James Woods Character In Casino
James Woods with Sharon Stone in the 1995 epic crime drama 'Casino.' Woods was a Hollywood favorite - and a Democrat - until at least 1998, when he broke ranks with the party after former. Sharon Stone has said of the James Woods character Lester Diamond, 'Lester really is Ginger's heart. He is the love of her life'.
Questioning the Story:
Did Sam Rothstein manage any other casinos besides Tangiers?
Unlike the portrayal in the movie Casino where Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro) runs only one casino, the Tangiers, in real life Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal ran four casinos simultaneously, including the Stardust, Hacienda, Fremont and Marina for the Chicago mafia. For legal reasons, the Stardust was renamed the Tangiers in the film. -Las Vegas Sun
Did teamsters really fund the Tangiers?Yes. After being pressured by the mob, the Teamsters fund loaned the Argent Corporation, solely owned by Allen Glick, the money to buy the Stardust and other casinos. Mr. Glick was portrayed in the movie Casino by character Philip Green (Kevin Pollak). -Online Nevada Encyclopedia
Did security really crush the hands of a cheater?
According to Frank Rosenthal himself, yes, this did occur but not under the circumstances portrayed in the movie Casino. The two men who were electronically signaling each other were part of a larger group that had been scamming all the casinos for an extended period of time. The actions taken were meant as a message to the group to deter any of the others from coming back to do the same. -Miami Herald
Did Sam and Ginger have a daughter like in the movie?
The Casino movie true story reveals that Sam and Ginger Rothstein's real-life counterparts, Frank and Geraldine Rosenthal, had a daughter named Stephanie and a son name Steven. Geraldine also had a daughter from a previous relationship with her high school love, Lenny Marmor (James Woods' character in the movie). Robin Marmor was born on December 27, 1957, and was eleven years old when her mother met Frank. She was not depicted in the movie. To learn more about Frank Rosenthal's wife and family, read Nicholas Pileggi's book Casino, which was the basis for the Martin Scorsese movie.
Were the lion performers Sam hired to work at the Tangiers based on Siegfried and Roy?Indeed they were. When Siegfried and Roy's contract was about to expire with a competing casino, Mr. Rosenthal (Sam) hired them to perform at the Stardust. Part of the agreement was a significantly higher salary, custom dressing room and space for their animals. 'Lido de Paris Starring Siegfried and Roy' was born and so was a friendship that lasted a lifetime. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Nicky really get banned from every casino in Vegas?Yes. In December 1979, Tony Spilotro, the real-life Nicky Santoro, was blacklisted by the Nevada Gaming Commission, preventing him from entering any casino.
Did the real Nicky Santoro have a son?
Yes. In 1966, Tony and Nancy Spilotro (the real Nicky and Jennifer Santoro) adopted their only son, Vincent. -The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. The Mob
Did Nicky really recruit his brother and other guys from back home to commit heists?
Yes. The pack was referred to as 'The Hole in the Wall Gang' because they cut holes in walls and ceilings to enter their target locations. Included in this group were his brother, Michael Spilotro, Herbert 'Fat Herbie' Blitzstein, Wayne Metecki, Samuel Cusumano, Joseph Cusumano, Ernesto 'Ernie' Davino, 'Crazy Larry' Neumann, Salvatore 'Sonny' Romano, Leonardo 'Leo' Guardino, Joseph Blasko and their leader, Frank Cullotta. Frank Cullotta is portrayed in the movie Casino by actor Frank Vincent, as Nicky Santoro's sidekick Frankie Marino.
Did they really put a rival's head in a vise after he shot up a bar?
Yes. Anthony Spilotro, the basis for Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro character, caught one of the two men who killed the Scalvo brothers without permission. Frank Cullotta testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial that Spilotro did torture Billy McCarthy. Spilotro told him that McCarthy was beaten and when he refused to name his accomplice, his head was put in a vise and tightened until his eyeball popped out. At that point, he gave them Jimmy Miraglia's name and they slit his throat. -Sun Times
Did Nicky Santoro sleep with Sam Rothstein's wife?
Yes, the real Nicky Santoro, Tony Spilotro, did sleep with Frank Rosenthal's wife, which ultimately played a part in his demise. Nicholas Calabrese testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial in 2007 that mob hit man John Fecarotta told him that Spilotro was targeted for his affair with Rosenthal's wife. -Chicago Tribune
Was Phillip Green's business partner, Anna Scott, murdered in her home?Yes. The real-life Anna Scott, Tamara Rand, was murdered in the kitchen of her San Diego home. She was shot on November 9, 1975 soon after having loan issues with her mob-tied business partner, Allen Glick. -San Diego Reader
Was there really a Gaming Control Board investigation into Sam's attempt to get a gaming license?
Yes. The real Sam, Frank Rosenthal, did have a hearing with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Furthermore, he argued with the chairman, the current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and was denied a gaming license. In 1988, he was officially put in the 'Black Book' (List of Persons Excluded from Licensed Gaming Establishments in the State of Nevada). -Las Vegas Sun
Did FBI agents run out of gas and land their plane on a fairway?
According to the Casino true story, the FBI agents did land their plane on the fairway at the Las Vegas Country Club where the Rosenthals lived. However, it was due to mechanical problems rather than a lack of fuel. -Skimming the Las Vegas Casinos
Did the real Sam 'Ace' Rothstein have his own TV show?
Yes he did. The Frank Rosenthal Show was taped at the Stardust and brought in many big-name guests, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Wayne Newton, Liberace and O.J. Simpson. For those of you who are curious, he claims to have never juggled on the show. -FrankRosenthal.com
Was Sam the best handicapper in America?According to Sports Illustrated, Frank Rosenthal is 'one of the greatest living experts on sports gambling'. -Sports Illustrated article 'The Biggest Game in Town'
Is Sam responsible for putting sports betting into casinos?
Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, the real Sam, is credited with putting sports betting in Las Vegas casinos. In 1976, he set up the first sports book in the Stardust, which featured six large televisions. -USA Today
Did Sam and Ginger really get divorced?
Yes. According to Frank, the real story is that he filed for the divorce and for full custody of their children. Geri did not contest it. Their divorce was finalized on January 16, 1981. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Ginger really try to run off with their daughter and Lester?
According to Frank Rosenthal (the real Sam Rothstein), his wife and her ex-boyfriend, Lenny Marmor, ran off with his daughter, his son and his money. In the movie, Lenny Marmor is the Lester Diamond character portrayed by James Woods. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Artie Piscano die of a heart attack when the FBI found mob records in his home?
No. The Casino movie character Artie Piscano was based on Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna. The raid on his home happened on February 14, 1979. Unlike what is depicted in the movie, Tuffy did not die of a heart attack during the raid. He was sentenced to prison for his participation in skimming Las Vegas casinos and was released in 1998. He died ten years later on July 21, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri. -The Chicago Syndicate
Did Sam survive a car bomb assassination attempt?Yes. On October 4, 1982, Frank Rosenthal left Tony Roma's restaurant on East Sahara Avenue and got into his Cadillac which then exploded. Amazingly, he survived with minor burns and injuries. A variety of factors have been attributed to his survival, including a metal plate under the driver's seat, the driver's side door being open at the time of the explosion, and pure luck. -NY Times
Why did Sam's car have a metal plate under the driver's seat?
The 1981 Cadillac Eldorado had a balancing problem that was affecting the car's handling. GM installed the metal plate under the driver's seat to correct the problem. -UniqueCarsandParts.com/au
Did Ginger end up with low lives and drug dealers in Los Angeles?
Yes. The true story behind Geri Rosenthal (Ginger in the movie) reveals that her interaction with these people ultimately led to her untimely death. On November 9, 1982, at the age of 46, she died in an LA motel from a drug overdose of valium, cocaine and whiskey. She is buried in Mount Sinai Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Were Nicky Santoro and his brother, Dominick, really killed?Yes, the real-life Spilotro brothers were beaten to death, but not in a cornfield as portrayed in the movie. According to Nicholas Calabrese, a former mob hitman who testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial, the brothers were told they were being promoted in the mob. Anthony Spilotro was to become a 'capo' and his brother, Michael, was to become a 'made member'. They were driven to a mob home in Bensenville, Illinois and were beaten to death in the basement. They were later transported to the cornfield in Enos, Indiana. -Chicago Tribune
Is the real Sam still alive?
Mr. Rosenthal died at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack at his Miami Beach home on October 13, 2008. -NY Times
Did Sam insist on having an equal number of blueberries in each muffin?
According to Nicholas Pileggi, author of the book Casino, Frank Rosenthal was extremely meticulous. He did regulate the number of blueberries per muffin, with each muffin containing at least ten blueberries. -NY Times
Casino: Behind the Movie Interviews & Video
Watch video featuring interviews with Frank Rosenthal, the real Sam Rothstein, portrayed by Robert De Niro in the movie. Also, see footage of Tony Spilotro, the real Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci).
Frank Rosenthal Interview Watch Frank Rosenthal interviews andhistoric video featuring mobster AnthonySpilotro, portrayed by Joe Pesci in themovie Casino. |
Casino Trailer Watch the Casino movie trailerfor the film starring Robert De Niro, JoePesci and Sharon Stone. Directed by MartinScorcese, Casino tells the storyof sports handicapper Frank 'Lefty'Rosenthal in mob-run Las Vegas during the1970's. |
LDS/Mormon References and Characters
in the movie
Casino (1995)
'Casino' (1995)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese
Based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi
Starring: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles, Alan King, Kevin Pollak, L.Q. Jones, Dick Smothers, Frank Vincent, John Bloom, Pasquale Cajano, Melissa Prophet, Bill Allison
MPAA Rating: R
U.S. Box Office: $42,438,300
Production budget: $52,000,000
'Casino' is a historical mob drama chronicling the rise and fall of mafia involvement in the Las Vegas casino industry. Based on real events, 'Casino' is Nicholas Pileggi's adaptation of his own book, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas (1995).
Two significant characters in 'Casino' are Latter-day Saints, or based partially on real-life Latter-day Saints. One character ('John Nance') is called an 'old Mormon' by Joe Pesci's character 'Nicky' approximately 8 minutes, 28 seconds after the start of the film. Another character ('Senator Harrison Roberts') is based partially on real-life Latter-day Saint politician Senator Harry Reid, who served as a Nevada state senator at the time period depicted in 'Casino,' and eventually became the Senate Minority Leader for the U.S. Senate.
The real-life mob figure Anthony 'Tony' Spilotro (who was portrayed in the film by Joe Pesci, using the name 'Nicky Santoro') had a girlfriend who was a Latter-day Saint. Her name was Sheryl, and her time with Tony Spilotro (i.e., 'Nicky Santoro') is described in Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. Sheryl was not included as a character in the film version of Casino.
'Casino' focuses on 'Sam 'Ace' Rothstein' (Robert De Niro), who is assigned by mafia bosses to head up a lucrative hotel and casino. Rothstein knows that money is skimmed from the profits of his casino and sent to the mafia bosses that backed the operation, but for the most part he runs a legitimate business and has no interest in hurting anybody. Rothstein's boyhood friend Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) is also part of the mafia, but comes to Las Vegas to make money through myriad ruthless, criminal methods, including extortion, burglary and murder.
Sharon Stone plays 'Ginger,' a beautiful grifter whose outgoing personality catches Rothstein's attention. Rothstein courts and marries Ginger, but theirs is a stormy relationship. Despite marriage to Rothstein, Ginger remains committed to low-life crook and parasite named 'Lester Diamond' (played by Vernal, Utah native James Woods). She also has an affair with her husband's friend Nicky. Sharon Stone received a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination for her role. Acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director for 'Casino.'
The Senator: Casino character based partially on Latter-day Saint politician Sen. Harry Reid
The mafia-run casino is able to operate its legal, quasi-legal, and sometimes illegal operations in Las Vegas in part because it curries favor with powerful Nevada politicians. A character known in the film and screenplay as the 'Senator' represents some Nevada politicians. The Senator is played by Dick Smothers (of the famous 'Smothers Brothers' comedy duo). The character was based partially on real-life Nevada Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat and a devout Latter-day Saint. Sen. Reid made headlines by fighting against mafia-related corruption in the Las Vegas casino industry. In 'Casino,' some of the actions taken by the Senator are based directly on Sen. Reid's battle against mafia influence.The name of the 'Senator' is never mentioned in the 'Casino' screenplay. The Senator's name is never spoken aloud in the film. But we know that the influential Senator character is named 'Harrison Roberts.' The Senator's name is shown prominently on a placard in front of him at the Senate Gaming Commission hearing at which Sam Rothstein's gaming license is revoked. The name of Senator 'Harrison Roberts' is intentionally similar to Senator Harry Reid's name. They share the same initials, and 'Harrison' would likely be called 'Harry' for short.
Ten years after 'Casino' was released, Sen. Harry Reid became the highest-ranking Democrat in the United States when he became the Senate Minority Leader. This also made Reid the highest-ranking elected Latter-day Saint in the U.S. federal government. (Mike Leavitt, another devout Latter-day Saint, concurrently held a Cabinet-level position as Secretary of Health and Human Services, but that is an appointed office.)
Another award-winning movie with a Harry Reid connection is Steven Soderbergh's Academy Award-winning movie about the U.S. drug war 'Traffic' (2000), in which Harry Reid makes a cameo appearance as himself, discussing policy with Michael Douglas in a Washington, D.C. reception. Senator Orrin Hatch, another high-ranking Latter-day Saint politician, appeared as himself in the same scene in 'Traffic.'
In an article by Chris Suellentrop, Slate reported (22 Dec. 2004, http://slate.msn.com/id/2111392/):
Reid may not be the most colorful figure in Washington, but his career is far more interesting than that of the average senator. In politics, Nevada is the next best thing to Louisiana. To take just one example, is there another U.S. senator who has been part of the inspiration for a character in a Martin Scorsese film? (A character played by Dick Smothers, no less.) In Casino, Robert DeNiro's character melts down in front of the Nevada Gaming Commission after the commission denies him a license to operate a casino. The scene is loosely based on a December 1978 hearing when Reid was the commission's chairman, and some of the dialogue spoken by Smothers is taken directly from Reid's words during the hearing. (The rest of the scenes involving Smothers, who plays a composite politician known only as 'Senator,' have nothing to do with Reid.) OK, it's lackluster Scorsese, but at least it's not Gangs of New York. And there are other Reid echoes in Casino: Joe Pesci's character refers to a 'Mr. Cleanface,' which gangster Joe Agosto said was his nickname for an in-his-pocket Reid, but a five-month investigation of Agosto's claims cleared Reid of wrongdoing.Note that although the actual hearing that the 'Casino' scene is based on took place in December 1978, the scene is set in 1980 in the movie.
Below the section from the 'Casino' screenplay in which Joe Pesci's character 'Nicky' refers to 'Mr. Clean Face,' which a gangster said was his nickname for Sen. Reid (line 7625). This passage does not appear to refer to the Senator in the screenplay.
In a column for Hot Boxing News ('Talkin' Boxin', 10 March 2003; URL: http://www.hotboxingnews.com/reed/reed030903.htm), Howie Reed wrote:
It should be noted that at one time Senator Reid was the Chairman of the State Gaming Commission. His tenure included the period of time featured in the movie Casino. On Federal Wiretaps some claim that his voice turns up in regard to the securing of a gaming license for the late Frank Sinatra. It is also alleged that the Dick Smothers role in Casino was drawn on the Chairmanship of Mr. Reid.A website called 'Choose Our President 2008' discusses potential presidential candidates for the 2008 race. The page analyzing Sen. Reid's chances as a Presidential hopeful mention 'Casino' (http://members.aol.com/ourprez08/reid.html):
Political pluses and minuses: Senator Reid was reelected in 2004 for his fourth term as senator from Nevada with a large margin, and is now the new top Democrat in the United States government, the public face of the opposition for the foreseeable future. Reid is moderate, deliberate and soft-spoken, with a reputation for integrity and bipartisanship. He fought the mob in Vegas during the seventies as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, putting his life on the line (and is rumored to be the inspiration for Dick Smothers's character in Martin Scorsese's Casino). Reid has the advantage for the 2008 race of not having to run for reelection to the Senate, and has a new visibility and influence as Minority Leader. Not a Southern governor, Reid could nevertheless be a strong presidential or vice presidential candidate. He would be our first Mormon president or vice president, and our second named Harry.The Explore-Biography.com Dictionary of Famous People notes 'Casino' in its capsule biography of Sen. Harry Reid (http://www.explore-biography.com/religious_figures/H/Harry_Reid.html):Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, for which he serves as Minority Leader.
James Woods Character In Casino
A Latter-day Saint and native of the small mining town of Searchlight, Nevada, his father was an alcoholic gold miner who committed suicide. Reid was a lawyer in the state before entering politics, serving a term in the Nevada state legislature and then being elected lieutenant governor in 1970. He served in that office until 1974.
Reid served as Nevada state gaming commissioner from 1977 to 1981, a post which subjected him to threats of danger. Reid's wife once found a bomb attached to one of their cars. A character in the film Casino played by Dick Smothers is based, in part, on Reid. Reid was also bribed by Jack Gordon (who would later manage and marry LaToya Jackson). Reid allowed the FBI to tape Gordon's attempt to bribe Reid with $12,000, at which point Reid attempted to strangle Gordon, saying 'You son of a bitch, you tried to bribe me.'
Reid was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served two terms there, from 1983 to 1987, being reelected in 1984. He was elected to the Senate in 1986, succeeding the Republican incumbent, Paul Laxalt, who did not run in that election. Reid was reelected in 1992, 1998 and 2004. He narrowly defeated his Republican opponent in 1998, future Senator John Ensign (Ensign won Nevada's other Senate seat in 2000) and his Republican opponent in 2004 was Richard Ziser, whom Reid defeated by a vote of 61%-35%. Mike Ensign, Senator Ensign's father, contributed $2,000 to Reid's 2004 Senate campaign. In 1999, Reid became Minority Whip, and the right hand man of Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota
On November 16, 2004, Reid was elected Senate Democratic Leader and Minority Leader for the 109th Congress, following Daschle's defeat in his bid for reelection.
Some consider Harry Reid pro-life, or an opponent of legalized abortion, because of his vote against support of Roe v. Wade in 2004. However, Reid has subsequently refused to state he wants Roe v. Wade overturned. Reid is currently also the only Democratic Mormon Senator. Four other members in the Senate are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but they are all Republican.
As mentioned above, the Nevada state senator played by Dick Smothers in 'Casino' is known only as the SENATOR in the script. The Senator in 'Casino' is a composite character not intended purely as a depiction of Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. However, one scene is based losely on a December 1978 hearing which Reid presided over as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Some of the dialogue spoken by the Senator (as played by Dick Smothers) was taken directly from Reid's words during the hearing.Below is an excerpt from the screenplay featuring this scene (beginning at line 8838 of the 15,177-line script):
Below are images from the scene in which the Senator is first introduced. He is enjoying the hospitality of the Tangiers Hotel and Casino, and meeting the people who run the establishment: Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and Billy Sherbert (Don Rickles). Many aspects of the character in this particular scene are clearly not based on real-life Nevada politician Harry Reid, a devout Latter-day Saint who does not gamble, drink alcohol or cavort with Millicent Sheridan. This scene begins at line 1265 of the 15,177-line script.
The scenes in 'Casino' which feature the Senator (including the scenes in the casino which were not based on real-life Latter-day Saint Senator Harry Reid) comprise 309 lines of the the 15,177-line script, or 2.0% of the length of the screenplay.
John Nance: an 'old Mormon' bagman
Another significant character who may be a Latter-day Saint is 'John Nance,' who works in Rothstein's hotel and casino. Joe Pesci's character 'Nicky' specifically calls Nance a 'Mormon' during the section of the film that introduces the character. As noted above, approximately 8 minutes, 28 seconds after the start of the film, in a voice-over spoken during a scene focusing on 'John Nance,' Joe Pesci's character 'Nicky' says of Nance:Now this old Mormon [EXPLETIVE] here, he had to fly in with suitcases once a month. Nice and easy.Nance (played by Bill Allison) is one of the key money men in the hotel's operations. Nance is what is known as a 'bagman.' Early in the movie (beginning 6 minutes, 21 seconds after the start of the film), John Nance is shown walking through the casino, going into the money-counting room, filling a suitcase with cash, flying to Kansas, and delivering the money to the mob bosses. The section ends 9 minutes, 31 seconds after the start of the film, meaning this section focusing on Nance is 3 minutes, 10 seconds long.
Nance appears in subsequent scenes, although he has few lines after this scene. Eventually Nance is killed by operatives working for Joe Pesci's character 'Nicky.'
It is not clear from the film if Joe Pesci means that Nance actually is a Mormon (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), or if Nance simply reminds Pesci of Mormons because of his clean-cut look and clean-living ways. Nance knowingly assists the mafia in skimming money from the casino, so obviously if he is a Latter-day Saint his work for the casino violates the 12th Article of Faith:
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.In doing research about the 'John Nance' character in 'Casino,' I could not find any information about an actual Las Vegas bagman or high-level casino operative by this name. It is entirely possible that the character is based on a real person, but the name seems to be entirely fictional.
Boston-born actor 'Jack Nance' (whose birth name was Marvin John Nance) has no connection to the 'John Nance' character in 'Casino.' Jack Nance was credited as 'John Nance' when he had the lead role ('Henry Spencer') in David Lynch's movie 'Eraserhead' (1977). Nance may be best known for his supporting role as 'Pete Martell' in Lynch's TV series 'Twin Peaks.' He also appeared in all of Lynch's movies after 'Eraserhead' (except for 'Elephant Man'), including: 'Lost Highway' (a 1997 movie which features a major character from Utah) and 'Blue Velvet' (1986). John Nance (or 'Jack Nance') the actor was born in 1943, so he would have been only 30 years old at the time his first scene in 'Casino' takes place: 1973. In that scene, Nance is clearly an older man, probably at least 60 years old. Moreover, John 'Jack' Nance spent his career as an actor, and did not work or live in Las Vegas. Clearly 'John Nance' in 'Casino' has no connection to the similarly-named actor.
Bill Allison, the actor who plays 'John Nance' in 'Casino' really does have a casino background. Allison owned the historic Mizpah hotel-casino in Tonopah for 16 years during the 1970s and 1980s. Bill Allison was originally hired as a consultant for the production of 'Casino,' but ended up being cast as an actor in the film as well. Bill Allison had no prior acting experience.
While Bill Allison's character 'John Nance' is called a 'Mormon' in the film, and he may indeed be intended by the writers to be a Latter-day Saint, actor Bill Allison is not known to be a Latter-day Saint.
Interestingly enough, Bill Allison subsequently played a casino guard in the Las Vegas casino movie 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001). Coincidentally, 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001) holds the record as the highest-grossing movie ever to feature main characters overtly identified as Latter-day Saints. One of Bill Allison's only other film roles aside from 'Casino' (in which Joe Pesci calls him a 'Mormon') and 'Ocean's Eleven' (in which he co-stars with two Mormon characters - Virgil and Turk Malloy) is the short film 'Courage & Stupidity' (2004), which was filmed in Salt Lake City. 'Courage & Stupidity' is a fictional comedy about what 'really' happened between a young Steven Spielberg (Todd Wall) and a young George Lucas (Aaron Fiore) during the filming of 'Jaws.' Bill Allison plays a movie producer in 'Courage & Stupidity.' Latter-day Saint actors in the film's cast include Johnny Biscuit ('Handcart', 'The Singles Ward') and Brian Sullivan. The film was written and directed by Utahn Darin Beckstead. The director of photography was Latter-day Saint cinematographer Brian Sullivan (Getting There; Little Secrets; Coyote Summer; The Paper Brigade; Wish Upon a Star; The Brainiacs.com; Just Like Dad; etc.) and special effects were by Ben Josephsen.
Aside from 'Casino,' 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Courage & Stupidity,' the only other film role listed for Bill Allison on IMDb.com is a small part in 'Stuey' (2003), which was filmed partially in Las Vegas and has no known Latter-day Saint characters.
The character 'John Nance' is only overtly described as a 'Mormon' once in 'Casino' - in the section of the film in which he first appears. The character appears in many subsequent scenes. Nance really never does anything in the film that clearly indicates he is a Latter-day Saint. Nor does he ever do anything that clearly indicates he is not one (aside from the connection to the mafia that his job entails).
James Woods Casino Lester Diamond
Below is an excerpt from the 'Casino' screenplay, featuring the scenes which follow Nance ('a Mormon,' according to Joe Pesci's character) as he brings money from the casino in Las Vegas to the operation's real backers in Kansas City. Although Nance has relatively few lines during this section, the camera focuses on him almost non-stop during these scenes.
6 minutes, 21 seconds after the start of the film:End of section above: 9 minutes, 31 seconds after the start of the film. This section focusing on Nance is 3 minutes, 10 seconds long.
About half-way through the screenplay (line 7086 of the 15,177-line script), Nance appears for the second time:
A minute later there is the third section featuring John Nance (line 7334 of the 15,177-line script):
Piscano (played by Vinny Vella) later mentions Nance (line 8328):
In the fourth section of the film featuring Nance, he is almost arrested by the FBI toward the end of the script (line 14,255 of the 15,177-line script):
Finally, the fifth section of 'Casino' to feature John Nance shows his gruesome death at the hands of men working for Nicky (Joe Pesci), after Nance has already left his life in Las Vegas behind and retired to Costa Rica (line 14,587 of the 15,177-line script):In total, the scenes featuring 'John Nance' comprise 556 lines in the 15,177-line script, or 3.7% of the length of the screenplay. John Nance is a relatively minor character in the movie.
The scenes in 'Casino' featuring the movie's two Latter-day Saint characters (or characters based on real-life Latter-day Saints) - 'John Nance' and 'the Senator' - comprise a total of 865 lines, or 5.7% of the length of the screenplay.
References to Latter-day Saints in the non-fiction book Casino
(the basis for the 1995 movie)
As described in the non-fiction book that the movie 'Casino' was adapted from, Tony Spilotro (the Joe Pesci character) had a serious girlfriend who was a Latter-day Saint.Source: Nicholas Pileggi. Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. New York: Simon & Schuster (1995).
Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas is (according to the book jacket):
...a riveting, true-life story of love and death in Las Vegas, a fatal romantic love triangle between- Lefty Rosenthal, gambling genius, the brains behind the mob's control of the casinos
- Tony Spilotro, Lefty's friend and partner, the muscle of the mob in Las Vegas
- Geri, Lefty's beautiful blond show-girl wife, whose affair with Tony ultimately drove the mob out of the 'paradise' they had built for themselves in the desert.
- Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal is portrayed by Robert De Niro (his name changed to: Sam 'Ace' Rothstein)
- Anthony 'Tony' Spilotro is portrayed by Joe Pesci (his name changed to: Nicky Santoro)
- Geri McGee is portrayed by Sharon Stone (her name changed to: Ginger)
In the excerpt below, from Pileggi's non-fiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, the difficulties between Tony Spilotro (the Joe Pesci character) and his wife Nancy are briefly described. That section is followed by a detailed description of Spilotro's relationship with his Latter-day Saint (Mormon) girlfriend, Sheryl.
Pages 154 to 158:
As time passed, Spilotro spent less and less time with his wife, Nancy. When they were together, they fought -- and the FBI listened. She complained that he had lost interest in her. She accused him of affairs. He was never home. He never talked to her. In the morning, the FBI recorded the sound of silence as Tony made his coffee and Nancy read the newspaper. Then he would leave for the store without even saying good-bye.
James Woods News
Sometimes Nancy had to call him at work to relay a message; according to Bud Hall, Tony was always rude. 'She'd say, 'I don't know if this can wait, but so-and-so called.' 'It can wait,' Tony would say, sort of sarcastically, and just hang up. Or he'd say, in an exasperated tone, 'Nancy, I'm busy,' and hang up. He was never gentlemanly with her, and she'd whine to Dena Harte, Herbie Blitzstein's girlfriend, who managed the front of the Gold Rush. Nancy would tell Dena whenever Tony beat her up or whenever she suspected Tony was fooling around with this one or that one, and Dena kept Nancy informed about what Tony was doing.
'There was one time when Dena called Nancy at home and said, 'The bitch is here.' Nancy jumped in the car and tore over to the place and started screaming at Sheryl, Tony's girlfriend, calling her a no-good [EXPLETIVE] right there in the middle of the store.
'We could hear the screaming on the wire, and then Tony comes out, and then we hear Nancy screaming for Tony to stop hitting her. He was really beating her up. We got worried that he was going to kill her. It was a mess. So we called nine-one-one and said we were in the Black Forest German Restaurant next door, and said someone was being assaulted in the Gold Rush. We couldn't tell the cops who we were because at that point it looked like Tony owned Metro, and we didn't want to blow our surveillance. The police got there in a few minutes, and everything calmed down.'
'Nancy had her life and Tony had his,' said Frank Cullotta. 'Hers was mostly playing tennis and running around in white outfits. She had Vincent and Tony's brothers and their families. Once a week Tony'd take her out to dinner or something. But she wasn't afraid of him. She would scream and yell at him and drive him crazy.
'Once, he told me, she tried to kill him. They were having an argument over something and Tony knocked her across the room. She came up with a loaded thirty-eight cocked at his head. 'I'll kill you if you ever hit me again,' she said. Tony said, 'Nancy, think of Vincent.'
'I saw death,' he told me after. 'We talked until she put down the gun and then I hid all the guns in the house.'
'Sheryl was about twenty, but she looked younger,' said Rosa Rojas, who was her best friend. 'She was a Mormon from northern Utah, cute and fresh. When Tony first met her he used to call her his country girl. She was so naive that when he asked her out, she said she'd only go if she could bring her friend.
'Sheryl and I were both working in the hospital where he was going for his heart problem, which was how they met. They'd go to restaurants, but he never put the make on her. He held her at a distance for a long, long time.
Before he got too close he found out everything there was to find out about her. He had Joey Cusumano ask about where she was from, who her friends were, how long she lived where she lived. He wanted to know everything he could know about her before he got involved or felt he could trust her.
'It was a long time before she knew who he was. She began to suspect something was strange, because every time they went out, they were tailed by cops in plain clothes. Tony's brother told her that there were some legal problems and that Tony was being trailed because of the legal stuff. Tony used to tell us that we were going to read things about him in the newspapers, but he said the newspapers weren't always right.
'It was only after a long time that Tony and Sheryl started going to bed together. He was a gentleman always. Very quiet. Very reserved. I would see him mad sometimes, but I never once heard him curse or use bad language.
'Eventually, he bought her a two-story condo around Eastern and Flamingo, a two-bedroom place for about sixty-nine thousand dollars. It had everything. Refrigerator. Blinds. A washer-dryer. There was a garage and small patio and a sliding door that led into the downstairs, and upstairs they had the bedrooms and a large room that had all of the stereo and TV equipment you would want. That's where they spent most of their time -- watching ball games and listening to music.
'Tony was very generous. He used to leave a thousand dollars a week in a bear-shaped cookie jar in the kitchen. He never mentioned money and it was never mentioned that he was keeping her, but when he bought her a full-length mink coat Sheryl felt he had finally committed himself to her. She had really fallen in love with him.
'She didn't know he was married for quite a while. When she found out, it was very hard. She believed the only reason she and Tony weren't married was because Tony was a very strict Catholic and would have trouble leaving his wife. For a while, Tony even had Sheryl learning to be a Catholic. He gave her religious books to read. He knew the Bible.
'He never ever said anything bad about his wife. They had been married in the church and it was a difficult situation. On top of that. Tony loved his son. Vincent meant everything to him. Vincent was his soul. Tony would always get home at six thirty in the morning so he could be there to make breakfast for Vincent. Sheryl said he would do that even if he was in bed at her place.
'Eventually, Tony bought a car for her. It was a new Plymouth Fury. It wasn't a showy car.
'When Nancy found out what was going on, things got a little tough. Sheryl had stopped by the Gold Rush to see Tony. She was wearing a diamond studded S necklace that Tony had given her, and when Nancy came in and saw Sheryl wearing the S necklace. Nancy went wild and she reached for it.
'I got there just at that time and I found the two of them wrestling on the floor. Sheryl managed to hold on to her S. Tony came out of the back room and broke up the fight so Sheryl and I could get away.
'In the end, when it was over between Tony and Sheryl, he wouldn't return her calls. Sheryl was really crazy about him, but maybe she pushed too hard. He was having a lot of problems with the cops when they broke up, and maybe he was trying to spare her.
'His brother John used to tell her not to try and reach him. 'Don't call him,' he'd say. 'Spare yourself.' But she'd see him making his court appearances on TV and she saw that he was gaining weight and didn't look good, and she used to blame Nancy for not taking care of him. Sheryl used to make sure he ate the right food, and her refrigerator was always filled with fruits and salad and the kinds of healthy food that were good for people with heart problems.
'After she and Tony broke up she got a job doing cocktails at night. Tony wasn't happy about it. But she had grown accustomed to his lifestyle. She needed the money. Then she got into dealing blackjack. She worked in the old MGM, at Rally's. She had a prime shift and made excellent money. She started meeting high rollers. She wised up. She learned and started looking around for another rock to stand on.'
Additional commentary:
I don't recall that Sheryl was included as a character in the movie 'Casino.'
One part of the 'Casino' non-fiction book that is interesting is the description of Sheryl's effect on hard-bitten mob muscleman Tony Spilotro:
He was a gentleman always. Very quiet. Very reserved. I would see him mad sometimes, but I never once heard him curse or use bad language.This is NOT the way that Tony acted most of the time, according to the book. If you have seen 'Casino' the movie, you know that 'never once heard him curse or use bad language' is NOT how Joe Pesci portrays the character of Tony Spilotro (i.e., Nicky Santoro). Joe Pesci's character may be the foulest-mouthed character in the movie, and may be one of the foulest-mouthed characters Joe Pesci has played in any movie (which is saying something). It's nice to think that his Mormon girlfriend didn't put up with that kind of language.
Another interesting passage indicates that Sheryl's background as a Latter-day Saint (or perhaps her training as a nurse) had a healthful effect on Tony's life, as she encouraged him to eat according to the Word of Wisdom:
Sheryl used to make sure he ate the right food, and her refrigerator was always filled with fruits and salad and the kinds of healthy food that were good for people with heart problems.Trivia Footnote about the name 'Nicky Santoro':
One of the two most important characters in Nicholas Pileggi's book, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, is real-life mob figure Anthony 'Tony' Spilotro. In the film adaptation 'Casino,' Joe Pesci plays this character, but a fictional name is used: 'Nicky Santoro.' I don't know if there is a connection, but this name is similar (but not identical) to the name of real mafia leader Nicky Santora. (Santora always went by 'Nicky,' but his birth name was 'Nicholas Santora.') Nicky Santora operated out of New York City, and was eventually convicted and sent to prison for 20 years. Nicky Santora is one of the major mafia figures in the book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, written by former F.B.I. agent Joseph D. Pistone and Richard Woodley (New American Library, 1987). This book was adapted to the feature film 'Donnie Brasco' (1997), which featured actor Gerry Becker as Donnie Brasco's Latter-day Saint FBI section chief 'Dean Blandford.' In 'Donnie Brasco' Nicky was played by actor Bruno Kirby, in the film's fourth-billed role. (Bruno Kirby also had a supporting role in 'The Godfather: Part II').
Webpage created 1 March 2005. Last modified 9 April 2005.