April 27, 2017
Thursday
I just finished my fifth radio interview with Morgan White
Jr. on his clear-channel broadcast from Boston that reaches the eastern
two-thirds of the country. Because of his great knowledge about the history of
the Las Vegas gambling industry, it was a wide-ranging hour and a half discussion.
We covered some of the great casino operators like Moe Dalitz, some of the main
underworld hidden interests like Sam Giancana and Nick Civella, and why so many
long-term Las Vegas Strip casino operators wanted to sell out, when tycoon Howard
Hughes arrived in town interested in purchasing resort casinos.
Morgan and I discussed how the Sopranos TV series characters
were so unrealistic, and how different the gangland leaders of the 1920s
through 1970s were from the way they are typically presented by Hollywood
movies and television shows. This was the era before America held primary
elections, and many of the biggest gang leaders were major influences on their
district voters. These mobsters were so effective because they were personable and
helpful with their constituencies, rather than being the bullies they are
always depicted as.
