Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of L.A.'s Notorious Mobster

Chronicling a gangster who captivated, corrupted, and terrorized Los Angeles for a generation, this biography relates the underworld career of Mickey Cohen. The subject’s above-the-fold newspaper name is explored, demonstrating how he screamed for and garnered headlines with notorious regularity from the late 1940s to the mid 1970s. Illustrating how Cohen was considered a Hollywood celebrity, the record documents how he accumulated more than 1,000 front pages in Los Angeles papers alone as well as features in Life magazine, Time magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, and many other national and international periodicals. Cohen’s story is blended with the history of mid-century Los Angeles, presenting a seductive, premium-octane combination of true crime and Hollywood legend revolving around a wildly eccentric mob boss. From tales of high life, high drama, and highly-placed politicians—among them RFK and Richard Nixon—to revelations about countless icons such as Shirley Temple, Lana Turner, and the Reverend Billy Graham, this rich tapestry delves into the darker side of the City of Angels, exposing powerful mobsters who silently inhabited the scene.