Sep 16, 2013 This is my THE MOB fruit machine nice machine great sounds looks good thinking of getting rid of it for a ADDAMS FAMILY fruit machine anyone in London up for a. The 'fruit machine' was employed in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s during a campaign to eliminate all gay men from the civil service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the military. A substantial number of workers did lose their jobs.

The Kansas City crime family, also known as the Civella crime family, the Kansas City Outfit or simply the Outfit, is an Italian-AmericanMafiafamily based in Kansas City, Missouri.

History[edit]

Early history[edit]

The Italian-American organized crime family began when two Sicilian mafiosi known as the DiGiovanni brothers fled Sicily to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1912. Joseph 'Joe Church' DiGiovanni and Peter 'Sugarhouse Pete' DiGiovanni began making money from a variety of criminal operations or rackets shortly after their arrival.^[2]

Their fortunes greatly improved with the introduction of Prohibition, when they became the only group bootlegging alcohol in Kansas City.^[2] Their rackets at this time were controlled by John Lazia, who later became the leading figure when the organisation expanded. The gang was given virtually a free hand to operate by their bossTom Pendergast, head of the Pendergast Machine that controlled Kansas City's government at the time. Under Pendergast, Kansas City became a wide-open town, with absolutely no alcohol-related arrests being made within city limits during the entirety of Prohibition. The DiGiovanni family directly benefited from this lack of enforcement of prohibition laws.^[2]

Post-Prohibition[edit]

When Prohibition ended in 1933, the family, although already involved in various rackets, allegedly began extorting bars. On July 10, 1934, Lazia was assassinated, probably on the orders of his underboss, Charles Carrollo, who ruled as boss until his arrest in 1939 for tax evasion. His underboss Charles Binaggio then became the new boss and expanded the family's areas of labor into racketeering. With the help of Binaggio, Forrest Smith was elected in the Missouri gubernatorial race of 1948, and he took office on January 10, 1949. Binaggio was seen as a liability to the Mafia's nationwide commission, and it was decided that Binaggio should be killed. He was assassinated on April 6, 1950, and his successor Anthony Gizzo died of a heart attack in 1953.

Nicholas Civella[edit]

The new boss was now Nicholas Civella, who greatly expanded the family's rackets and forged alliances with families from other cities, making the organization very powerful. Civella used the Teamsters to fund casinos in Las Vegas. In 1975, Civella was imprisoned on gambling charges for betting on the 1970 Super Bowl, played between the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs. Around this time, there was a war in the family over control of the River Quay entertainment district, in which three buildings were bombed and several gangsters were killed.

Operation Strawman[edit]

The Kansas City FBI, suspecting mob involvement at the Tropicana Casino in Las Vegas, set up a broad investigation, known as Operation Strawman, which involved wiretapping phones of reputed mobsters and their associates in Kansas City. From the evidence collected by taps and other eavesdropping in the late 1970s, the FBI discovered a conspiracy to skim money from the Tropicana Casino.

Operation Strawman learned that Joe Agosto, head of the Tropicana's Folies Bergere show, controlled the skimming in the Tropicana. Agosto was secretly sending cash from the casino to Kansas City organized-crime chief Nick Civella and Joseph Aiuppa of Chicago, as well as Cleveland and Milwaukee mobsters.

In 1981, a grand jury in Kansas City indicted Agosto, Kansas City mob boss Nick Civella, Civella's brother Carl Civella, mob member Carl DeLuna, and Carl Thomas, who had directed the illegal skimming of cash at the Tropicana with two others. The defendants were convicted in 1983.^[3]

Recent history[edit]

William 'Willie the Rat' Cammisano, Sr., became the family's next boss until his death in 1995. Anthony Civella then became the new boss. He died in 2006.

The Kansas City family had an estimated 25 made members as of the late 1990s, according to the FBI.

The current boss of the family is believed to be John Joseph Sciortino, also known as 'Johnny Joe', godson of Anthony Civella. The current underboss is believed to be Peter Simone.

On July 21, 2008, Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna, former underboss to Nick Civella and brother-in-law to Anthony Civella, died.

In August 2008, retired FBI agent William Ouseley published his history of the KC crime family from 1900 to 1950 in a book titled Open City.

On March 20, 2009, Blackhand Strawman, a documentary of Kansas City's organized crime history, was released in theaters in Kansas City.

On March 1, 2011 retired FBI agent William Ouseley published his history of the KC crime family from 1950 to 2000 in a book titled Mobsters in Our Midst.

On November 25, 2013, the documentary film Gangland Wire was released to theaters. This film uses audio clips from FBI wiretaps to tell the story of how law enforcement uncovered a massive conspiracy to control Las Vegas casinos.

On March 11, 2010, the FBI indicted Gerlarmo Cammisano, James Moretina, Michael Lombardo, and James DiCapo for allegedly operating a 'multi-million-dollar internet gambling scheme'.

Gerlarmo Cammisano, son of William 'Willie the Rat' Cammisano, served as the 'master agent' of the sports bookmaking operation, which was based in the Kansas City area. Gerlarmo Cammisano's brother, William D. Cammisano, Jr., pleaded guilty for his role in the sports bookmaking operation. In January 1992, Moretina pleaded guilty to a federal money laundering charge and was sentenced to 37 months. Moretina served as president of a firm that distributed illegal video gambling machines. He and his business partner, purported mob underboss Peter J. Simone, operated the Be Amused Vending and Amusement Co. Moretina is the son of Charles Moretina, who was convicted in the 1980s for skimming Las Vegas casino gambling receipts.

Prior to the indictment, six individuals pleaded guilty in connection with the investigation, including three – Vincent Civella and brothers Michael and Anthony Sansone – who are the son and grandsons of former Kansas City boss Anthony 'Tony Ripe' Civella. According to Scott Burnstein's Gangster Report, the Kansas City mob is on its last legs with 12 made men or less. The family still has some gambling and loansharking with some extortion involving drugs and the strip club industry.^[4]

Historical leadership[edit]

Bosses (official and acting)[edit]

• 1912–1931 – Joseph 'Joe Church' DiGiovanni
• 1931–1934 – John 'Brother John' Lazia (murdered in 1934)
• 1934–1939 – Charles 'Charlie the Wop' Carrollo (convicted in 1939)
• 1939–1950 – Charles Binaggio (murdered)
• 1950–1953 – Anthony Gizzo
• 1953–1983 – Nicholas Civella (convicted in 1977 and 1980; deceased in 1983)
  • Acting 1977–1979 – Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna (imprisoned in 1979)
  • Acting 1979–1983 – Carl 'Cork' Civella
• 1983–1984 – Carl 'Cork' Civella (convicted in 1984)
• 1984–1995 – William 'Willie the Rat' Cammisano
• 1995–2006 – Anthony 'Tony Ripe' Civella (arrested in 1992)
  • Acting 1992–2006 – John 'Johnny Joe' Sciortino
• 2006–present – John 'Johnny Joe' Sciortino

Active family members[edit]

Administration[edit]

• Boss John 'Johnny Joe' Sciortino
• Underboss Peter 'Las Vegas Pete' Simone^[5]
• Consigliere Frank DeLuna – the FBI in Missouri believes he is the aide to Sciortino.

Caporegimes[edit]

• William Cammisano, Jr., a current captain and son of former Kansas City mob boss William 'Willie the Rat' Cammisano Sr. His first conviction was in 1989 for obstruction of justice after he intimidated a witness involved in a murder trial; he was released three years later. He has been the suspect of numerous gangland executions during the 1980s. Cammisano is also blacklisted from every casino in Kansas City and Las Vegas.^[6] In 2010, he pleaded guilty to running a massive illegal gambling operation which amounted to $3.5 million over the course of three years; he received one year.^[7][8]

See also[edit]

• Anthony J. Biase, operated in Omaha, Nebraska

References[edit]

1. ^State Of The Syndicate: The Kansas City Mafia Today Scott Burnstein, GangsterReport.com (November 3, 2015)
2. ^ ^abcOuseley, William (12 June 2008). Open City: True Story of the KC Crime Family 1900-1950. Leathers Publishing. ISBN978-1585974801.
3. ^'Tropicana ONE'. www.onlinenevada.org.
4. ^'State Of The Syndicate: The Kansas City Mafia Today'. The Gangster Report.
5. ^'Kansas City mafia continues to dwindle'. About the Mafia. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
6. ^'William Dominick Cammisano, Jr'. Nevada Gaming Control Board. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
7. ^'Remembering Kansas City's mob past'. Kansas City Business Journal. Steve Vockrodt. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
8. ^'William 'Willie' Cammisano Jr. pleads guilty to running illegal gambling operation; son of 'Willie the Rat' Cammisano'. The Pitch. Justin Kendall. Retrieved 17 May 2016.

Sources[edit]

The Fruit Machine (known as Wonderland in the United States) is a 1988 British film thriller starring Tony Forsyth, Emile Charles, Bruce Payne and Robbie Coltrane in the role of 'Annabelle.' The film, which was directed by BAFTA-winner Philip Saville, is about two gay teen friends who are running from an underworld assassin and the police.^[1] It was produced by UK TV company Granada Productions. The film showcases the rising careers of actors Coltrane and Payne, as well as a future Academy Award winner, composer Hans Zimmer, who wrote the soundtrack.

The film uses a combination of adventure, buddy film, road movie and 1980s filmmaking to address a number of social issues that were pertinent to the times. Since its release, it has developed a cult following primarily due to its straightforward portrayal of British gay youth.

Plot[edit]

Eddie and Michael are two 16-year-old best friends on the brink of adulthood. They are both gay, but hold diametrically opposed outlooks on life. Eddie likes watching old films on video with his mother. Michael likes video games and the street. They are total opposites that argue like an old married couple. Leaving behind the grim, oppressive reality of Liverpool (in the 1980s unemployment rates in Liverpool were amongst the highest in the UK), they stumble into the bizarre fantasy world of a gay transvestite nightclub called The Fruit Machine, run by 'Annabelle'. There, they witness a brutal gangland murder by Echo that transforms their thirst for adventure into a run for their lives. Alone and afraid, yet hopeful, they wind up in Brighton with Vincent and Eve at Wonderland, where their path is strewn with manipulation, deceit and murder.

Cast[edit]

• Emile Charles - Eddie
• Tony Forsyth - Michael
• Robert Stephens - Vincent
• Robbie Coltrane - 'Annabelle'
• Clare Higgins - Eve
• Bruce Payne - Echo
• Carsten Norgaard - Dolphin Man
• Kim Christie - Jean
• Louis Emerick - Billy
• Julie Graham - Hazel
• Forbes Collins - John Schlesinger

Production[edit]

Writing[edit]

The film's screenwriter, Frank Clarke, has stated that 'Echo the murderer signifies HIV/AIDS, and the dolphinarium is the sanctuary from it'.^[2]

Casting[edit]

The younger brother of actor Craig Charles, Emile Charles plays the role of Eddie.

Filming[edit]

The film was shot on location in Liverpool, Brighton and London. Filming began in October 1987.^[3] Included were interior and main entrance scenes at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. Flamingo Land in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire was used for the fun park known as Wonderland.

Music[edit]

The soundtrack was written by then newcomer Hans Zimmer. A soundtrack has never officially been released; however a 20-minute piece entitled The Fruit Machine Suite appears on the album HANS ZIMMER: The British Years, a sampling of the composer's earlier film work.

The disco dance sequence used music from both Divine, a drag queen who had released several singles in the UK charts in the 1980s, and Man 2 Man, using their hit 'Male Stripper'. The film's title song was produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman and sung by Paul Lekakis.^[4]

Home media[edit]

The film has had two DVD releases. In the UK on 16 July 2007 and on 9 April 2009, the German-based Pro-Fun Media released a region free digitally remastered edition in Anamorphic widescreen (1.66:1), including booklet and trailer. A North American Region 1 DVD version never materialised, only the original VHS titled Wonderland.

Reception[edit]

A reviewer for London's Time Out magazine stated that 'Saville films Frank Clarke's script in a mishmash of styles, and the pace sometimes flags' but nonetheless that 'it's as camp as Christmas, and if it rarely hits the jackpot, playing along with it is wildly enjoyable'.^[1] Another reviewer stated that the film is 'a hotch-potch of ideas woven together - making a mountainous and chronically unbelievable mess'.^[5] David Hall stated that the film 'is a bit of a mix' but that 'the parts that shine however are quite beautiful, as too is the lush score by noted composer Hans Zimmer'.^[6] A reviewer for Screen International stated that the film 'is so bursting with ideas and operates on so many levels, that some of them are inevitably unsatisfying'.^[7] A reviewer for Variety stated that 'hesitating between love story and thriller, satire and ecological militancy, the film wavers in between and never fully commits itself'.^[8] David Kehr stated that 'Saville's choices are consistently shameless, the film finally insufferable'.^[9] Hal Hinson complained that elements of the film did not add up and that writer Clarke took an 'overprecious view of Eddie's sexuality'.^[10]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab'The Fruit Machine'. Time Out. London. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
2. ^Catherine Jones. 'Liverpool screenwriter Frank Clarke recalls the creation of his 1988 movie The Fruit Machine'. Liverpool Echo.
3. ^'Ideal scores on Fruit Machine'. Screen International (620 ed.). 3 October 1987. p. 2.
4. ^'Paul Lekakis'. JOYful Days. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
5. ^'Fruit Machine (The)'. cgiii.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
6. ^Hall, David. 'The Fruit Machine / aka: Wonderland - US'. gaycelluloid.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
7. ^'The Fruit Machine'. Screen International (675 ed.). 22 October 1988. p. 377.
8. ^'The Fruit Machine'. Variety (331(6) ed.). 1 June 1988. p. 12.
9. ^Kehr, David (4 November 1988). 'Wonderland'. Chicago Tribune.
10. ^Hinson, Hal (3 June 1989). 'Allies in 'Wonderland''. The Washington Post.

External links[edit]

• The Fruit Machine (1988) at IMDb

The Mob Fruit Machine Game