The Sinatra Files (45 page)
Authors: Tom Kuntz
advised in October, 1962, that GIANCANA and several other individuals made arrangements for other acts to appear at the Villa Venice and among the performers that they either have definite commitments for or are planning to schedule for the Villa Venice are DINAH SHORE, JIMMY DURANTE, and DANNY THOMAS.
Throughout the interview,suggested that the person to contact regarding the Villa Venice would be FRANK SINATRA.
Indeed, this memo shows that Sinatra had interceded when it appeared that Eddie Fisher had an engagement that conflicted with the Villa Venice’s originally proposed reopening date
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| TO: Mr. Belmont | DATE: October 12, 1962 |
| FROM: C. A. Evans | |
| SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA |
Further indication of the control and influence of the Chicago hoodlum organization in the operation of Las Vegas gambling casinos is evident in connection with the forthcoming appearance of singer Eddie Fisher as the star attraction at the reopening of the plush Villa Venice Supper Club, Wheeling, Illinois, on October 31, 1962. Also appearing at this supper club following Fisher’s engagement are Sammy Davis, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Wheeling is a suburb of Chicago.
Fisher, who is now appearing in New York, was to follow his New York appearance with a month’s engagement at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. The Chicago hoodlum organization of Samuel Giancana, however, made it known that they wanted Fisher to appear at the Villa Venice on October 31, 1962. They told the Desert Inn that Fisher could split his Las Vegas engagement in order to make a week’s appearance in Chicago. Later they decided they wanted Fisher for three weeks instead of one week.
The operators of the Desert Inn headed by Morris Barney Dalitz felt that such an arrangement would be bad for Desert Inn business. Fisher and his manager were of the opinion that such an arrangement would have an adverse effect on Fisher’s career, going from a smash New York engagement to an unknown supper club in
Wheeling, Illinois. Neither Morris Barney Dalitz nor Fisher nor his manager had the courage to express their reluctance for this arrangement.
Frank Sinatra reportedly said to Eddie Fisher, “Look, you’re going over here for 18 days, never mind about the Desert Inn, I already handled that. I take care of that. They do what I tell them.” According to our source, the instructions and messages relating to these arrangements were sent by Samuel Giancana to Las Vegas withbelieved to look out for the interests of the Chicago group at this hotel.
ACTION
The information above is from our highly confidential sourceWe are closely following the operation of the Villa Venice Club and the investigation ofis being intensified.
The Rat Pack ended up doing sixteen shows in seven nights at “The New Villa Venice.” At one of the shows, Dean Martin sang parody lyrics about his fee for the gig:
I love Chicago, it’s carefree and gay
I’d even work here, without any pay
I’ll lay you odds it turns out that way
That’s why this gentleman is a tramp.
That apparently made it a doubly good deal for the club’s backers
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A December 20, 1962, FBI memo quoted a press account detailing the operations of a gambling joint, the Flamingo Motel, near the Villa Venice. The Rat Pack headliners were meant to draw in the high rollers, who were then shuttled to crap games
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Refer to that section of this report relating to the Villa Venice. It should be noted that the Flamingo Motel is located approximately one and one half blocks North of the Villa Venice.
Report of SA [Special Agent]dated May 5, 1961, at Chicago, contains information relating to the Flamingo Motel which reflects that this is an alleged GIANCANA enterprise.
The “Chicago Daily News” Red Streak Edition dated November 30, 1962, contained the following article relating to a gambling operation at the Flamingo Motel. This operation is referred to in the newspaper as the Quonset Hut. It is noted that this particular Quonset Hut is located immediately adjacent to and North of the Flamingo Motel. The article is as follows:
“A king-size quonset hut two blocks north of the Villa Venice has been the site of big money dice games since the River Road night club reopened, The Daily News learned Friday.
“Elaborately concealed and guarded, the dice games and other gaming-den diversions have been restricted to well-heeled suckers whose identities were well known to the gamblers.
“Rocco (Parrot Nose) Potenza, 48, of 8857 N. Kildare, Skokie, gaming lieutenant for Sam (Mooney) Giancana, has presided over the nightly sessions. He has been aided by Sam Rosa, West Side bookmaker and associate of Charles (Chuck) English.
“Beneath the silvery, metal exterior of the hut, a fantastic operation was devised. Patrons with the proper credentials enter through a door at the rear of the building. As they step into the heavily carpeted and air-conditioned hut, an attendant parks their cars in parking spaces at the adjacent Flamingo Motel at River Rd. and Milwaukee, in unincorporated territory south of Wheeling.
“Next stop for patrons of the hut is the hat check room and then, most important, the cashier’s cage.
“Chips are mandatory, unlike previous suburban gaming action in which the big money game was played with cash only.
“At the two dice tables, the limit is $100 for a single bet, but Potenza has lifted it for big shooters. Blackjack tables and roulette wheels complete the equipment in the hut. A small bar and light refreshment counter are also provided.
“During the last 20 days since singer Eddie Fisher started off the new star policy at the Villa, a heavy toll has been levied at the hut on the patrons. Individual losses of as much as $25,000 have been reported.
“A shuttle service has been provided for some of the customers who want to leave their cars at the Villa. The hut is camouflaged with old trucks and pieces of road machinery.
“The front inner area, which is sealed off from the gaming room, is cluttered with a ladder and building materials.
“At least four top crime syndicate figures went unnoticed in the Villa Venice opening night crowd last Monday night for Frank Sinatra and ‘rat pack’ members Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Jimmy (The Monk) Allegretti, North Side vice boss and Marshall Caifano, mob enforcer, both had front tables.
“More secluded were Felix (Milwaukee Phil) Alderisio, juice loan racketeer, and Giancana, who sat further back. Giancana has paid several visits to the hut while some 40 or 50 patrons were there.
“Thursday night Potenza’s black 1963 auto was parked directly in front of the Patio, a restaurant operated in conjunction with the Flamingo.
“Joe Iacullo, the motel overseer for Giancana, asked a Daily News reporter who was sitting in a car near the motel, what he wanted.
“ ‘I want to see Rocky,’ the reporter said.
“ ‘Rocky who?’ Iacullo asked. ‘Is he registered in the motel? If he was here, what do you want to see him about?’
“The reporter pointed at the quonset hut.
“ ‘Don’t put words in my mouth,’ Iacullo said as he walked around the corner of the motel, ‘I don’t know any Rocky, but now I know who you are and you can stay as long as you want.’
“The reporter did, but Potenza didn’t. Both he and his car disappeared moments later and the game was shut down. Iacullo walked over to the hut and turned on a big floodlight that bathed the front of the hut in light, apparently a signal that the game was over.”
