Who new?
Posted on 02/28/2010 4:47:17 PM PST by AtlasStalled
1960s pop star Tommy James is out with his autobiography which details the not-so-hidden hand of the Genovese crime family in the music industry. In Me, the Mob, and the Music, James writes of his experience with Morris Levy, the head of Roulette Records, with whom he was forced to sign through mob influence as reported by Chris Jordan for Courier News:
James tells of an awkward working relationship with Levy, for whom James felt affection and fear. Levy, as James points out, was an associate of Genovese Family types like "Fat Tony'' Salerno and Vincent "The Chin'' Gigante, whose stable of artists included Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and Joey Dee and the Starliters. James is the first big-name artist to openly tell the story of the mob's influence on the recording industry in the 1960s. "There was a lot of intimidation,'' James said. "People are reluctant to name names and tell it like it was.''
The story is headed to the big screen, and "is being developed by Barry Rosen's Triangle Entertainment" as reported by Chris Jordan for moviefone. Morris Levy died in 1990 of liver cancer at the age of 62 following his 1988 extortion conviction for which he was sentenced to ten years in prison as reported by the New York Times.
(Excerpt) Read more at bitterqueen.typepad.com ...
Tommy James’ story is heading for the big screen. Why? Mario Puzo’s Godfather and The Don as well as Elmore Leonard’s Get Shorty and Be Cool already did it.
Who new?
“Tommy James’ story is heading for the big screen. Why?”
Because there’s nothing like the context of reality — a real pop star, a real record label, a real convicted executive, and real mobsters — to make a drama all the more compelling. The problem with movies like The Godfather, et al. is that they come across as fanciful fiction which can be dismissed by the public as celluloid creations which really do not imact their lives; in contrast, movies like Goodfellas & Donnie Brasco are all the more gripping because we know the players aren’t characters but real people . . . and they often live on our street blocks.
And the soundtrack will be cool.
Interesting.
well liver cancer is a fitting death for a mobster...too bad other good people get it.....
Morris Levy, the head of Roulette Records, with whom he was forced to sign through mob influence..”
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A little Crystal Blue Persuasion, eh?
Follow the Mony Mony trail.
All these years and until now nobody suspected such hanky panky.
WAPE, I reckon?
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