The Godfather: Moe Greene’s Golden Las Vegas Tailoring

Alex Rocco as Moe Greene in The Godfather (1972) Vitals Alex Rocco as Moe Greene, brash mob-connected casino operator Las Vegas, Summer 1954 Film: The Godfather Release Date: March 14, 1972 Director: Francis Ford Coppola Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone WARNING! Spoilers ahead! Background Do you know who I am? I’m Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders! Despite his inflated opinion of himself and his importance to the city, Moe Greene actually had little to do with Las Vegas being founded 121 years ago tomorrow on May 15, 1905. Portrayed by Alex Rocco in The Godfather, the fictional character Moe Greene was inspired by the real-life gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, who was born nine months later on the last day of February 1906. Something of a celebrity gangster, Siegel’s profligate control over the fledgling Flamingo casino during its first months of operation convinced his Mafia Commission partners that he was likely responsible for skimming…