Bugsy Siegel
Acting
Biography
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel (/ˈsiːɡəl/; February 28, 1906 – June 20, 1947) was a Jewish-American mobster who was a driving force behind the development of the Las Vegas Strip. Siegel was influential within the Jewish Mob, along with his childhood friend and fellow gangster Meyer Lansky, the Italian-American Mafia, and the largely Italian-Jewish National Crime Syndicate. Described as "handsome" and "charismatic," Siegel became one of the first front-page celebrity gangsters. Siegel was one of the founders and leaders of Murder, Inc. and became a bootlegger during American Prohibition. After the Twenty-first Amendment was passed in 1933 repealing Prohibition, he turned to illegal gambling. In 1936, Siegel left New York and moved to California. His time as a mobster during this period was mainly as a hitman and muscle, as he was noted for his prowess with guns and violence. In 1941, Siegel was tried for the murder of friend and fellow mobster Harry Greenberg, who had turned informant; he was acquitted in 1942. Siegel traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he handled and financed some of the city's original casinos. He assisted developer William R. Wilkerson's Flamingo Hotel after Wilkerson ran out of funds. Siegel assumed control of the project and managed the final stages of construction. The Flamingo opened on December 26, 1946, in a three-day event that was well received. Without a hotel to accompany the casino, the Flamingo struggled and closed from February 6 until the hotel reopened March 1, 1947. Siegel’s mob partners were convinced that an estimated US$1 million of the construction budget overrun had been skimmed by Siegel, his girlfriend Virginia Hill or by both of them. On June 20, 1947, Siegel was shot dead at the age of 41 by a sniper through the window of Hill's Linden Drive mansion in Beverly Hills, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bugsy Siegel, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
American Experience
Hosts Ryan & Shane discuss mysteries surrounding notorious unsolved crimes.
Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
Mobsters is an American documentary television series that profiles the lives of infamous individuals in history; the series puts the spotlight on some of history's most infamous gangsters and all that went on during their reigns. The series airs on The Biography Channel. Some episodes of Mobsters are rehashes of the similar TV Series American Justice as well as Notorious (TV series), both series that were originally broadcast on Biography Channel's sister channel, A&E Network; some episodes also rehash segments from another A&E series American Gangster, which began airing on the Black Entertainment Television channel. The only differences are the intro of the episodes and the lead-in's after commercials. Besides this, the rehashed episodes are no different in any way.
Mobsters
Did you know that President John F. Kennedy was a bodybuilder, Roman ruler Caligula loved to gamble and drug kingpin Pablo Escobar burned millions in cash to keep warm? The series 10 Things You Don't Know About reveals intriguing and provocative details about some of history’s most fascinating individuals and groups. Tune in to explore the lives of historical figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to the members of the Rat Pack, discovering what your textbooks never told you.
10 Things You Don't Know About
Fascinating biographies featuring the lives and personalities of some of the most notorious mobsters: Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, John Dillinger, Sam Giancana, Bonnie and Clyde, Dutch Schultz, Meyer Lansky, 'Lucky' Luciano, and Mickey Cohen.
Rogues Gallery
This historic documentary only aired once on July 25th 1994 on FOX. A special on organized crime as told by the people who lived it, as well as historical footage, newsreels and government surveillance tapes.
Loyalty & Betrayal: The Story of the American Mob
Convicted gun runner, Las Vegas visionary, crusading newspaper publisher, target of the Watergate burglars, hero of Israels War of Independence...these are only some the highlights of Hank Greenspun's remarkable life. A previously untold story of a genuine American hero. From his early days working for Bugsy Siegel and his secret life in the underground Haganah to his public battles with Senator Joseph McCarthy, bigoted casino owners and the IRS, Hank Greenspun was fearless.
Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story
Sensational and shocking stories from Hollywood are not always fiction. Beyond anything a screenwriter could imagine, and with cast of famous stars and celebrities, this documentary goes behind the scenes to explore the real-life stories of murders in Hollywood. From the silent era to the present day, out-of-control passions, burning hatreds, and the driving greed for gain have pushed many of the rich and famous over the edge into violence - to commit bloody murder or end up as the victims of murder.
Murders of Hollywood
One way or another, the Hollywood police have been kept busy with murders on their ground. There are numerous theories about the killings of Thelma Todd, Jack Healy (Three Stooges), Elizabeth Short, alias The Black Dahlia, Bugsy Siegal and Johnny Stompano. The files of William Desmond Taylor, Raymond Navarro and Sal Mineo are also re-opened. Femmes fatales are often deadly for the man's wallet or reputation -- these ladies killed for real. From Calamity Jane, gang boss Ma Baker and New York madame Polly Adler to axe-murderess Winnie Ruth Judd and others, we look at the Black Widow Spider syndrome. Rare archival footage and many hitherto unseen interviews, film, video clip tapes, and photographs are included in this hour-long program.
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
true crime gangsters