Historic Newspapers: Public Enemies, Gangsters, & Organized Crime!

LOS ANGELES TIMES, June 23, 2011

* James Whitey Bulger captured
* Winter Hill Gang mob boss
* Boston organized crime
* Movie "Black Mass" fame

The front page of section 2 has a one column… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 3, 1999

* Author & Screenwriter Mario Puzo death
* American Italian Sicilian Mafia novels
* "The Godfather" creator - movie - film

Near the bottom of the front page… more

LOS ANGLES TIMES, July 1, 1993

* Death of Spanky McFarland
* Short comedy Comedies child star
* Hal Roach's "Our Gang" actor
* "The Little Rascals" TV series
* Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, March 8, 1991

* Best "New Jack City" advertisement 
* Grand Opening Day movie premiere
* American crime action film - Wesley Snipes

A terrific issue on the premiere of the motion… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, December 25, 1990

* Best "The Godfather Part III" film advertisement
* Grand opening day movie premiere review
* Francis Ford Coppola - Al Pacino

A terrific issue on the… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, September 19, 1990

* Best "Goddfellas" film advertisement
* Grand Opening Day movie premiere review
* Martin Scorsese - crime - mobsters - mafia

A terrific issue on the… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Feb. 10, 1990 

* John Gotti acquitted on multiple charges
* Gambino crime family boss - mafia
* Photo of a flamboyant Gotti outside the courthouse

The top of page 22 has a… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, Jan. 20, 1987

* Mobster John A. Gotti
* Gambino crime family boss 
* Long Island nightclub incident

Starting on page 10 is an… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, April 22, 1986 

* Al "Scarface" Capone's vault opening 
* Journalist Geraldo Rivera's debacle 
* Over hyped live TV broadcast event 
* Lexington Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
*… more

THE HAYS DAILY NEWS, Kansas, Dec. 17, 1985

* Paul Castellano assassination
* American crime boss - "Big Paulie"
* Head of the Gambino crime family

The front page has a three column heading:… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, April 16, 1985

* Stephen King's "Cat's Eye" advertisement
* Grand Opening Day film - movie premiere
* Anthology horror thriller -… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Feb. 27, 1985

* The "Commission Case" indictments
* NYC mafia - organized crime family bosses 
* Paul Castellano, Anthony Salerno & more

The front page has a two column… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, Dec. 13, 1983

* "Scarface" film advertisement - Al Pacino
* Grand opening day movie premiere
* American crime drama by Oliver… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Dec. 10, 1983

* Best "Scarface" film advertisement
* 2nd day after premiere opening
* Crime drama movie - Al Pacino

An issue on the premiere of the motion picture hit… more

THE KANSAN, Kansas City, January 16, 1983

* 'Mob Accountant' Meyer Lansky's death
* National Crime Syndicate

Page 3 has a one column heading: "Meyer Lansky, mob finance whiz, dead", with… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 31, 1982

* Jimmy Hoffa is declared dead
* American Labor Union leader
* International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Page 20 has a somewhat discrete report headed: "Hoffa… more

CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Sunday Edition), March 30, 1980 (sections I-V) The front page has considerable detail regarding the merging of the Midwest Mafia - including involvement of Anthony Spilotro ("Tony… more

SUNDAY SUN-TIMES, Chicago, March 23, 1980

* Angelo Bruno assassination (1st report)
* Philadelphia crime family mob boss
* Sicilian-American mobster - gangsters

The top of page 12 has a… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, May 8, 1978

* Edward "Skull' Murphy - Stonewall Inn bouncer
* LGBTQ - gays rights - pride activist w/ Photos
* KANSAS American rock band… more

LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 30, 1976

* Jewish gangster & boxer Mickey Cohen death

The front page has a one column heading: "Mickey Cohen Dies at Age 62" with subhead. (see) First report coverage… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE, Greenwich Village (weekly), New York, Dec. 16, 1974

* "The Godfather Part II" World premiere advertisement
* American epic crime film - Sicilian mafia - Cosa Nostra
* Francis… more

DETROIT FREE PRESS, Dec. 15, 1974

* "Young Frankenstein" pre-opening day movie advertisement (4 days prior)
* American comedy horror film by director Mel Brooks
* Actors Gene Wilder & Peter… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 19, 1973

* Frank Costello death
* 'The Prime Minister of the Underworld'
* Italian gangster & crime boss

The front page has a one column heading: "Frank Costello… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, March 23, 1972 

* Opening day of original "The Godfather" movie review
* Marlon Brando - Al Pacino - Francis Ford Coppola
* Opening week… more

SUN TIMES, Chicago, March 19, 1972 

* "The Godfather" pre-opening review & ad
 * Italian-American mafia film - movie
* Marlon Brando - Al Pacino w/ photos
* Director Francis Ford Coppola

… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 14, 1972 

* World premiere of  "The Godfather" film - movie 
* Marlon Brando - Al Pacino - Francis Ford Coppola
* Best "World Premiere" Manhattan advertisement

This… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 19, 1972

* Capital punishment - death row executions banned
* California Supreme Court decision (1st report)
* Charles Manson and Sirhan Sirhan mention

The top of… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, March 19, 1970

* The Snake Pit - gay bar police raid
* After-hours homosexual establishment
* NYPD inspector Seymour Pine
* Woodstock… more

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., Feb. 15, 1969

* Vito Genovese death (1st report)
* Italian American mobster boss
* Organized crime family - Mafia

Page 25 has a two column heading: "Vito… more

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, March 17, 1966

* American singer James Brown "Mr. Dynamite"
* Madison Square Garden concert advertisement
* The Byrds - rock band… more

THE PRATT TRIBUNE, Pratt, Kansas, July 27, 1964

* Jimmy Hoffa found guilty
* Teamsters leader

This 8 page newspaper has a two column headline on the front page: "Hoffa Guilty in Union Pension… more

LEOMINSTER ENTERPRISE, Massachusetts, March 12, 1964

* Jimmy Hoffa guilty of bribery
* Jail sentence imposed

This 14 page newspaper has a two column headline on the front page: "Hoffa… more

THE DETROIT NEWS, September 29, 1963

* Mafia - Cosa Nostra exposed
* Joseph Valachi - Vito Genovese

The front page has a one column heading: "Valachi's Future--a Delemma" with subhead. (see)… more

MINNEAPOLIS MORNING TRIBUNE, June 18, 1959

* Joseph Barbara death - "Joe the Barber"
* Bufalino crime family mob boss
* Apalachin meeting fame - Costa Nostra - Mafia

The top of page 4 has a… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 27, 1959

* Abner Zwillman death
* 'Al Capone of New Jersey'
* National Crime Syndicate
* Murder Inc.

The front page has a small one column heading: "Zwillman a… more

FITCHBURG SENTINEL, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, July 10, 1958

* Tony "Big Tuna" Accardo
* Chicago Outfit mob boss

This 22 page newspaper has a two column headline on the front page: "Gang Lord… more

THE RUSSELL DAILY NEWS, Kansas, October 26, 1957 

* Mob boss Albert Anastasia assassination 
* Murder Inc. head 

This 6 page newspaper has one column headings on the front page: "Query… more

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., October 26, 1957

* Mob boss Albert Anastasia assassination
* Murder Inc. head

The front page has a two column heading: "Gang Rule Fight Seen In Anastasia Murder"… more

THE DETROIT NEWS, Michigan, May 8, 1957

* Gangster Frank Costello
* Gambling

This 88 page newspaper has a two column headline on page 3: "Costello Starts Term for Defying Jury Quiz" with… more

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Springfield, Massachusetts, May 8, 1957

* Frank Costello gets 30 days
* Post assassination attempt by Vincent Gigante
* Cosa Nostra - Mafia - mob - gangland

The front… more

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Sept. 18, 1954

* Rocky Marciano wins by knockout vs. Ezzard Charles
* Heavyweight boxing title at Yankee Stadium
* Billy Grahm and gangster/boxer Mickey Cohen

The… more

FITCHBURG SENTINEL, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, January 8, 1952

* Gangster Frank Costello
* Contempt of Senate charges

The front page has one column headings: "Poker-Face Costello Hears U.S.… more

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass. July 31, 1951

* Ty Cobb and the integrity of MLB baseball & other sports
* Testifies to U.S. Congress re. organized crime & gambling

The top of page 19 has a two… more

THE DETROIT NEWS, March 19, 1951

* Frank Costello - NYC gangster - mob boss
* Luciano crime family - "The Prime Minister of the Underworld"
* United States Senate Special Committee to… more

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Michigan, March 18, 1951

* Frank Costello - NYC gangster - mob boss
* "The Prime Minister of the Underworld"
* United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 18, 1951

* Frank Costello - NYC gangster - mob boss
* Luciano crime family - "The Prime Minister of the Underworld"
* United States Senate Special Committee to… more

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Detroit, Michigan, March 17, 1951

* Frank Costello - NYC gangster - mob boss
* "The Prime Minister of the Underworld"
* United States Senate Special Committee to… more

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Michigan, March 15, 1951

* Frank Costello - NYC gangster - mob boss
* United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce

The front… more

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Michigan,  Feb. 15, 1951 

* Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake Lamotta
* Boxing - Boxers - 6th of 6 fights
* St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Page 18 has a nice banner headline:… more

THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 9, 1950

* The golden age of gangsters - mob - crime bosses
* Frank Costello - Meyer Lansky - Ralph Capone
* Joe Adonis - Mickey Cohan - racketeering inquiry

The top… more