I love that era where everyone had a nickname. If you want to laugh — next time you are at the library pick up a Damon Runyon short story collection. There is a hilarious one about these 3 hoodlums who, during the depression, decide to kidnap their bookie — cause he was the only one who had any money. The only character I remember was Harry the Horse and of course Bookie Bob (which is the title of it). These characters aren’t mobsters like Hill but NY hoodlums. Really funny.
At this one Al’s Beef (italian beef sandwich shop) in Chicago, they have a picture on the wall of a bunch of kids from Little Italy in the 40’s/50’s and a plaque underneath with their nicknames, like “Shifty”, “Dirty Augie”, etc.