The George Raft Story

The George Raft Story is a 1961 American biographical film of Hollywood film star George Raft. Ray Danton portrays Raft and the film was directed by Joseph M. Newman. The picture was retitled Spin of a Coin for release in the United Kingdom, a reference to Raft's character's nickel-flipping trick in Scarface (1932), the film that launched Raft's career as an actor known for portraying gangsters.

Overview

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 were fictional, Moxie was based on Raft's long-time friend and associate Mack Gray. Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel is a major character. No mention is made in the film of Raft's long-estranged wife Grayce (Mulrooney) or early mob benefactor Owney Madden.

George Raft and Mack Gray had played themselves almost two decades earlier in a markedly different but equally fictionalized biographical movie about Raft's early days as a dancer reluctantly involved with gangsters entitled Broadway (1942).

Cast

• Ray Danton as George Raft
• Jayne Mansfield as Lisa Lang
• Julie London as Sheila Patton
• Barrie Chase as June Tyler
• Frank Gorshin as Moxie Cusack
• Barbara Nichols as Texas Guinan
• Brad Dexter as Benny 'Bugsy' Siegel
• Robert Strauss as Frenchie
• Herschel Bernardi as Sam
• Margo Moore as Ruth
• Neville Brand as Al Capone
• Jack Lambert as Jerry Fitzpatrick
• Jack Albertson as Milton
• John Bleifer as Mr. Raft

External links

• The George Raft Story at the Internet Movie Database
• The George Raft Story at AllMovie
• The George Raft Story at the TCM Movie Database