George Raft FBI Files

Description

George Raft: Actor, Gangster Friend, and FBI Subject

Late 1890s:

• September 27, 1895: George Raft is born in New York.

Early 1900s (Childhood):

• George Raft becomes a childhood friend of Bugsy Siegel.

1920s:

• Late 1920s: George Raft, under the patronage of Owney Madden, moves to Los Angeles to pursue a film career.
• George Raft is active in New York as a dancer and speakeasy entertainer.
• George Raft comes under the influence of New York bootlegger, bookie, and racketeer, Owney Madden.

1929:

• George Raft appears in the film Queen of the Night Clubs.

1930s:

• George Raft’s film career takes off, largely due to his roles as gangsters in crime films.
• George Raft is known for his friendships with various gangsters, including Benjamin Siegel, Owen Madden, John and Al Capone, Vito Genovese, Frank Costello, Abner Zwillman, Joe Adonis, and Jack Dragna.

1932:

• George Raft appears in the Howard Hughes-produced film Scarface, playing Paul Muni’s character’s sidekick.

1933:

• George Raft appears in the film The Bowery.

1939:

• George Raft appears in the film Each Dawn I Die.

Early 1940s:

• George Raft has a famously public relationship with Betty Grable.
• George Raft famously turns down roles that later go to Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, High Sierra, and The Maltese Falcon.

1944:

• FBI files concerning George Raft begin, with the earliest discernable page dating to this year.

October 1946:

• Memos in FBI files mention a high-stakes crap game at the home of Brooklyn Dodger manager Leo Durocher.

1950s:

• George Raft’s film career declines as the popularity of gangster films decreases.

1956:

• George Raft appears in the film Around the World in Eighty Days.

1959:

• George Raft travels to Cuba to meet and greet people arriving at the Capri Hotel.
• While in Cuba, Raft is stopped at the airport, searched, and sent back to the United States.
• George Raft appears in the film Some Like it Hot.

1960:

• George Raft appears in the film Ocean’s Eleven.

1960s & 1970s:

• George Raft mostly appears in smaller budget European films.

1967:

• The latest discernable page in the FBI files concerning George Raft dates to this year.

1969:

• George Raft is expelled from England due to his connections with “hoodlum” elements.
• George Raft writes a letter to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover expressing his belief that he was barred from England because of derogatory information in his FBI file or the belief by others that such information existed.

1980:

• George Raft’s final appearance is in the film The Man with Bogart’s Face.
• November 24, 1980: George Raft dies of leukemia.

November 2017:

• Some FBI files on George Raft are released.

Cast of Characters

• George Raft: An entertainer and prominent movie actor, born in New York in 1895. He started as a dancer and speakeasy entertainer, transitioning to a successful film career, often typecast as a gangster. He had close associations with many notorious mob figures and his career declined as gangster films became less popular. He died in 1980.
• Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel: A notorious American mobster and a childhood friend of George Raft. He is mentioned frequently in Raft’s FBI files due to their association.
• Owney “The Killer” Madden: A significant New York bootlegger, bookie, and racketeer. He served as a patron to George Raft early in his career, influencing his move to Los Angeles to pursue acting.
• Al Capone: A notorious American gangster who led the Chicago Outfit during the Prohibition era. He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• John Capone: Likely refers to another member of the Capone crime family, mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• Vito Genovese: An American mobster who was the boss of the Genovese crime family. He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft, and is specifically covered in summaries within Raft’s FBI files.
• Frank Costello: An influential American mobster who controlled a vast gambling empire and was known as the “Prime Minister of the Underworld.” He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• Abner “Longie” Zwillman: A prominent Jewish-American mobster who operated out of New Jersey. He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• Joe Adonis: An Italian-American mobster who was a prominent figure in the New York underworld. He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• Jack Dragna: An Italian-American mobster who was the boss of the Los Angeles crime family. He is mentioned as a friend of George Raft.
• Paul Muni: An American stage and film actor. George Raft played his character’s sidekick in the 1932 film Scarface.
• Howard Hughes: An American business magnate, investor, record-setting pilot, engineer, film director, and philanthropist. He produced the film Scarface (1932), in which George Raft starred.
• Betty Grable: A popular American actress, singer, and dancer. She had a famously public relationship with George Raft in the early 1940s.
• Humphrey Bogart: A highly acclaimed American actor. He took on several iconic roles (in Casablanca, High Sierra, and The Maltese Falcon) that George Raft famously turned down.
• Leo Durocher: An American professional baseball player, manager, and coach. A high-stakes crap game was held at his home in October 1946, as noted in Raft’s FBI files.
• Mickey Cohen: An American gangster who operated in Los Angeles. He is mentioned in press accounts summarized in George Raft’s FBI files.
• Frank Carbo: Likely refers to Paul “Frankie” Carbo, a New York mobster. He is mentioned in press accounts summarized in George Raft’s FBI files.
• Senator George Murphy: An American actor and politician who served as a U.S. Senator from California. His relationship with George Raft is mentioned in the FBI files.
• Walter Winchell: A prominent American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. He wrote a letter to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover vouching for George Raft’s lack of criminality.
• J. Edgar Hoover: The first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). George Raft wrote a letter to him expressing concern about his FBI file, and Walter Winchell also corresponded with him regarding Raft.