A Former Hitman Survived the Mob But Not the Coronavirus
Just a quick post this week as we take a sabbatical from Forensic Files and head to the Casino. Fans of the Martin Scorsese film probably already know that all three major real-life characters portrayed in the 1995 movie are long dead.
Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal (called Sam Rothstein on screen), the sports-betting expert, onetime talk-show host, and casino executive, cashed in his chips forever at the age of 79 in 2008.
His wife, dancer Geri McGee (Ginger McKenna), and gangster friend Tony Spilotro (Nicky Santoro) met their end years before the film even started production.
One of the supporting characters, however, not only survived but also scored his own online franchise — before succumbing to COVID-19 at the age of 81 on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020.
Frank Cullotta, a self-admitted thief, thug, and hitman, parleyed his connection with Tony Spilotro — who was tortured and buried alive in 1986 after he angered his mob bosses — into a gig as a historian of local organized-crime in Chicago and Las Vegas from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Cullotta, played by Frank Vincent in Casino, avoided prison time via the transactional immunity he received for cooperating with authorities investigating his associates.
Before his own demise, Cullotta created a hit YouTube channel where he reminisced about his life as a gangster and provided backstories surrounding Tony Spilotro as well as the Rosenthals, whose marriage was a power struggle marked by infidelity, marathon fights, and conciliatory jewelry-giving.
In addition to the success of his series, known as Coffee with Cullotta or Alotta Cullotta, an interview he granted VLAD-TV has garnered 290,217 page views. For 90 minutes, Cullotta recounts how he and Spilotro began their relationship as rival shoe shine boys in Chicago and later moved to Las Vegas to help protect Rosenthal and enforce mob rule in casinos. Highlights include new details on the Casino vise-torture scene (gorier in real life) and an account of the failed Bertha jewelry store robbery that ultimately resulted in Cullotta’s switch to the feds’ side.
The Coffee with Cullotta episodes last around 22 minutes each. Here are links to a few you’ll want to drink in:
• Coffee with Cullotta 1
Highlights: Cullotta clarifies his status as a not-so-made man, discusses just how fat Herbert “Fat Herbie” Blitzstein was, and speculates on who planted a bomb in Rosenthal’s Cadillac.
Real life vs. movie: Rosenthal survived the car explosion only because he hadn’t closed the driver’s-side door yet.
• Coffee with Cullotta 17
Highlights: Cullotta discusses why he never liked Frank Rosenthal and details an aborted plan to assassinate him. He also confirms that Geri Rosenthal had an affair with Tony Spilotro.
Real life vs. movie: Frank Rosenthal, portrayed by the olive-complexioned Robert De Niro in the movie, actually resembled a “skeleton walking around with white skin draped over it.”
• Coffee with Cullotta 27
Highlights: Cullotta recounts the impoverishment of Tony Spilotro’s widow and how the film studio’s makeup department gave Joe Pesci a Spilotro-worthy hairdo.
Real life vs. movie: Tony Spilotro didn’t switch cars in underground garages and he wasn’t really the hit man who ended Tamara Rand’s life and lawsuit.
Local Las Vegas news organizations noted that Cullotta was already grappling with a number of other health problems when COVID-19 struck.
Farewell to Frank Cullotta, a bad guy who helped put some of his old associates out of business for good.
If you’re interested in learning more about the huge cast of real-life characters — only some of whom were represented in the movie — the influence of the mob in Las Vegas, and the day-to-day operations of a betting palace, you’ll enjoy the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi.
But don’t take my word for it — I’ve only read it seven times.
That’s all for this post. Until next time, cheers. — RR
Watch the Martin Scorsese film Casino on Hulu
“Cullotta was a boyhood friend of Tony Spilotro, and started a criminal career together as teenagers, engaging in theft, burglary, and murder.” “At a trial in October 1983, Cullotta admitted that he was involved in over 300 crimes, including four murders, perjury, robberies and burglaries.” – Wiki
Thanks, Rebecca. Without wanting to seem priggish, I’d say that a murderous thug who’s whitewashed himself by ‘transactional immunity’ (aka snitching) isn’t worthy of garnering viewers for his memoirs. He’s appalling – and that does change ‘cos he’s ‘old and harmless’, switched sides (to save his skin), or whatever (I know you’re not commending him, but even tuning into him is a kind of endorsement) – and would seem to be making money from his criminal history, which is unconscionable. If this man regrets or repents of his past – which he certainly should, he should live in quiet shame. It seems to opposite’s the case, which is fed by public engagement with him…
Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t give this man the time of day…
Marcus, everything you type is correct, morally. However, we are all curious to learn about the morbid and exciting life of criminals, especially if we live boring lives ourselves! And if he’s making videos, might as well watch them to satisfy the curiosity to get information and insight not available anywhere else. If he makes money off it, good for him. It’s not like that is going to be the deciding factor for some young man considering a life of crime and the terrible risks of lifetime incarceration or death that come with it.
I understand your point – but the difference between him and FF cases is that the perps it features are, broadly, punished, and no longer profiting from crime (if they had). If the public’s content to feed its interest in crime to the extent that the perp is rewarded in some way – whether financially or with attention – I draw the line.
It’s curious how the appellation ‘mobster’ quasi-romanticises thugs in the public’s imagination. They were no better, and frequently much worse, than other murderers the public wholly condemned (and forgot), such as are featured in FF. The only difference seems to be that the former were engaged in *organised* crime and avoided murdering grannies, women (mostly), and children. This organised nature seems to’ve almost legitimised them. Why? They were no Robin Hoods – redistributing wealth from rich to poor!
So we have many posters on this site expressing condemnation and outrage at the actions of the largely lone murderers FF features – but perhaps this man, a serial murderer, gets some kind of ‘pass’ ‘cos he was a ‘mobster’… I don’t understand, and hope at least that what he relates isn’t regarded as ‘entertainment.’ Victims – some totally innocent, others in the same business such that their fate may be construed as street justice – suffered and died; wives were widowed; children left fatherless. I’m saddened that people would engage with his dross…
I agree — all your points are valid. But Frank Cullotta and his old associates are uniquely American characters with a mystique that some of us just can’t snuff out. Likewise with Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and many other other killers in U.S. history. Also, as Jeffrey points out, those involved in organized crime often meet horrible ends. Virtually all mob-themed entertainment portrays the inglorious side of the business.
I certainly appreciate that many are enamoured of the mystique – I just don’t share it! Specifically, what’s the difference between the likes of him and other serial murderers? It’s the irrational nature of the different appraisal I’m interested in: the former have your ‘mystique’; the latter are just plain wicked… And if they’re all wicked, as I argue, should some (apparently) – or rather, he – make money out of attention? Isn’t that shameful? If he’s not gaining, my argument’s rescinded. This is the same principle as Gacy’s being prevented from selling his ‘art’ from prison to make commissary money – and about those who would have bought it while he was alive.
Sorry – I know this sounds priggish, but…
You’re a terrific writer, Rebecca.
Thanks much for the kind words, Jeffrey — so glad you’re enjoying the website!
Frank Cullotta died yesterday. I’m not saying you jinxed him, but I can’t completely rule it out either…
O.M.G.! Thanks for the notice — I’ll update the post accordingly.
Meh. Typical American romanticization of white gangsters.
Elaine, now that’s a blast from the past.:) She was the mother of my friend Kent. We both lived on 17th street and went to Crestwood elementary school together. Was over at his house plenty of times back then. I remember his sister Kim, cousin Gina, and uncle Tommy. 🙂 Actually met Mr. Cullotta when I was a kid and he came home one day while Kent and I were in the garage practically burning the place down with aerosol cans and a lighter. He was actually pretty cool about the whole thing, just told us to quit before we got hurt and went on his way. Crazy times in Vegas back in the 70’s and early 80’s. And Elaine, she was always really nice to me.