when he saw one and he greedily accepted Anguilo’s offer. That was how another of Patriarca’s men, Fat Vinnie, become a made guy.
“So how did the meeting go with Genovese?” Teresa asked.
Patriarca lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag before answering. “He gave us his approval. Said if Big Red wanted out of Queens then it’s ours for the taking, as long as he gets his share of the action. The old man was salivating at the chance of making more money. Geez, you’d think a guy like him, who has all the money in the world, would be satisfied. Not a chance. He just wants more.”
“But that’s good for us,” Teresa suggested.
Patriarca nodded. “Yeah it is. Big Red doesn’t know the shit storm that’s about to hit him.”
“How do you want me to handle this, Boss?”
Patriarca shook his head. “We’re gonna do nothing. We’re gonna sit back and wait.”
It was Anguilo who spoke up this time. “What exactly are we waiting for?”
Patriarca had been told what was happening by Genovese but hesitated for a moment before telling his men. He didn’t want this information leaked out prematurely. This was something he was careful to keep from happening. But the wheels were now in motion so he couldn’t see the harm in letting his two top men in on what was going to happen.
“Big Red has a loyal crew. His men love and respect him, so it’s hard to get someone to turn on him. Two of his top men have to go and they are Trenchie Savanola and Tarzan. Those two, like me, are old school mobsters and they are very dangerous. You can never underestimate them. Both those guys have served ten years in the slammer. We have no choice. If we want to take over the Queens action we have to whack them.”
Teresa rubbed his chin. “Do you want me to get a few of the boys and take care of it for you?”
“No. Everything is in motion.”
“What do you mean?”
Patriarca leaned forward and replied, “Lansky is the one who set this up. He’s pissed off that Red is moving part of his operation to Vegas. With what’s happening in Cuba and all the money he lost there, Lansky figures Vegas is now his and he doesn’t want Red to have any part of the action.”
“It don’t make sense,” Teresa objected. “Sam Giancana and his mob have their hooks in Vegas, so why not Big Red?”
Patriarca slammed his fist on his large desk. “Look, I don’t give a shit about Vegas, or who gets what there. All I care about is me. I’m looking at this show as a win-win situation for us. Let them all kill each other for all I care, as long as it doesn’t interfere with me or my business. I want you to go to Queens and look for a good spot to set up a base of operations. Once we’re set up we’ll take out Trenchie, Tarzan and Big Red ourselves, if necessary.
CHAPTER 11
When the girls got home they received a phone call from the studio telling them they would both do the same scene, but only with William Holden. Jack Lemmon unfortunately had to reshoot some scenes in a picture that was nearing completion and he couldn’t leave the set. Both girls were told to study Tiffany’s script and in the morning they would take turns doing the scene. They w
ere still to go to makeup at 7 a.m. and report to Stage 8 for the screen tests.
The following morning, after makeup and putting their costumes on, they reported to Stage 8 and were surprised to see that the set resembled Tara, one of the sets from Gone with the Wind. Tiffany was dressed in a white gown and a delicate white headdress, with a pink bow around the crown and a matching pink bow around her slender waist. Her scene called for her to tell William Holden, a southern officer and her beau, that she’d wait for him for as long as the war lasted. Holden, the consummate professional, knew how nervous Tiffany was and encouraged her gently by leading her through her lines, without seeming to do anything but react to her lines. It was a masterful performance by a pro and Tiffany appreciated his help. When the scene ended, Holden smiled broadly and congratulated her on a fine performance. Tiffany was dazed to a point where she hardly remembered speaking her lines, and before she knew it the test was over.
Now it was Iris’s turn. Tiffany would have to remind herself to call her Ida from now on. When Ida sashayed onto the set she was wearing an ensemble similar to Tiffany’s but, instead of a white gown and pink bows, she wore a pale blue gown and pale blue headdress, with white bows around her hat and her waist. William Holden, who was dressed in the uniform of a confederate officer, enjoyed doing the screen test with the two future stars. They seemed like nice kids to him and he wanted them to succeed. So, while filming the scene with Ida, he guided her smoothly and professionally, without the camera capturing his gentle prompts. As with Tiffany, her lines appeared to be delivered naturally.
Both tests were completed and sent to the processing lab. Knowing it would take a while before the film was processed and ready for viewing, the girls changed back into their street clothes. While waiting for the results, they walked with Moose as their guide through the back lot, visiting different the sets.
“Come on,” Moose said, “let’s visit Swifty and the boys on their set.”
The girls loved that idea. When Moose and the girls walked quietly through the door and onto the set, Swifty stopped the action and raised his hands. “Everyone, listen up, I have a special announcement to make. These two beautiful creatures who just walked in with their secretary over there . . .” he said jokingly as he pointed to Moose. Moose, who looked more like a bouncer than a secretary, took his pen from his inside jacket pocket and waved it in the air. Everyone in the large hanger laughed, knowing he was anything but a secretary. “These two beautiful girls with him are the studio’s newest stars. Say hello to Tiffany LaMarr and Ida Lange. The ink’s not dry yet, but they’ve just signed a contract with Starlight Productions and Dark Storm Productions, as well as Columbia Pictures.”
Moose leaned over and whispered quietly to them. “Make like you belong here. Raise your hand and smile and then go out there and mingle with the crowd.”
Red and Jimmy the Hat had met the two girls at the popular Elbow Room at Fort Lauderdale beach when they were on the lam. Red had to leave New York in a hurry when Rags, a small time hood high on drugs, insulted Red in a pool room in Flushing Queens. He took Jimmy the Hat with him. Rags was whacked because he had stepped over the line, and even though Red was officiating at the grand re-opening of the Starlight Club and had a perfect alibi, the higher-ups in law enforcement were looking to bring him in for questioning. Lieutenant Creighton, the cop friend he had on the payroll, suggested that he and Jimmy get out of town for a few weeks until he could straighten things out. Red took his advice and they made a dash to Florida until the heat died down.
The two gangsters met Iris and Tiffany over drinks in Fort Lauderdale, and they found they enjoyed each other’s company. Red lost contact with the girls after he returned to New York. With the creation of Starlight Productions and the purchase of Dark Storm Productions, a “B” movie production company, he needed some leading men so, with Bernstein’s assistance, Swifty filled the bill. When he was an established movie star Red brought in Henri and Gonzo. Now his studio needed a leading lady. That’s when he thought of the two beautiful girls he had met in Fort Lauderdale.
Red hired a detective, who quickly located the girls for him. As soon as he was given the information, Red telephoned Tiffany and told her he was throwing a party and he wanted her and Iris to come to New York as his guests. At first the girls thought there was an angle to Red’s offer and they were about to refuse, until he mentioned that they would be staying at the world famous Starlight Club. That convinced them, and they agreed to come after Red assured them he would send them first class tickets and reimburse their expenses. When they arrived in New York he took them to Rene Dumas and bought them expensive dresses and accessories for the party. Red had met Frank Sinatra when he took Marilyn Monroe to the April 2nd grand opening of Sinatra’s Cal Neva casino at Lake Tahoe. The two hit it off, and when Red asked Sinatra to entertain his guests at the Starlight Club, Sinatra agreed and even convinced the rest of the Rat Pack to come with him. It was at that party that Red introduced the two women to the President of Columbia Pictures, Larry Bernstein. Before the night ended, Red handed both girls first class tickets to Hollywood and gave each of them an expensive diamond bracelet, telling them he didn’t want them to go to Hollywood looking like paupers.
The two women could not believe the real life Cinderella story that was happening to them. Even now, as they worked their way through the crowd, they still felt undeserving of the adulation and the lavish praise heaped on them by Swifty and the throng of people in this room. They had the feeling that when midnight came they’d be wearing dreary old clothes again, and Moose’s car would turn into a pumpkin. Even though they felt like impostors, they made their way through the crowd, smiling and shaking hands, and stopping every so often to talk to someone. Until finally Moose walked over and grabbed each by an arm and guided them gently toward the door.
“Come on. Bernstein sent a runner down to get us. He has your screen test footage and he wants you there with him when he views it.”
A little later, Bernstein looked around the room to make sure everyone was there and seated, ready to view the screen test. “Okay, roll the film.”
Tiffany’s screen test was shown first and she was a nervous wreck. William Holden was seated between the two girls. He could see that Tiffany was nervous, so he smiled and reached for her hand.
“Don’t be so nervous. This happens all the time. Everyone is nervous about their screen test, but trust me on this, you did very well today.”
This relaxed her a little. “Thanks, I am nervous. It was very nice of you to say that.”
“I meant it. Look, we all had a screen test, and we all had a moment of nervousness, but wait and see; this will work out fine for both of you.”
The screen lit up and the scene began to unfold. Marla Kirshbaum wrote notes on a legal pad as she watched the screen. Marty Evans, the screenwriter, studied Tiffany on the screen as she put her head down and held back tears because her lover was leaving to fight in the war. What the camera didn’t see was William Holden whispering in her ear, telling her to put her head down, look sad and appear about to cry. His suggestion produced a dramatic effect. The scene ended and no one said anything.
Then Iris’s test scene flashed to life on the screen. In this scene William Holden held Iris close and she suddenly smiled sadly at him. Once again Holden took advantage of the angle of the camera. It couldn’t see Holden’s face, hidden in Iris’s embrace, when he whispered that she should look sadly into the camera and smile a forced smile. The scene worked, and Bernstein looked around the room at his staff and motioned to them with a tilt of his head to come into his office.
“Give us ten minutes,” he said to the girls, “then come to my office and we’ll discuss your screen tests.”
Bernstein motioned with his hand towards Marla. “Well, what did you think?”
Marla absently brushed a single strand of hair around her ear. “I liked the tests. Both girls show potential and the camera obviously loves them. With their gowns and
makeup on they looked like movie stars. I can help them to deliver their lines better until they become more experienced. In my opinion these screen tests are every bit as good as any we’ve seen here at Columbia Pictures.”
Bernstein had invited two of his directors to attend the screening and he now asked for their opinions. He pointed to Frank Capra first.
“Give me your opinion, Frank. What did you think of the screen tests?”
Capra, a short dapper man with a neatly trimmed mustache, became serious as he shared his thoughts with Bernstein. “I liked both girls, but the second girl, Ida Lange, reminded me of Jean Arthur. She had a look on the screen that I could use to produce zany comedies, like I did with Jean Arthur.”
Billy Wilder cleared his throat to catch Red’s attention.
“What did you think, Billy?”
“I liked this Tiffany girl, but she looks a lot like Rita Hayworth, which may hurt her. We don’t need two Rita Hayworths in our stable of stars.”
Bernstein nodded in acknowledgement. “You’re right, Billy, but Rita’s no longer a kid; and besides, I’m only going to sign these girls to a three picture contract. After that they’ll go to work for Starlight Productions. I’m doing a friend of mine a favor by making stars of these girls.”
“I see,” said Wilder. “Well in that case, I would like to use Tiffany in my next picture with Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon.”
“Good!” Bernstein stretched his arms and let out the breath he was holding. “Frank? Did I hear you say you’d like to use Ida Lange in one of your pictures?”