Al Capone And Sam Giancana – Mob Leaders

Organized crime came in with a bang – literally – with the rise of prohibition. And no city was more under the control of the mob than Chicago. This exciting look at the rise of the Chicago mob in the early days culminating with Al Capone finishes with a fascinating look at how Sam Giancana changed the Syndicate in Chicago from a group of bootlegging dogs to an international powerhouse that influenced American presidential elections and American foreign-policy. We’ll examine how ethnic neighborhoods, Chicago city politics and the Kennedy administration all played into the tremendous influence of organized crime in Chicago.

Al Capone was one of the most famous gangsters in American History.  Unlike many organized crime leaders, he did little to hide his identity. He was seen at Wrigley Field chatting with star catcher Gabby Hartnett.

Gabby Hartnett Chats With Al Capone

hosting soup kitchens for the unemployed and even appearing on the cover of Time Magazine.

The true story of Capone’s rise and fall is complex and unexpected. He began a hoodlum in Brooklyn, working for Frankie Yale, the first man to begin organizing the mob in New York. Capone moved to Chicago to assist Frankie Torrio, second in command of the Chicago mob.  With ferocity and force, Capone would come to head the Chicago outfit – before a meek bookkeeper and the tax laws brought him down!

The first part of this exciting multimedia personality will explore the real importance of Capone – as well as his legend!

Part Two: Sam Giancana

Forget Al Capone.

Capone ran the Chicago Outfit brutally and very publicly for just a couple of years before being sent to prison on income tax charges. Tony Accordo and Paul Rccca ran the Outfit until 1957 when they turned over day to day control to Sam “Momo” Giancana.

More Powerful Than Capone

Sam Giancana

Giancana would rise to a position much, much more powerful than the thuggish Capone ever dreamt of becoming.He vastly expanded the operations of the Chicago Outfit into Las Vegas, into California and became the most powerful Mafia leader in the country. He was connected to JFK through Peter Lawford and Frank Sinatra. According to a number of histories, he and John F. Kennedy actually shared a mistress in common! Some believe Sam Giancana was behind the murder of JFK.

Cuba

When the CIA planned to assassinate Fidel Castro, the called on Sam Giancana to oversee the job. While the plot failed, the implications were clear.  The CIA was working closely with the most important and influential Mafia leader in the USA. The FBI only learned of the plot because they were tapping Giancana’s phone and watching him 24/7

Women

Giancana carried on a very public romance with squeaky clean, all-American girl Phyllis McGuire,

Giancana and McGuire

consorted with Marilyn Monroe (some say he caused her death) and other famous women.  The stories are perplexing and fascinating. You will not want to miss this one of a kind multimedia presentation.