Photograph was edited for publication purposes. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Tony Brancato moved to Los Angeles and became involved in the organized crime scene, including illegal gambling, narcotics, and bootlegging. He was a suspect in many mob murders, including that of New York mobster Bugsy Siegel, and in a botched attempt to kill Mickey Cohen. Anthony Trombino, also from Kansas City, became Brancato's partner in crime and they became known as "the two Tonys." After robbing the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, the men became wanted by the mob and the FBI. Jimmy "the weasel" Fratianno set up a meeting with the two to discuss a bank robbery. On August 6, 1951, Brancato and Trombino were found shot to death in the front seat of a car on Ogden Drive near Hollywood Boulevard. Though many mobsters were arrested, phony alibis allowed all of them to escape punishment. Over 25 years later, after entering the federal Witness Protection Program, Fratianno confessed to murdering the pair. Photograph caption dated August 7, 1951 reads "Crowd of neighbors, policemen and newspapermen jam the scene of double gang-slaying last night in front of 1648 North Ogden drive, Hollywood, where two Kansas City hoodlums were rubbed out in car (arrow). Two bullets into backs of each of their heads killed Tony Brancato, 36, and Tony Trombino, 31. Both had been linked with Mickey Cohen and the late Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel. Killer ran across street, fled in car facing in opposite direction." A crowd has gathered on both sides of the street. A home can be seen and several cars, including a coroner's vehicle, are in the street.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 33 cm. Photographic prints
Brancato, Tony--Death and burial Trombino, Anthony--Death and burial Dead persons--California--Los Angeles Crime--California--Los Angeles Murder victims--California--Los Angeles Murder--California--Los Angeles Criminals--California--Los Angeles Shooting--California--Los Angeles Organized crime--United States Automobiles--California--Los Angeles Police--California--Los Angeles Crowds--California--Los Angeles Men--California--Los Angeles Spectators--California--Los Angeles Women--California--Los Angeles Dwellings--California--Hollywood (Los Angeles) Streets--California--Hollywood (Los Angeles) Ogden Drive (Los Angeles, Calif.) Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) Night photographs Los Angeles Evening Herald Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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