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33-521: The film is a largely fictionalized version of Raft's turbulent life and career. Neville Brand appears briefly as Al Capone , recreating his role from the 1959 television series The Untouchables . Although other characters are fictional, Moxie is based on Raft's longtime friend and associate Mack Gray . Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel is a major character. The film does not mention Raft's estranged wife Grace or early mob benefactor Owney Madden . Raft and Gray had played themselves almost two decades earlier in

66-807: A BAFTA Award for his performance in Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954). During World War II , Brand served in the 331st Infantry Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division in the U.S. Army , in the European theatre . He received multiple meritorious citations for his service, including the Silver Star and the Purple Heart . Brand was born in Griswold, Iowa , and raised in Kewanee, Illinois . After he graduated from high school, he joined

99-474: A paratrooper in the United States Army during World War II. During this period, Thompson was captured and spent six months in a German prisoner of war camp. After demobilisation, he continued his studies at Columbia University . In 1947, he joined The New York Times as an office boy in the personnel department, and soon moved to the movie section as a clerk to Bosley Crowther , the film critic at

132-608: A 1964 episode of the Twilight Zone , as a World War II veteran. CBS considered the episode's theme of US-Japanese hatred "too disturbing" to include when the series was syndicated. "The Encounter" was not seen after its initial airing until it was released on video in 1992 as part of the Treasures of the Twilight Zone collection. Brand was given the star role in a TV series, Laredo (1965–67) which ran for 56 episodes. Brand

165-591: A Hollywood star with whom he has been conducting a love affair. Raft has financial trouble with the IRS and his friend Benny "Bugsy" Siegel is killed. He is forced to sell his Hollywood mansion and move to a small apartment. He takes a job at a casino in Havana, but the casino closes when Fidel Castro forces communism upon the nation. Back in Hollywood, Raft is offered to fix a fight by promoter Johnny Fuller but refuses. He accepts

198-486: A gangster in Scarface . Raft is frightened when Al Capone asks to meet him, but Capone reveals that he likes the film. At a party, Raft punches a manager and they become friends. Raft becomes a major star and broadens his image by appearing in a 1934 musical film with dancing titled Bolero . Although the film is a hit, Raft begins demanding rewrites for future roles and declines gangster roles. He leaves his girlfriend for

231-450: A guy as they come, candidly filled in a brass-tacks account to a national magazine. So much for the record—his own." Los Angeles Times critic John L. Scott called The George Raft Story "a vigorous but curious film play" and wrote: "It is rather strange that Crane Wilbur 's screen play places more emphasis on its central figure's friendships for gangland figures than with his lengthy career as an entertainer. This tends to give observers

264-604: A markedly different but equally fictionalized biographical film about Raft's early days as a dancer reluctantly involved with gangsters entitled Broadway (1942). George Raft works in New York as a dancer at the Dreamland Casino. He associates with gangsters and works at mob-controlled nightclubs. One night, he protects a cigarette girl from sexually harassment by a gangster, endangering his life. Raft moves to Hollywood and begins his film career as an extra before being cast as

297-463: A one-sided view of the star's life. What the man really feels inside never comes out—a seemingly never-ending fault of biographical film tales." Neville Brand Lawrence Neville Brand (August 13, 1920 – April 16, 1992) was an American soldier and actor. He was known for playing villainous or antagonistic character roles in Westerns , crime dramas , and films noir , and was nominated for

330-509: A role in Billy Wilder 's 1959 film Some Like It Hot . Allied Artists announced the film in 1959 as part of a slate of projects including Streets of Montamarte with Lana Turner as Suzanne Valadon , The Purple Gang with Barry Sullivan , Teacher was a Sexpot with Mamie Van Doren , Confessions of an English Opium Eater , Pay or Die with Ernest Borgnine as Joseph Petrosino and The Big Bankroll about Arnold Rothstein . It

363-629: A short, Benjy (1951), and episodes of The Unexpected and Your Favorite Story . He was in Kansas City Confidential (1952), The Turning Point (1952), and, notably, Stalag 17 (1953). As a supporting actor, he appeared in The Charge at Feather River (1953), The Man from the Alamo (1953), and Gun Fury (1953). Brand moved up to leading roles with Man Crazy (1953) and then Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954). The latter role, as

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396-794: The American Theatre Wing , working off-Broadway , including Jean-Paul Sartre 's The Victors . He also attended the Geller Drama School in Los Angeles on the G.I. Bill . Brand had an uncredited bit in Battleground (1949) and Port of New York (1949). His first credited part was in D.O.A. (1950) as a henchman named Chester. His hulking physique, rough-hewn, craggy-faced looks and gravelly voice led to his largely playing gangsters, Western outlaws and various screen "heavies", cops and other tough-guy roles throughout his career. Brand

429-618: The Ardennes , Rhineland and Central European campaigns. Brand, a sergeant and platoon leader, was wounded in action along the Weser River on April 7, 1945. He was shot in the upper right arm and nearly bled to death. Brand was awarded the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration for valor in the U.S. military, for gallantry in combat. His other awards and decorations were the Purple Heart,

462-751: The Good Conduct Medal , the American Defense Service Medal , the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Battle Stars , one Overseas Service Bar , one Service Stripe and the Combat Infantryman Badge . In a 1966 interview Brand explained the Silver Star, stating that withering fire from German machine guns in a hunting lodge kept him and his unit pinned down. "I must have flipped my lid," he said. "I decided to go into that lodge." He

495-722: The Times . He later advanced to a reporter who frequently interviewed film personalities and finally became a critic in the late 1950s. The byline on reviews during his early years was commonly indicated as "H.H.T." or "HHT". He also served as chairman of the New York Film Critics . Thompson gained a reputation for his pithy comments about films for the television listings. The Village Voice called him "the Virgil of TV guides," and his capsule reviews were labeled "Tiny Thompsons". He retired from full-time work in 1988 but continued to write

528-628: The Army. Brand entered the Illinois Army National Guard on October 23, 1939, as a private in Company F, 129th Infantry Regiment . He was enlisted in the United States Army as Corporal Neville L. Brand, infantryman on March 5, 1941. He trained at Fort Carson and served in World War II, seeing action with B company, 331st Infantry Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division (Thunderbolt Division) in

561-495: The King's Men for Kraft Theatre , directed by Sidney Lumet , playing Willie Stark, for which he earned a Sylvania Award in 1958 . Brand was a guest star on The Texan , Pursuit , Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre , and The Dupont Show of the Month (doing Body and Soul with Ben Gazzara ). Brand twice portrayed Al Capone on the television series The Untouchables , in

594-602: The Money (1972), No Place to Run (1972), The Police Connection (1972), Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973), Scalawag (1973), The Magician , The Deadly Trackers (1973), Killdozer (1974), Police Story , Police Woman , Barbary Coast , Kojak , Mobile One , McCloud , Psychic Killer (1975), The Quest , and Captains and the Kings . Brand was top billed in Eaten Alive (1976) directed by Tobe Hooper . He

627-479: The UK as Spin of a Coin . In a contemporary review for The New York Times , critic Howard Thompson wrote: "'Nice guy, George Raft, according to 'The George Raft Story.' Misunderstood, too, claims this blithely glossy little biographical drama ... The criminal associations of Mr. Raft, before his tough, patent-leather personality made him famous in films, are known facts. Not long ago, the actor himself, who may be as nice

660-573: The Week , Ben Casey , Rawhide , The Lieutenant , Theatre of Stars , Arrest and Trial , Destry , Wagon Train , Suspense , Combat! , Gunsmoke , Bonanza and The Virginian . He also portrayed a prison guard of Birdman of Alcatraz , was second billed in Hero's Island (1962) and had a key role in That Darn Cat! (1965). Brand co-starred with George Takei in " The Encounter ,"

693-834: The distinction of being the first actor to portray outlaw Butch Cassidy , in the film The Three Outlaws opposite Alan Hale Jr. as the Sundance Kid . He followed it with Gun Brothers (1956). Brand became well known as a villain when he killed the character played by Elvis Presley in his debut film Love Me Tender (1956). He was in The Way to the Gold (1957), The Lonely Man (1957), The Tin Star (1957), Cry Terror! (1958), and Badman's Country (1958). He often had better roles on television, including such shows as Climax! , Playhouse 90 , Target and notably an adaptation of All

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726-1206: The leader of a prison uprising, earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Actor at the 8th British Academy Film Awards , but he lost to Marlon Brando for On the Waterfront . Brand was down the cast list for The Lone Gun (1954) but had the lead in Return from the Sea (1954). Brand had a supporting role in The Prodigal (1955) and The Return of Jack Slade and guest roles in Appointment with Adventure , Screen Directors Playhouse , Studio One in Hollywood , Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre , Chevron Hall of Stars , Schlitz Playhouse , General Electric Theater , The United States Steel Hour , and Stage 7 . He had lead film roles in Bobby Ware Is Missing (1955) and Fury at Gunsight Pass (1956) and supported in Raw Edge (1956), and Mohawk (1956). He had

759-597: The pilot and opening scene of the premiere "The Empty Chair" (although uncredited) and then in the double episode "The Big Train"; as well as often glimpses in flashback throughout the series. Brand was in Five Gates to Hell (1959), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960), The Last Sunset (1961), and The George Raft Story (1961), reprising his role as Al Capone in the latter. He guest-starred on Straightaway , Cain's Hundred , Death Valley Days , The Joey Bishop Show , Naked City , The DuPont Show of

792-409: Was a strange, obtuse thing to say." Dean Jennings wrote The George Raft Story in five installments for The Saturday Evening Post and was entitled to 20% of Raft's profits from a film based on his story. In June 1961, Jennings claimed that he had not received anything and announced his intention to bring legal action. Jayne Mansfield's character is based on Betty Grable . The film was known in

825-452: Was announced again in 1960 with Ben Schwalb named as producer. Director Joseph Newman had directed Raft in I'll Get You for This (1951). Schwalb announced that filming would begin on October 7, 1960, but production was delayed until July 1961. Ray Danton, Brad Dexter, Jayne Mansfield and Frank Gorshin were cast. The Las Vegas comedy team of Pepper Davis and Tony Reece was signed to play a support role. Danton, borrowed from Warner Bros.,

858-464: Was cast on the strength of his performance in The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond . Danton said that he decided against performing "an impersonation of Raft ... I watched a lot of his old films and noticed a sort of strong suppressed hostility." Danton only met Raft once, and Raft told him: "We have to make careful they [the filmmakers] don't make this guy [Raft] into a heavy." Danton later said: "I thought it

891-679: Was cremated, and his remains were interred in a niche of the Morning Glory Room at East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento. Howard Thompson (film critic) Howard Thompson (October 25, 1919 – March 10, 2002) was an American journalist and film critic whose career of forty-one years was spent at The New York Times . Henry Howard Thompson Jr. was born in Natchez , the seat of Mississippi 's Adams County . He began his college studies at Louisiana State University , but left to serve as

924-451: Was destroyed in a 1978 fire at his Malibu home. His wartime service caused him post-traumatic stress disorder that led to bouts of alcoholism. In 1975, he said in an interview that his addiction had cost him most of his fortune. Brand died from emphysema at Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento, California , on April 16, 1992, at the age of 71. After a private funeral service he

957-583: Was discharged in October 1945. Brand was sometimes cited in media reports as the 4th most-decorated American serviceman of the war, but this was incorrect and repeatedly denied by Brand himself. World War II Victory Medal Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service American Campaign Medal Army Occupation Medal After his discharge, Brand worked on a 1946 Army Signal Corps film with Charlton Heston and next settled in Greenwich Village and enrolled at

990-836: Was in Fire! (1977), The Mouse and His Child (1977), Baretta , Captains Courageous , Man from Atlantis , Quincy M.E. , The Seekers and Hi-Riders (1978). He had a key part in Five Days from Home (1978) directed by George Peppard , and in Angels' Brigade (1979). In 1980, Brand appeared as Major Marvin Groper in The Ninth Configuration , written and directed by The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty . His final roles included Fantasy Island , Without Warning (1980), Harper Valley P.T.A. , and The Return (1982). He

1023-701: Was in The Desperados (1969) and played U.S. Navy Lieutenant Kaminsky, ignored as he tried to warn his commander of the opening skirmish in Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970). In the 1970s, Brand could be seen in The Chicago Teddy Bears and The Smith Family . He played Hoss Cartwright 's ( Dan Blocker ) Swedish uncle Gunnar Borgstrom on Bonanza in the episode "The Last Viking". He appeared in Longstreet , Alias Smith and Jones , Marcus Welby, M.D. , Two for

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1056-558: Was top billed in his last film, Evils of the Night (1985). Brand and his wife, Rae, had three daughters. A Republican , he supported the campaign of Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election . In addition, Brand was also a self-described lifelong Presbyterian . Brand was an insatiable reader who amassed a collection of 30,000 books over the years, one of the largest private libraries in Los Angeles. Most of his collection

1089-682: Was uncredited in My Foolish Heart (1949), Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) (both starring Dana Andrews), and curiously Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye where he plays a significant early role as James Cagney's fellow chain gang inmate, (1950) but had a good role on TV in The Bigelow Theatre . His parts slowly grew bigger: Halls of Montezuma (1951), Only the Valiant (1951), The Mob (1951), and Red Mountain (1951). On television, he did

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