Tag: Chicago Kenny’s Tours and Road Trips

Jim Colosimo – Chicago’s First Vice Lord

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Big Jim Colosimo was assassinated, shot behind the ear on May 11, 1920.  His life ended in the foyer of a night-club he owned; Colosimo’s Cafe at 2126 South Wabash Ave. At the time, Big Jim was considered to be the most powerful crime boss in Chicago. He was the first Don of an organization that would later be known as the Chicago Outfit.

Excerpts from an editorial, Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1920:  “Jim Colosimo ruled in his world. Out of his rule came suddenly death to him. Raised to the throne of the half-world, he was a maker and breaker of political aspirations. His methods were ruthless, considering the law only so far as to avoid its penalties. The penalty which came to him was not of the law but of the kingdom which he had built up.” 

While his murder remains unsolved, the authorities and subsequent historians believe the hit was the brainchild of Big Jim’s right-hand man, Johnny Torrio. The Boss assassinated by his trusted consigliere and enforcer who then inherited the “Kingdom” that Big Jim had built up.  Johnny “The Fox” Torrio was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral.

Colosimo’s ill-gotten gains allowed him the means to be interned in a casket and mausoleum that was worth as much as the average workingman’s home.   A one-mile long motorcade made the trip to Chicago’s Oak Woods Cemetery.

In the procession were Colosimo’s business associates; the gangsters, gamblers, madams and pimps, the leading citizens of the underworld. At the front marched 1,000 members of the First Ward Democratic Organization and 53 honorary pallbearers that included three Judges, eight aldermen, an assistant state’s attorney, a congressman, a state representative and leading artists of the Chicago Opera CompanyChicago Kenny's Historical Tours

Excerpts from Chicago Tribune: Such a tribute to men set up to make and enforce our laws, to a man who in much of his life was a law unto himself, is more than a tribute to friendship. It is a tribute to power, regardless of the source or justice of that power.”

The service ended with a quartet singing ”Nearer My God to Thee.”

For those wanting more information I highly recommend the book, The First Vice-Lord, Big Jim Colosimo and the Ladies of the Levee, by Arthur J. Bilek.

Chicago Kenny's Tours and Road TripsThey call me Chicago Kenny and I conduct private historical tours for groups of friends, families, social clubs and corporate outings. We pick you up at your residence or business and bring Chicago to you.

We also schedule road trips to Chicago to help people living in the suburbs enjoy what the city has to offer. Like our Face Book page to get invited to our next Chicago themed event.

Chicago Irish Folklore – Gold Tooth Mary, Whiskey Row and the Lone Star Saloon

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Chicago River St. Patrick’s Day, courtesy Chuckmans Photos.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Back in 1896, The Lone Star Saloon opened its doors for business on State Street, just south of Harrison, in one of the roughest places in Chicago, a neighborhood once known as Whiskey Row. The Lone Star Saloon has been closed for over one hundred years, its name forgotten. The legacy of the owner, however, a notorious Chicago Irishman may live on forever; thanks to his barmaid, the gal with one tooth named Gold Tooth Mary……….

Whether she happened to lose her pearly whites breaking up bar fights, starting bar fights, or the usual way by opening up bottles, no one ever found out the answer; you see there are some questions you never ask a lady, especially one from Whiskey Row. I thought to show her picture, to prove she once existed, but trust me on this and be thankful I didn’t!

The owner insisted that Mary sell shots of the house special advertised on signs hanging behind the bar. That golden smile and a wink was all it would take to get a man to shout out for a double. The next day the poor sick fellow would wake up in an alley, robbed of all his valuables.

Now if someone named Gold Tooth Mary handed you a glass and told you it was a Mickey Finn would you drink one? Back in the day on Whiskey Row the men did.  “Try a Mickey Finn Special,” the signs on the wall read, and the mastermind behind the scheme was the owner of The Lone Star Saloon, Chicago Irishman: Mr. Mickey Finn.

Mickey was prone to bragging that he had never been arrested because he was connected the Chicago way with his aldermen. However, when Mary became convinced that Mickey had his eye on her gold, she honestly and toothfully testified against him. The press was outraged and city officials responded, shutting down the Lone Star in 1903.

No one knows if Gold Tooth Mary landed another job on Whiskey Row, or perhaps ran off and married a dentist; the history books don’t say. But to this day, people are still finding ways to slip the unsuspecting a mickey, but only Chicago Irishman Mickey Finn, could get his victims to ask for one by name.

 

Chicago Kenny's Tours and Road Trips
Chicago Kenny, street scholar and tour guide.

They call me Chicago Kenny and I specialize in helping people learn more about the history of Chicago. We offer private tours for groups of friends, co-workers and family members.

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DID DICK VAN DYKE “OVERSLEEP” HIS WAY TO THE TOP?

Blog photo 1 I love Dick Van Dyke and he certainly doesn’t deserve this, but  I am starting a ridiculous rumor that just might make even him laugh.

Many famous entertainers are willing to confess that their success hinged on more than talent. Maybe for Dick Van Dyke, his big break started in bed at a flea-bag hotel in Chicago. For goodness sake check out how the man dresses. He looks like the type who would shamelessly oversleep his way to the top.

Recently I had the pleasure of listening to this comedy legend reminisce about his career on WGN Radio’s Dave Plier Show. Turns out back in the 1940’s, Dick was employed as a DJ in Danville Illinois and found himself with a golden opportunity to audition for a job at Chicago’s WGN. The main reason they didn’t hire him? He overslept and failed to show up for the interview.

He arrived in Chicago late one night by train needing to be up bright and early the following morning. Travelling on a young and broke budget, he checked into a fleabag hotel and left his wake-up call in the hands of the desk clerk. Call it fate or a simple matter of the hotel clerk sleeping on the job, Dick Van Dyke’s wake-up call never arrived.

Forced to travel on a different path he would eventually find himself on Broadway auditioning for a small time part. While singing a few bars and
done simply to settle his nerves, his feet began performing an unscheduled and unrequested soft-shoe. Those few nervous dance steps caught the eye of the director who rejected him for the bit part and instead offered him the lead role in Bye Bye Birdie. Dick tried unsuccessfully to talk him out of it because he sincerely didn’t know how to dance!

While accepting a Tony Award for his performance it probably never occurred to Dick that he should thank his old buddy the desk clerk in Chicago. If he had worked for WGN would he have ever been discovered on Broadway? I have no doubt he would have been a hit with the listeners. Household names like Wally Phillips and Roy Leonard felt content to spend decades broadcasting, and Orion Samuelson recently celebrated his 55th year with the station.

By Trailer Screenshot (Mary Poppins Trailer) {Public Domain} via Wikimedia Commons

The Dick Van Dyke Show has now aired on television for 55 years. Along the way, he has accumulated five Emmys, one Tony, a Grammy and a Hollywood Star on the Walk of Fame. Not bad for a guy who got lucky oversleeping in a hotel in Chicago and landed on top. I’m willing to bet the man can’t even spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

 

Chicago Kenny

A vision for Chicago’s Lakefront by Daniel Burnham

The lakefront by right belongs to the people. It affords their one great unobstructed view, stretching away to the horizon, where water and clouds seem to meet. No mountains or high hills enable us to look over broad expanses of the earth’s surface; and perforce we must come even to the margin of the lake for such a survey of nature.

These views calm thoughts and feelings, and afford escape from the petty things of life. Mere breadth of view, however is not all. The lake is living water, ever in motion, and ever changing in color and in the form of its waves.

Across its surface Read more

The night a Chicago gangster earned his infamous nickname!

Beautiful retro woman in 20s style party outfit

Like many bar-room fights this one started over a girl. Blood was spilled because someone dared to insult an Italian’s sister.  To fight for the honor of your family is a noble, time honored tradition. Today most people courageously rely on lawyers to do their dueling for them. The fight lasted only a few minutes, but the story is in the history books forever. It was the night an infamous nickname was carved with a knife.

The year is 1917. The place — a nightclub on Coney Island in New York. An Italian named Frank Gallucio is out on the town with his all grown up baby sister. To everyone else baby sister is a very attractive young lady and one of the men working at the bar is smitten by her looks. The young man is constantly walking past their table, staring at her with seemingly X-ray vision eyes and eventually he does the unthinkable, and makes a rude and crude Read more

Uncle Al Capone by Deirdre Marie Capone

capone bookI AM GOING TO MAKE HIM AN OFFER HE CAN’T REFUSE, LASAGNA AND A BILLY GOAT

Over the years I have read my fair share of biographies about Al Capone, most written by authors who had never met the man. Who would have thought that over sixty years after his death, we would be blessed with a first-hand account from Al’s grand-niece, Deirdre Marie Capone.

From a historical perspective this book includes several groundbreaking, jaw-dropping revelations. I have spent years wondering what ever happened to Al’s vast treasure after becoming incarcerated. After Al’s death, his wife, son and the rest of the Capone clan – while certainly comfortable – were not exactly living the lifestyle of the fabulously rich and infamous. Remember that the U.S. government believed that Al and the boys grossed 105 million dollars in one year alone. (Turns out my own theories on the matter were as wrong as Geraldo Rivera’s.) So what actually did happened to the families’ share? I do not want to steal all of the author’s thunder, so I feel honor-bound by the Outfit’s code of “omerta”to clam up. The answer is in the book!

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