Little Caesar

Synopsis

Emanuel Goldenberg was born in Romania and from the age of ten grew up in New York's Lower East Side. He trained at the legendary Theater Guild, changed his name, and starred in many successful Broadway plays before moving to Hollywood. Among his most famous films were Double Indemnity with Barbara Stanwyck, The Stranger with Orson Welles, Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston, The Cincinnati Kid with Steve McQueen, and, of course, Little Caesar. After twenty successful years in film, Robinson's career was shattered by the McCarthy Commission. Although there was never any concrete proof that Robinson was in fact a member of the Communist party, it took five years for him to clear his name. In this fascinating biography, Alan L. Gansberg reveals the man behind the public face, his many memorable roles among more than 100 films, and his struggle to find steady work in Hollywood again. Includes 16 pages of photos.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Furnished Room

* Introduces a young man named Rico Bandello, who rents a cheap room in Chicago.
* He is desperate for money and employment.
* Example: Rico pawns his only suit to a pawnbroker for five dollars.

Chapter 2: The Fire Bug

* Rico encounters a woman named Lena, a prostitute who lives in the same rooming house.
* He hires her to set fire to a rival gang's headquarters.
* Example: Rico pays Lena fifty dollars to burn down the office of the Mice, a rival gang.

Chapter 3: The Fortress

* Rico uses the money from the fire insurance scam to buy a small saloon.
* He recruits a group of loyal followers, including Patch Dugan and Sam Vettori.
* Example: Rico's saloon becomes a popular hangout for petty criminals and ambitious young men.

Chapter 4: The Hunt

* The police begin to investigate Rico's activities.
* He evades capture several times, but his luck runs out.
* Example: Rico is arrested while trying to bribe a police officer.

Chapter 5: The Cage

* Rico is imprisoned in the city jail.
* He adapts quickly to prison life and earns the respect of other inmates.
* Example: Rico organizes a group of prisoners to attack a corrupt prison guard.

Chapter 6: The Break

* Rico engineers a daring escape from prison.
* He kills several guards and breaks out with a group of followers.
* Example: Rico uses a smuggled gun to shoot his way out of the prison.

Chapter 7: The Purple Gang

* Rico assumes leadership of a criminal gang known as the Purple Gang.
* The gang engages in bootlegging and other illicit activities.
* Example: The Purple Gang controls a large network of speakeasies and liquor distribution channels.

Chapter 8: The Warzone

* Rival gangs begin to challenge Rico's authority.
* He engages in a bloody war to maintain his dominance.
* Example: The Purple Gang engages in a shootout with the D'Angelo gang, leaving several dead.

Chapter 9: The Pit

* Rico's reign of terror comes to an end.
* He is shot to death by a rival gang while attending a meeting.
* Example: Rico is ambushed and killed by members of the O'Banion gang.