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1996 In Organized Crime
Events *December 7 – Philadelphia crime family captain Joseph Sodano, based out of Newark, New Jersey, was shot to death for hiding money from the administration. Arts and literature *'' The Funeral'' (film) starring Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Vincent Gallo, Benicio del Toro and John Ventimiglia *'' Gotti'' (film) starring Armand Assante, William Forsythe, Frank Vincent, Dominic Chianese, Vincent Pastore and Tony Sirico *''The Last Don'' (novel) by Mario Puzo *'' Last Man Standing'' (film) starring Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken and Michael Imperioli *'' Last Man Standing'' (film) *'' Mad Dog Time'' (film) starring Gabriel Byrne, Richard Dreyfuss, Jeff Goldblum, Burt Reynolds and Billy Drago * Bound (film) * Fargo (film) *Set It Off (film) *The Substitute (film) Births Deaths * March 12 – Jack "Spot" Comer, Jewish-English gangster (83) *April 13 - James "Jimmy the Gent" Burke, Lucchese Family associate known for the Lufthansa heist.Obituary: "'Jimmy the Gent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mario Puzo
Mario Francis Puzo (; ; October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author and screenwriter. He wrote crime novels about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most notably ''The Godfather (novel), The Godfather'' (1969), which he later co-adapted into a The Godfather (film series), film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Godfather, the first film in 1972 and for ''The Godfather Part II, Part II'' in 1974. Puzo also wrote the original screenplay for the 1978 ''Superman (1978 film), Superman'' film and its 1980 Superman II, sequel. His final novel, ''The Family (Puzo novel), The Family'', was released posthumously in 2001. Personal life Puzo was born in the Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen section of New York City to Italian immigrants from the Province of Avellino; his father was from Pietradefusi and his mother from Ariano Irpino. When Puzo was 12, his father, who worked as a trackm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Substitute
''The Substitute'' is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe, Raymond Cruz and Luis Guzmán. It was filmed at Miami Senior High School. Plot Jonathan Shale is a Vietnam War veteran and mercenary. After a botched covert operation in Cuba in which three men from his platoon were killed, he returns home to Miami. He surprises his girlfriend, Jane Hetzko, at her apartment; she welcomes him warmly. Hetzko is a schoolteacher at inner-city Columbus High School, an institution with a considerable gang problem. Hetzko is particularly disliked by Juan Lacas, leader of the Kings of Destruction (KOD) gang. While jogging one morning, she is attacked and has her leg broken. Jane and Shale believe this to be related to the KOD, which prompts the latter to go undercover as an Ivy League-educated, government-affiliated substitute teacher for his girlfriend's class. Shale arrives at Colum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Set It Off (film)
''Set It Off'' is a 1996 American crime action film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Kate Lanier and Takashi Bufford. The film stars Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise (in her film acting debut). It follows four close friends in Los Angeles, California, who plan to execute a bank robbery—each doing so for different reasons—to achieve better for themselves and their families. The film was a box office success, grossing over $41 million against a budget of $9 million. The film earned positive reviews from critics, who praised the characters, music and performances of the cast (particularly that of Pinkett and Latifah), as well as the chemistry of the four leading actresses. The soundtrack was a commercial success, peaking at number four on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Additionally, the singles "Set It Off", " Don't Let Go (Love)", " Days of Our Livez", "Angel", " Come On", "Let It Go" and " Missi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fargo (1996 Film)
''Fargo'' is a 1996 black comedy crime film written, directed, produced and edited by Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, and Peter Stormare. In the film, chief of police, police chief Marge Gunderson (McDormand) investigates a triple homicide that takes place after car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) hires two dim-witted criminals to kidnap his wife to extort a ransom from her wealthy father. Filmed in the United States in late 1995, ''Fargo'' premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. Joel Coen won the festival's ''Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director, Prix De La Mise En Scène'' (Best Director Award). The film was a critical and commercial success, earning particular acclaim for the Coens' direction and script and the performances of McDormand, Macy and Buscemi. ''Fargo'' received seven Academy Awards, Oscar nominations at the 69th Academy Awards, inclu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bound (1996 Film)
''Bound'' is a 1996 American neo-noir erotic crime thriller film written and directed by the Wachowskis in their feature film directorial debut. It stars Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon and Joe Pantoliano. The film centers on Violet (Tilly), a gun moll who longs to escape her relationship with her mobster boyfriend Caesar (Pantoliano), enters into a clandestine affair with alluring ex-con Corky (Gershon), and the two women hatch a scheme to steal $2 million of Mafia money. This was also John P. Ryan's final appearance before he died in 2007. ''Bound'' was the first film directed by the Wachowskis, and they took inspiration from Billy Wilder to tell a noir story filled with sex and violence. Financed by Dino De Laurentiis, the film was made on a tight budget with the help of frugal crew members including cinematographer Bill Pope. The directors initially struggled to cast the lesbian characters of Violet and Corky before securing Tilly and Gershon. To choreograph the sex s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billy Drago
Billy Eugene Burrows (November 30, 1945 – June 24, 2019), known professionally by his stage name Billy Drago, was an American television and film actor. Drago's films, where he was frequently cast as a villain, included Clint Eastwood's western '' Pale Rider'' and Brian De Palma's '' The Untouchables''. He also had recurring roles in the television series '' The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.'' and '' Charmed''. Early life Burrows was born in Hugoton, Kansas, the son of William Franklin Burrows Jr., and Gladys Marie Wilcox (1918–1990) on November 30, 1945. He said his maternal lineage was of Romani descent and that his paternal lineage was Native American. He later took his grandmother's maiden name "Drago" as his stage name to avoid being confused with another actor. Growing up, his parents would drop him off at the movie theater often in their rural town. After leaving high school he started out as a journalist for the Associated Press, and later became a popular voic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan August'' (1970–1971). He had leading roles in films such as '' Navajo Joe'' (1966) and '' 100 Rifles'' (1969), and his breakthrough role was as Lewis Medlock in ''Deliverance'' (1972). Reynolds played leading roles in financial successes such as '' White Lightning'' (1973), '' The Longest Yard'' (1974), '' Smokey and the Bandit'' (1977) (which started a six-year box-office reign), '' Semi-Tough'' (1977), ''The End'' (1978), '' Hooper'' (1978), '' Starting Over'' (1979), ''Smokey and the Bandit II'' (1980), '' The Cannonball Run'' (1981), '' Sharky's Machine'' (1981), '' The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' (1982) and '' Cannonball Run II'' (1984), several of which he directed. He was nominated twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum ( ; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films, such as ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and ''Independence Day'' (1996), as well as their sequels. Goldblum made his acting film debut in '' Death Wish'' (1974) with early small roles in '' California Split'' (1974), ''Nashville'' (1975), and ''Annie Hall'' (1977). He gained wider attention for his roles in '' Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' (1978), '' The Big Chill'' (1983), and '' The Fly'' (1986). Since then, he has been best-known for his roles in several blockbuster franchises, such as Ian Malcolm in the ''Jurassic Park'' franchise, David Levinson in the ''Independence Day'' films, Grandmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films such as '' Thor: Ragnarok'' (2017) and more recently, as the Wizard of Oz in '' Wicked'' (2024) and '' Wicked: For Good'' (2025). Frequent collaborator of director Wes Anderson, he has starred in his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss ( ; Dreyfus; born October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He emerged from the New Hollywood wave of American cinema, finding fame with a succession of leading man parts in the 1970s. He has received an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Dreyfuss rose to promimence with starring roles in '' American Graffiti'' (1973), '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1974), '' Jaws'' (1975), and '' Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' (1977). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Elliot Garfield in the 1977 romantic comedy '' The Goodbye Girl'', and was Oscar-nominated in the same category for his title role in the 1995 drama '' Mr. Holland's Opus''. His other film credits include '' The Competition'' (1980), '' Stand by Me'' (1986), '' Down and Out in Beverly Hills'' (1986), '' Stakeout'' (1987), '' Nuts'' (1987), '' Always'' (1989), '' Postcards from the Edge'' (1990), '' What About Bob?'' (1991), ''The American President ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gabriel Byrne
Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. Byrne was awarded the Irish Film and Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and was listed at number 17 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors in 2020. In 2009 ''The Guardian'' named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination. Byrne's acting career began at the Focus Theatre in Dublin before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1974. His screen debut came in the Irish drama serial '' The Riordans'' and the spin-off show ''Bracken''. He went on to star in such films as '' Defence of the Realm'' (1986), '' Lionheart'' (1987), '' Miller's Crossing'' (1990), '' Little Women'' (1994), ''Dead Man'' (1995), '' The Usual Suspects'' (1995), '' The Man in the Iron Mask'' (1998), '' Enemy of the State'' (1998), '' Vanity Fair'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mad Dog Time
''Mad Dog Time'' (also known as ''Trigger Happy'') is a 1996 American ensemble crime comedy film written and directed by Larry Bishop and starring Ellen Barkin, Gabriel Byrne, Richard Dreyfuss, Jeff Goldblum and Diane Lane. The film is notable for the various cameo appearances, including the first (and final) film appearance by Christopher Jones in over a quarter-century. Plot The story takes place in a mysterious underworld of swanky nightclubs where armed criminals listen to Rat Pack music and hold shootouts from a seated position, behind desks. Mickey Holliday is the top enforcer for Vic, the mob boss, who is about to be released from a psychiatric facility. In his absence, Ben London has been running Vic's nightclub while Mickey has been romancing both Rita and Grace Everly, which is doubly dangerous inasmuch as they are sisters and Grace was previously Vic's girl. A rival, Jake Parker, recruits a number of hired guns in an attempt to seize power. Mickey kills the first to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
