Actors in the Movie Casino: A Look at the Iconic Performances
VisibleHorrorFan
Cinematic Exploration
Something about casino news and the lifestyle surrounding them makes movie production much safer than a roll of the dice. The entertainment and excitement are perfect for stories and characters.
One of the best examples is the movie Casino itself. The actors in the movie Casino were a superstar cast. Director Martin Scorcese went all out to create a vibe that one would feel in any of the ritzy gambling establishments nationally or internationally.
Who Was in the Movie Casino?
The actors in the 1995 flick were and are a who’s who of Hollywood: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, Kevin Pollak, and James Woods topped the credits.
De Niro and Pesci were the perfect combo. They played off each other brilliantly. De Niro is the operator of the casino and Pesci is the loose cannon. How could you not love names like Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein and Nicky Santoro? Names straight out of real-life gambling, risk-taking, and thrills, right?
What would any movie of this genre be without the vixen/girlfriend of the casino boss? It was a perfect showcase for Sharon Stone and ignited her road to other roles that resonate to this day. The stunning Stone earned an Academy Award nomination for her role.
Blending Fantasy and Reality
The credit for directing and casting goes to Scorcese, who has made himself a legend with this type of production. The catalyst for the movie was a non-fiction novel. You know-non-fiction as in truthful.
Nicholas Pileggi wrote Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. He plucked the content from the lives of Stardust boss Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal and Anthony Spilotoro. Wiseguys were the perfect pair to control Sin City through their power and menacing ways. De Niro and Pesci knew who to take care of and how to take care of those who wouldn’t listen.
Of course, where there is power and money and a woman involved, trouble follows. De Niro’s character was obsessed with total power. He wanted to be a king – and not in a deck of cards. He was Vegas royalty and everyone had to bow to his wishes.
Spilotoro, meanwhile, did the dirty work. He was wound tight and bounc to unravel. Add in this lust for Rosenthal’s muse, Ginger McKenna (played by Stone) and you had the recipe for an implosion.
Scorcese’s Magic Touch
Part of the allure and charm of Las Vegas and the casino world are the sidebar characters that accompany them.
Scorcese deftly worked these types into the movie. Actors such as Dick Smothers, Alan King, Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows had roles. Singers Frankie Avalon and Jerry Vale were also included in the script.
That’s the beauty and charm of Sin City. Some people are as much a part of Las Vegas as big-time players like Elvis and the Rat Pack were over time.
Creating History
While Casino wasn’t the first movie to celebrate the characters and lifestyle in Las Vegas, it ignited a genre.
Whether in the movies or television, there have been numerous productions that have been built around the life, times, and crimes in Vegas.
Robert Ulrich had starred as a private detective in the ABC series Vega$ from 1978-81. The late, great James Caan, Josh Duhamel, and a bevy of beauties were in the series Las Vegas from 2003-2008. Caan played casino boss Ed Deline and the show featured numerous actors in cameos or prominent roles in episodes.
The Player and Breaking Vegas also fit into the genre. There are other ways to build Vegas-type characters and intrigue into shows. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit had a theme where Det. Rollins got herself in over her head in an underground card game.
All these ideas can be traced back to a movie like Casino. The brilliance of the plot and perfect casting were perfect fodder for copycats to spin off the idea.
The most recent – and one of the most brilliant – examples is the current series Hacks. The show has all the elements of Casino, characters straight out of Las Vegas history fast-forwarded to more modern times.
It combines the best of what Casino brought together: Money, crime, the excitement around game-playing, and the non-stop action that casinos breathe. Remember, there is a reason there are no windows or clocks in the casino. They suspend time. You don’t know whether it is day, night, or how long you have been involved in the action.
That’s why the movie Casino continues to resonate. Like life in a casino, it truly is timeless.
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Cinematic Exploration
Something about casino news and the lifestyle surrounding them makes movie production much safer than a roll of the dice. The entertainment and excitement are perfect for stories and characters.
One of the best examples is the movie Casino itself. The actors in the movie Casino were a superstar cast. Director Martin Scorcese went all out to create a vibe that one would feel in any of the ritzy gambling establishments nationally or internationally.
Who Was in the Movie Casino?
The actors in the 1995 flick were and are a who’s who of Hollywood: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, Kevin Pollak, and James Woods topped the credits.
De Niro and Pesci were the perfect combo. They played off each other brilliantly. De Niro is the operator of the casino and Pesci is the loose cannon. How could you not love names like Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein and Nicky Santoro? Names straight out of real-life gambling, risk-taking, and thrills, right?
What would any movie of this genre be without the vixen/girlfriend of the casino boss? It was a perfect showcase for Sharon Stone and ignited her road to other roles that resonate to this day. The stunning Stone earned an Academy Award nomination for her role.
Blending Fantasy and Reality
The credit for directing and casting goes to Scorcese, who has made himself a legend with this type of production. The catalyst for the movie was a non-fiction novel. You know-non-fiction as in truthful.
Nicholas Pileggi wrote Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. He plucked the content from the lives of Stardust boss Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal and Anthony Spilotoro. Wiseguys were the perfect pair to control Sin City through their power and menacing ways. De Niro and Pesci knew who to take care of and how to take care of those who wouldn’t listen.
Of course, where there is power and money and a woman involved, trouble follows. De Niro’s character was obsessed with total power. He wanted to be a king – and not in a deck of cards. He was Vegas royalty and everyone had to bow to his wishes.
Spilotoro, meanwhile, did the dirty work. He was wound tight and bounc to unravel. Add in this lust for Rosenthal’s muse, Ginger McKenna (played by Stone) and you had the recipe for an implosion.
Scorcese’s Magic Touch
Part of the allure and charm of Las Vegas and the casino world are the sidebar characters that accompany them.
Scorcese deftly worked these types into the movie. Actors such as Dick Smothers, Alan King, Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows had roles. Singers Frankie Avalon and Jerry Vale were also included in the script.
That’s the beauty and charm of Sin City. Some people are as much a part of Las Vegas as big-time players like Elvis and the Rat Pack were over time.
Creating History
While Casino wasn’t the first movie to celebrate the characters and lifestyle in Las Vegas, it ignited a genre.
Whether in the movies or television, there have been numerous productions that have been built around the life, times, and crimes in Vegas.
Robert Ulrich had starred as a private detective in the ABC series Vega$ from 1978-81. The late, great James Caan, Josh Duhamel, and a bevy of beauties were in the series Las Vegas from 2003-2008. Caan played casino boss Ed Deline and the show featured numerous actors in cameos or prominent roles in episodes.
The Player and Breaking Vegas also fit into the genre. There are other ways to build Vegas-type characters and intrigue into shows. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit had a theme where Det. Rollins got herself in over her head in an underground card game.
All these ideas can be traced back to a movie like Casino. The brilliance of the plot and perfect casting were perfect fodder for copycats to spin off the idea.
The most recent – and one of the most brilliant – examples is the current series Hacks. The show has all the elements of Casino, characters straight out of Las Vegas history fast-forwarded to more modern times.
It combines the best of what Casino brought together: Money, crime, the excitement around game-playing, and the non-stop action that casinos breathe. Remember, there is a reason there are no windows or clocks in the casino. They suspend time. You don’t know whether it is day, night, or how long you have been involved in the action.
That’s why the movie Casino continues to resonate. Like life in a casino, it truly is timeless.