The Iceman Confesses

Last updated
The Iceman Confesses
Starring Richard Kuklinski
Release date
1992, 2001
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Iceman Tapes: Conversations with a Killer and The Iceman Confesses: Secrets of a Mafia Hitman (also known as The Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Hitman) are two documentaries that feature the Mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski. They were produced by HBO and released in 1992 and 2001, respectively. [1] [2]

After years of silence, "The Iceman" speaks, in two interviews a decade apart, Richard Kuklinski, a notorious top enforcer for the Gambino crime family, tells his unusual and gruesome story.[ citation needed ] Raised on—and immune to—violence, he kept his job and tactics a secret from his adoring family.[ citation needed ] In 1986, after a long investigation, Kuklinski was betrayed by "the only friend I didn't kill" and when interviewed was serving multiple life sentences. [3]

Related Research Articles

Lucky Luciano Italian-American mobster (1897–1962)

Charles "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian-born gangster who operated mainly in the United States. Luciano started his criminal career in the Five Points gang and was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for the establishment of The Commission in 1931, after he abolished the boss of bosses title held by Salvatore Maranzano following the Castellammarese War. He was also the first official boss of the modern Genovese crime family.

Meyer Lansky Russian-American gangster (1902–1983)

Meyer Lansky, known as the "Mob's Accountant," was an American organized crime figure of Polish birth who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States.

Sammy Gravano American mobster (born 1945)

Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is an American former mobster who became underboss of the Gambino crime family. Gravano played a major role in prosecuting John Gotti, the crime family's boss, by agreeing to testify as a government witness against him and other mobsters in a deal in which he confessed to involvement in 19 murders.

Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may be a person, group, or organization. Contract killing has been associated with organized crime, government conspiracies, dictatorships, and vendettas. For example, in the United States, the Jewish-American organized crime gang Murder, Inc. committed hundreds of murders on behalf of the National Crime Syndicate during the 1930s and '40s.

Richard Kuklinski American criminal

Richard Leonard Kuklinski, also known as The Iceman, was an American criminal and convicted murderer.

Westies Irish-American organized crime gang

The Westies were a New York City-based Irish American organized crime gang, responsible for racketeering, drug trafficking, and contract killing. They were partnered with the Italian-American Mafia and operated out of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

William E. "Billy" Dauber was a Chicago mobster, hitman and associate in the Chicago Outfit's South Side chop shop ring.

Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo was a member of the New York City Genovese crime family who dominated loansharking operations in New Jersey during the 1960s.

Richard Cain

Richard Cain, also known as Richard Scalzitti, was a notoriously corrupt Chicago police officer and a close associate of Mafia boss Sam Giancana.

Philip Carlo was an American journalist and best selling biographer of Thomas Pitera, Richard Kuklinski, Anthony Casso, and Richard Ramirez. Carlo had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease".

Gregory Scarpa American mobster

Gregory Scarpa nicknamed the Grim Reaper and also the Mad Hatter, was an American caporegime and hitman for the Colombo crime family, as well as an informant for the FBI. During the 1970s and 80s, Scarpa was the chief enforcer and a veteran hitman for Colombo boss Carmine Persico. He is suspected by the FBI to have murdered at least 100 people over the course of his criminal career. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1993 for three murders, and died on June 4, 1994.

John James Vincent Martorano is an American former gangster and former hitman for the Winter Hill Gang in Boston, Massachusetts, who has admitted to 20 mob-related killings.

William Cary Edwards was a New Jersey politician who served as the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1986 to 1989.

Louis Ferrante is a former Gambino crime family mobster, who spent eight and a half years in prison, successfully appealed his conviction and became a bestselling true crime, business, and science writer. He hosts his own show, airing on Discovery International in 195 countries and was nominated for a Grierson Trust Award, which is considered the most prestigious documentary award in the United Kingdom, known as "the Oscars of the documentary world."

<i>The Iceman</i> (film) 2013 American film directed by Ariel Vromen

The Iceman is a 2012 American biographical crime film about notorious hitman Richard Kuklinski. Released in 2012 at the Venice Film Festival, the film was directed by Ariel Vromen, and stars Michael Shannon as Kuklinski, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, and Ray Liotta.

Ariel Vromen Israeli director

Ariel Vromen is an Israeli film director and screenwriter best known for directing the 2012 American film The Iceman.

Iceman, The Iceman, Ice Man, or Ice Men may refer to:

Paul Volpe (mobster) Canadian gangster (1927–1983)

Paul "The Fox" Volpe was an Italian-Canadian mobster and Toronto-based member of the Buffalo crime family.

Réal Simard is a Canadian gangster from Montreal known for being a hitman for Frank Cotroni of the Cotroni crime family, who later turned informant.

References

  1. Alain Silver; James Ursini (2007). The Gangster Film Reader. Limelight. pp. 330–. ISBN   978-0-87910-332-3.
  2. Knolle, Sharon (2017-06-06). "Five Chilling Documentaries about the Mob". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  3. Peter Chrisp; T. G. Fieldwalker (14 October 2013). Chrisp's True Crime Miscellany: Stories * Facts * Tales & Trivia. Octopus Books. pp. 99–. ISBN   978-1-78157-132-3.