Frank Calabrese Jr "Operation Family Secrets" Movie in Development with Nicholas Pileggi, Author of "Goodfellas" and "Casino" as Executive Producer and Gary Ross of "The Hunger Games" as Director

One of Chicago's most notorious mobsters has a new home. Fox Chicago has learned convicted gangster Frank Calabrese, Sr. has been moved to a federal prison in North Carolina.

Calabrese, Sr. was recently transferred to Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina. He is serving life behind bars after his conviction in the historic Family Secrets mob trial of committing more than a dozen murders for the Chicago Outfit. For the last several years Calabrese was held under the highest level of security at a federal prison in Springfield, MO. Despite having virtually no contact with the outside world, Calabrese allegedly convinced a prison chaplain to pass messages to associates in Illinois, in an attempt to recover mob loot worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Frank Calabrese, Jr., who secretly recorded his father for the feds and testified against him during the trial, says it's clear why the Federal Bureau of Prisons moved his dad.

"My father's a hot item, meaning that nobody wants to deal with him, and a lot of time in the Bureau of Prisons, instead of dealing with problem prisoners, they'd rather ship them to another prison," Calabrese, Jr. said.

Calabrese, Jr. wrote a best-selling book about his decision to abandon the mob lifestyle and go against his father. He says that compelling story is now being turned into a movie with some Hollywood heavy hitters.

Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the mob classics "Goodfellas" and "Casino" has signed on to executive produce the Calabrese story. Gary Ross of "The Hunger Games" has agreed to direct the movie. They've also landed Stephen Schiff as screenwriter, who wrote the recent "Wall Street" sequel. The William Morris Endeavor agency is involved, which is headed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's brother Ari. Calabrese says rather than sell the rights to a studio, he wanted to put together an independent team to make the movie so he could retain some control.

"What I was concerned with is not just somebody that wants to make the next shoot 'em up gangster movie. This is about family. This is about the dark side of crime," he said.

Calabrese says nobody has been cast yet, but he's heard several a-list actors are interested in the role of his father, whom he calls a Shakespearian figure.

"The multiple personalities--in the book I explain there was a good side to my dad. There was a great side to my dad. There were multiple sides to my dad. He could walk in a room and win everybody over, and the next minute he could walk in a room and everybody would run for their life."

Thanks to Dane Placko.

Tweet

Fashion of the Opera!

The world of opera and fashion collide! The American Chamber Opera (ACO) presents Fashion of the Opera hosted by reigning Miss Chicago Marisa Buchheit and Jeff Conway of NBC’s 24/7 Chicago. All proceeds will benefit the Merit School of Music and their efforts to further bring music education to eager talented children and enhance current programs. Guests will experience an incomparable spectacle of music and fashion with Chicago’s best local designers on the runway to a series of live sensational opera. Designers include: Borris Powell, Anastasia Chatzka, Rachel Frank, Fraley Le and Stix and Roses by Sararose Krenger. Formal reception follows.

When: Friday, October 5th 2012

Time: 7:30pm with entertainment promptly at 8:00 and fashion show at 8:30

Where: Intercontinental Magnificent Mile
Grand Ballroom 7th Floor
505 Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL  60611

$40 General Admission $100 VIP and available at http://www.americanchamberopera.org/fashion

Tweet

Ralph Lamb, Former Sheriff, Inspires New CBS Show on Battle Between Chicago Mob in Las Vegas and Law Enforcement

A new television show based on former Clark County Sheriff Ralph Lamb debuts Tuesday night on CBS. "Vegas" looks at the battle between organized crime and law enforcement in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lamb was the real-life sheriff at the time and went up against the mob and the Hell's Angels on the streets of Las Vegas.

In an interview with 8 News NOW anchor Paula Francis, Lamb recounts the toughest scrape he ever experienced.

"At the Sands Hotel, I guess," he said. "I was in the Sands alone and there were… they had a big craps game going on there. Some of the biggest guys in the country were shooting craps, and one guy was keeping score on a piece of paper. He'd bet him $50,000, I'll bet you 100. I didn't have any help and no help down there, but the office and the fight broke out. I got a guy named Joe Bernstein, who you know. I drug him kinda' over to the cage and was trying to reach for the phone in there. He was a big bruiser from San Francisco, a big strike breaker, you know. He went to whippin' on me while I had the phone in one hand, and I hit him with the telephone and knocked him down. But, it got pretty hairy there before I got any help."

Lamb says he's amazed he's still alive.

"I've been very lucky... had some close calls, and I've just been blessed with being lucky and knowing what I was doing and watching out for things," he said.

Station Casinos is holding a "Vegas" premiere party Tuesday night. 8 News NOW Chief Investigative Reporter George Knapp is attending to introduce his story on Ralph Lamb. In honor of the show, Governor Brian Sandoval proclaimed Sept. 25 as "Sheriff Ralph Lamb Day."

"Vegas" premieres Tuesday night at 9 p.m. Chicago Time on CBS.

Thanks to KLAS.

Tweet

Joseph Giordano, Alleged Gambino Capo, Arrested on Extortion Charges

An alleged Gambino capo was dragged from his Long Island home and brought in custody to Central Booking in Manhattan today -- accused of using force and threats to extort $50,000 from a construction company official, according to law enforcement sources.

The reputed crime family captain, Joseph Giordano, was on the Gambino's ruling commission in recent years; his brother, John Giordano, was the consigliere under the notorious John Gotti, Sr.

Josephe Giordano is expected to be arraigned this afternoon before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro.

Thanks to Laura Italiano.

Tweet

October "There Goes the Neighbor Hood" Gangster Tour

John Binder, Mob historian and author of The Chicago Outfit (IL) (Images of America), conducts the popular "There Goes the Neighbor Hood" tour of gangster history in Oak Park and River Forest. This exterior tour visits 15 houses in these two suburbs which were previously owned by major hoodlums, including Tony Accardo, Paul Ricca, Sam Giancana, "Tough Tony" Capezio, and "Machine Gun Jack" McGurn. John will discuss the criminal careers of the former owners, the interesting features of each home, the family's time there, and answer all questions from the audience. The tour lasts two hours and is a deep immersion into the history of organized crime in Chicago from Prohibition to the present day. It is by minibus with no walking required.

Date/Time/Details:
The bus departs from (and returns to) the Oak Park Visitor Center at 1010 Lake St. in Oak Park at 11:00 a. m. and 1:30 p. m. on October 14.  Please call the Visitor Center at 708-848-1500 (or www.visitoakpark.com) to purchase tickets.

Tweet