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| · Q
- Dear Mr. Rosenthal: It's unlikely that you will remember me. I met
you at Crocs 3 years ago on a Tuesday night which was Ladies Night. At
the time I was a senior college student from Columbia, Missouri on
spring break. My friends and I had a marvelous time. The reggae band
was very good and the bars were packed. The line outside was on a wait
for 1 hour and you were kind enough to bring my friends and I up front
and inside. Since then I have become aware that you were characterized
by Robert De Niro in the movie Casino. I've seen the movie, and I
enjoyed most of it. Some of the scenes were extremely violent and
depressing. I would like to ask you, if I may, what ever happened to
your real wife who Sharon Stone played and have you remarried? I do
hope that I'm not invading your privacy. You've led a most fascinating
life to say the least. I'm blond and blue, and you said that you would
never forget me. Thank You. Karen S. Columbia, Mo. A - Hi Karen: Yes I do remember you and your friends and thank you for writing. Geri Rosenthal collapsed outside the Beverly Sunset Motel in Beverly Hills just before dawn on November 6th of 1982. The paramedics arrived at the scene approximately 45 minutes after 3-911 calls were placed. Their attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. She was then transferred to Cedars Sinai and placed on a life support system for 3 days. On November 9th at 10:20 p.m. her older daughter Robin instructed the hospital and the attending physician to pull the plug. Geri was brain dead without any possibility for normal recovery. Due to the unusual circumstances and through persuasion, a toxicology and eventually an autopsy was ordered by the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. The results determined that Geri died from an overdose of cocaine, Valium and other forms of narcotics. Geri loved life very much, however the thrill and fascination of traveling in the fast lane was more then she could handle, considering her unwillingness to be precautionary. She apparently overestimated her strength and tolerance for substance abuse. Additionally, she was not one who would welcome counseling or advice. Geri was a very healthy woman until she became addicted. I have never met anyone who practiced dietary and nutritional excellence to the level that she did. Never tried McDonalds other then a carton of milk. Green vegetables, fresh fish, chicken and salads were her choice. Unfortunately, she was either unwilling or unable to practice sound and safe discipline to her lifestyle. No, I have not remarried, nor do I ever intend to! Marriage without children is in my judgment, senseless, unrewarding, and generally destined for failure. That's simply my opinion and not necessarily true. By the way Karen, I would never forget any young lady that was naturally blond, blue and bright. Thank you for visiting my web site. I wish you good health and loads of prosperity. FR. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q
- Dear Mr. Rosenthal, Having just recently seen the movie Casino and
learning more about the facts I wonder if you would be willing to draw
comparisons between the artists and the true life characters?
Specifically Sharon Stone and your former wife who I understand to be
Geri. Robert De Niro portrayed you if I'm correct and Joe Pesci
portrayed Anthony Spilotro? Who did Don Rickles portray and finally who
did the owner of the Tangiers Casino portray? I did enjoy the movie
version and intend to read the book. Thank you for your time and
consideration. Respectfully, Janice Washington, DC. A - Sharon Stone had a most difficult role attempting to capture the various complexities of "Geri" in the true sense of realism. The director Martin Scorsese ultimately determined the degree and style of all the characters. Nick Pileggi wrote the majority of the screen version, however he did not have artistic control in spite of the fact that he unquestionably understood the characters at a much higher level then the director. The artists are professionally obligated to transform there roles precisely as directed. Consequently one could challenge or debate, did they accomplish the goal. The answer I believe becomes subjective therefore I can only respond in general terms rather then absolute. Sharon performed unusually well, however the true life character Geri was more dimensional. Sharon Stone is a highly accomplished actress but she's no snake charmer, Geri was! Sharon was trained for the the screen, Geri was a true born star who didn't need training. I believe that Sharon's character held more charm then the director allowed. Robert "The Great" De Niro is regarded as one of the all time super stars amongst his peers and within the entertainment industry who did the best that he could with the material at hand. It didn't turn out to be a "Raging Bull" or "Godfather II" performance, but then one might say, very few films reach that level. Were both somewhat introverted, Robert De Niro never boasts or speaks of himself in a godly manner and I believe in that sense we are much alike. He's a ladies man, I'm a wanna be. He's loaded, I'm more inclined to outspend him when the chase is on. I don't know Joe Pesci on a personal basis so I'll pass on that one. Don Rickles performance was intriguing. I do know Don quite well on a personal basis and he's probably the funniest fellow I ever met, gentlemen too. Had he been my real casino manger I would have fired him in a split second. The owner of the Tangiers was downplayed and diversionary by choice. The true life owner was highly intellectual and much more prominent then the screen suggested. Today Allen R. Glick is an extremely successful entrepreneur who circles the globe and would seem to possess unlimited potential. He's a strong advocate of advanced capitalism and understands the right course for achievement. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the movie, you'll find the book by Nicholas Pileggi to be very interesting and informative. Good luck. FR. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q
- Dear Frank, I'm curious, hopefully you won't consider be to out of
line of nosey? Could you and would you tell me what really made "Geri
Rosenthal" your former lovely wife tick, and was she a very complex
woman? Last, why did the marriage fail? Thank you very much.
Respectfully Lisa, Orange County, CA. A - Not being a psychologist I could only offer you an opinion that may be subjective rather than clinical. Don't be concerned about the intrusion (nosey), your question comes up quite often, not necessarily the way you framed it, but in the general sense. What made Geri TICK! So many things. She loved to party, drink, dress to kill, jewelry, gourmet dining and then some! That's not all that made her tick, but it does provide you with a picture of sorts. She was an extremely complex individual, far beyond my ability to describe. "Last", it was doomed from day one. Geri's addictions were not compatible for a successful marriage or any form of a lasting relationship. That is not intended to demean or degrade her. She was one tough cookie, so was I. Good Luck, FR. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q
- Hello Mr. Rosenthal, I have seen Casino countless times and will pick
up the book next week. You may have been mob connected but as far as
i'm concerned you were given the run around. At any rate, my question
is just how accurate is the movie? I realize that writers and directors
take some liberties with a story and the move was "Based on" real life
events. Unfortunately, sometimes "based on" doesn't mean very much
(i've seen some films that used the above line and the only thing they
had in common was the title). Thanks for a great site. My wife and I
will be going to Vegas for the first time this October with my father,
a twenty year veteran. Can't wait. Scott Reynolds A - The screen version of "Casino" is a mixed bag. I couldn't break down the degree of accuracy (non-fiction) versus dramatic license. The characters were well played, many of the scenes and events are relatively on target. Never did receive the "red carpet" at the Tangiers Casino. Never "juggled" on my TV show. Yes, 12 Blueberries in every Muffin. "Ginger" was a gorgeous, vivacious knockout just like "Sharon Stone." She was also one tough cookie who wouldn't back down to anyone! Ginger's true personality and character was more dimensional, complex and charming. "Nicky Santora" was a rough hombre, perhaps too rough. The "Ace" Robert De Niro was a sucker for blondes, ambitious, a perfectionist, uncompromising, and certainly imperfect. When you read "Casino" by Nick Pileggi you'll be able to answer your original question much better than I could. The book is just like Ivory Soap, 99% pure! Good luck to you and yours during your maiden voyage to the city of "Sin." Glad you enjoyed the site. FR. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q
- Dear Mr. Rosenthal, I am an actress in Los Angeles and I am extremely
passionate about the work that I do. I am doing a scene in my class
from CASINO and I am doing research on Ms. Geri. It would help me so
much and I would so much appreciate it if you could tell me about your
relationship with her before she started with the drugs and after. She
is such a fascinating woman and I am so interested in her story. I
thought I'd go right to the source. I know this may be a heated
request, but I had to take a shot. Onward! Kirstin Carlstrand LA, CA A - Heated request, not at all Kirstin. Geri has always been a popular and intriguing women, before and after. I would invite you to check out the archives on "Frankly Speaking." I recall some questions and answers that may be helpful towards your goal. Geri's story reads like a book, deep and long. Had she attempted to conquer her addictions her future could have been unlimited. She had all the right stuff going for her. Beauty, charm, brains, you name it, she had it. Good sense of humor, well spoken, the Bell of the Ball. Like most marriages ours ran hot and cold, smooth to rough. As I've mentioned in the past, Geri loved life in the fast lane, bullet speed. She was capable of striking friendships in a New York second. Women, not just men admired her beauty, poise and unique presence. Someone once said, "Nobody Beats The Bottle." Add "red devils," uppers and downers and you have a major catastrophe waiting to happen. Sharon Stone's portrayed Geri quite well considering the fact that her knowledge of the character was undeniably limited. Sharon and I had mutually agreed to continue a dialogue before and during principal photography. Unfortunately that became derailed due in part to the director Martin Scorsese and minor contractual delays. The fine author and screenwriter Nick Pileggi did have a good understanding of Geri, but to my knowledge the advantage was never utilized. Add Hollywood super star, Mr. Robert De Niro to the same list, he too had a distinct sense of what Geri was all about. Then there was Ruth Scott, friend and full time housekeeper who knew Geri as well as anyone. Ruth respectfully declined to be interviewed. Hence, you have a genius Hollywood director that failed to capture reality when it was right at his finger tips. The great one, Martin Scorsese struck out looking rather than swinging. So did Joe DiMaggio, swinging, not looking! Good Luck. FR. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - Who makes the line/odds? A - A group of commercial handicappers in Las Vegas provide a virgin service line to the casinos, which does not equate to a money line. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - How good/accurate is the line? A - It varies, from average to horrendous. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - Who opens the line first? A - Stardust, by way of lottery. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - What type of resumes do the service handicappers have? A - Former gamblers, most of whom went belly up. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - What makes the line move quickly? A - Wiseguys, injuries, wind, rain, snow, followers, line error, big bucks, etc. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - How do you determine what the line is on your Free Picks or Paid Picks? A - By way of the top 10 sport books in Las Vegas, live from the casino via the Internet. You too can log on to "Live Odds" via this site or through subscription. Ours are FREE, & you don't have to be in Las Vegas. Right from your family room, but you need to be quick, very quick! The line moves rapidly without notice. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - Any Free tips? A - If you like underdogs/puppies keep an eye on the Hilton's sports book. They lean towards chalk/favorites. [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - Do you bet on your selections? A - Sometimes, when a game appears to have all of the "favorable" components necessary for sound investment, but there's no guarantee that I'll score each & every time! [ Back to Top ] | |
| · Q - How sharp are the group called the "Computer Syndicate?" A - They're double tough, know all the tricks of the trade & they play switch, reverse & hard ball. They also bleed red! [ Back to Top ] |
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