Dark Victory Ronald Reagan MCA and the Mob Forbidden Bookshelf Book 23 eBook Dan E Moldea Mark Crispin Miller
Download As PDF : Dark Victory Ronald Reagan MCA and the Mob Forbidden Bookshelf Book 23 eBook Dan E Moldea Mark Crispin Miller 
A “smoldering indictment” of the corrupt influences that rescued Ronald Reagan's career, made him millions, and shaped his presidency (Library Journal).
Founded in 1924, the Music Corporation of America got its start booking acts into speakeasies run by such notorious Chicago mobsters as Al Capone. How then, in only a few decades, did MCA become the driving force behind music publishing, radio, recording artists, Hollywood, and the burgeoning television industry? Enter Ronald Reagan.
By the late 1950s, Reagan was a passé movie actor. As president of the Screen Actors Guild, he was also MCA’s key client. With Reagan’s help, MCA would become the most powerful entertainment conglomerate in the world. And with MCA’s help, Reagan would secure a fortune (resulting in a federal grand jury hearing), be marketed to the public as a viable politician, and ascend to the presidency of the United States. But according to reporter Dan E. Moldea, there had always been another catalyst behind MCA Ties to organized crime that reached back to the company’s inception—and through Reagan’s Teamster-backed candidacy—had never been severed.
From the author of The Hoffa Wars, this is an epic and serpentine investigation into the insidious links among Hollywood, the Mob, and politics. Based on research of six thousand pages of previously classified documents, including the entirety of Reagan’s grand jury testimony, Moldea “has, through sheer tenacity, amassed an avalanche of ominous and unnerving facts. [Dark Victory is] a book about power, ego and the American way. Moldea has shown us what we don’t want to see” (Los Angeles Times).
Founded in 1924, the Music Corporation of America got its start booking acts into speakeasies run by such notorious Chicago mobsters as Al Capone. How then, in only a few decades, did MCA become the driving force behind music publishing, radio, recording artists, Hollywood, and the burgeoning television industry? Enter Ronald Reagan.
By the late 1950s, Reagan was a passé movie actor. As president of the Screen Actors Guild, he was also MCA’s key client. With Reagan’s help, MCA would become the most powerful entertainment conglomerate in the world. And with MCA’s help, Reagan would secure a fortune (resulting in a federal grand jury hearing), be marketed to the public as a viable politician, and ascend to the presidency of the United States. But according to reporter Dan E. Moldea, there had always been another catalyst behind MCA Ties to organized crime that reached back to the company’s inception—and through Reagan’s Teamster-backed candidacy—had never been severed.
From the author of The Hoffa Wars, this is an epic and serpentine investigation into the insidious links among Hollywood, the Mob, and politics. Based on research of six thousand pages of previously classified documents, including the entirety of Reagan’s grand jury testimony, Moldea “has, through sheer tenacity, amassed an avalanche of ominous and unnerving facts. [Dark Victory is] a book about power, ego and the American way. Moldea has shown us what we don’t want to see” (Los Angeles Times).
Dark Victory Ronald Reagan MCA and the Mob Forbidden Bookshelf Book 23 eBook Dan E Moldea Mark Crispin Miller
That is the conclusion one must come to when one finishes reading this expose of Reagan, MCA, and mostly the Chicago mob, but other crime elements such as the Meyer Lansky and Moe Dalitz criminal organiztions. A real eye opener for the novice when it comes the the real American political system. Mr. Reagans' was out for himself, no matter whose he had to stab in the back. He informed on his fellow actors who he called called Communists, knowing of course that domestic Communism posed no threat to American security, and that any fils written for "red purposes", would final many screenplay excerpts being penciled out. He was a servant of Mammon way back then, as well as Governor of California, and President of the United States. Yet, among many blue collar folks he is considered a hero-YIKES ! 5 StarsProduct details
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Dark Victory Ronald Reagan MCA and the Mob Forbidden Bookshelf Book 23 eBook Dan E Moldea Mark Crispin Miller Reviews
Dark Victory Ronald Reagan, MCA, and the Mob
Dan. E. Moldea has specialized in investigating organized crime, and has written for many publications. This book is about Ronald Reagan and his relationship to MCA, the powerful entertainment conglomerate. Show business, Hollywood and TV, play an important role in adjusting the thinking, wants, and buying habits of the public. They have more effect on people's lives than many churches. There are questions and allegations about Reagan and MCA. Are there links to organized crime (p.2)? MCA owns the largest motion picture and television production companies in the United States, and other businesses (p.3). In the 1940s Hollywood shifted its attention away from organized crime to the Communist menace (p.5). President Kennedy's term saw an investigation of anti-trust violations; it was settled out of court (p.6). MCA's executives made Reagan a multi-millionaire overnight, before he was made Governor. Reagan appointed "known associates of organized crime" to his campaign staff and later to positions in the Reagan administration. [This book must have been written before the drug smuggling and money laundering operations known as "Contragate" became public knowledge.]
Chapter 1 has the history of MCA and how it developed with the spread of radio and records, entertainment for the masses. Chapter 2 tells how organized crime developed in Chicago, moved into legal businesses and bought political protection. [No mention of strike-breaking or business rivalries.] They then moved into Hollywood and its cash-rich businesses. Will Hays hired gangsters to break unions (p.26). Payoffs to the union officers saved many millions in wages and benefits (p.27). Chapter 4 tells how the studios used union bosses to keep wages low and control their workers (p.37). The next chapters tell of anti-trust suits against MCA, and its business with competitors. It tells how big business and the Federal government acted for mob-controlled unions. The anti-trust ruling in the Paramount case allowed banks and others to finance motion pictures (p.80). The removal of Communists from Hollywood was followed by the increased involvement of organized crime (Chapter 11). The Kefauver Committee investigated organized crime (Chapter 12). They did not call Korshak (p.91). The Mafia was too powerful for Kefauver (p.92). Chapter 15 tells of Senator Barry Goldwater's friends (pp.118-119).
Chapter 21 explains MCA's monopoly a "blanket waiver". The Anti-Trust Division said this was a conspiracy between MCA and SAG (p.166). Chapter 23 has Ronald Reagan's grand jury testimony from Feb. 1962. His memory was "hazy on a great many things" (p.183). Reagan didn't want to over-expose himself, and would not do commercials (p.188)! One of Reagan's concerns was a pension plan for himself (p.194). Moldea explains 11-22-1963 on page 234. Reagan made a commercial for Goldwater (p.235). After this he was picked for governor (p.238). Was the sale of Reagan's ranch too good to be true (pp.240-241)? The remaining chapters cover the later career of Ronald Reagan, the business of MCA, and their symbiotic relationship. Reagan's link to MCA brought him wealth and fame. The `Epilogue' tells how Ronald Reagan tried to give away the publicly owned airwaves; "no antitrust problems" (p.307). Should the tried and proven anti-trust laws be junked because of "new economic realities" (p.313)? Should failure be rewarded? MCA's conflict with James Garner is on page 314. This section also tells about Lew Wasserman and Sidney Korshak. President Reagan cutback on the FBI's crime fighting and on other Federal investigations (p.319). Next he reduced funds to state and local authorities (p.320). Was Reagan a "fraud" (p.321)? The quiet scandals are listed here (p.324).
This book is very informative but sort of drags in parts due to its length.
Great book since I worked at MCA during this period.
Very well researched and a fascinating read for anyone interested in how back room Hollywood maneuvering propelled Reagan from a small time actor to all the way to the White House.
...to rebut the greatness of Ronald Reagan. Another bitter dose of truth to swallow not only
for the conservative Reagan supporter, but also for any American that lived during the time of the Reagan administration's polices.
It allows the reader to understand why Reagan made the policy decisions he made at the time.
Policy decisions which set in motion some of the economic damage that the country now faces.
when i was very young i worked in a support capacity for several of the key figures who had been involved in handling mr. reagan's career while he was a client of mca. (i respected these gentlemen, incidentally. compared to most of today's crowd they were professional, courteous, and had class). while i do not have inside information confirming anything that dan moldea has written here, he seems to have a good feel for the way things worked in hollywood. reagan almost certainly rose up in the world thanks to cronyism and sleazy deals-- especially the mca waiver, which dan covers well (as does lou cannon in his more famous book). maybe that doesn't exactly make our dear Ronnie a gangster, but it smells bad enough that it should stink up the man's reputation for as long as justice still has one good eye, as Joni Mitchell put it.
That is the conclusion one must come to when one finishes reading this expose of Reagan, MCA, and mostly the Chicago mob, but other crime elements such as the Meyer Lansky and Moe Dalitz criminal organiztions. A real eye opener for the novice when it comes the the real American political system. Mr. Reagans' was out for himself, no matter whose he had to stab in the back. He informed on his fellow actors who he called called Communists, knowing of course that domestic Communism posed no threat to American security, and that any fils written for "red purposes", would final many screenplay excerpts being penciled out. He was a servant of Mammon way back then, as well as Governor of California, and President of the United States. Yet, among many blue collar folks he is considered a hero-YIKES ! 5 Stars
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