by Joe Corso
“You can’t leave. We have you on medications and you’re still very weak from the loss of blood.”
“Just make sure I’m bandaged properly, and after the wedding, I’ll be back. I don’t want to leak while I’m there,” he said pointing to his shoulder. Jimmy was a convincing actor. He sounded better than he felt. He had no intention of letting her know that he almost collapsed when he stood up and yes, as she said, it was probably due to blood loss. When he regained a modicum of strength, he shuffled slowly to the phone that he spotted on the wall outside his room. It seemed to take forever to make it there and with tremendous effort, barely able to raise his arms and hands, he knocked the phone off the wall with his nose and holding it to his waist, dialed Tarzan.
Television trucks were stationed outside The Starlight Club night and day, waiting for something to break. The whole world was holding its breath for any news of Jimmy. This was the sort of thing that could make a reporter’s career. When Tarzan pulled up in front of the club, every camera aimed toward him and his car. Tarzan quickly turned off the engine and hastened to the other side to open the door. First a foot, then a bent knee, and then the foot again searching, making circular taps while feeling for the hard surface of the sidewalk. James Roman, with his jacket hung over his shoulders, looking like a prince, emerged from the car, leaning heavily on Tarzan. Silence filled the street as everyone held a collective breath. TV cameras had captured invaluable footage of the scene of the brave man who had left the hospital, against doctor’s advice, so he could attend the wedding of his friend.
Jimmy noticed the cameras and the reporters for the first time and stopped momentarily to smile. That was their cue - the crowd broke into clapping and cheering, chants and whistles. Reporters clambered to be the first to catch his words. Jimmy’s face was pale and he felt the dripping of blood from the wound in his shoulder. The cameras caught that too as they zoomed right into the bright red circle of widening stains dotting his clothes. Jimmy was vulnerable for the first time in his life, yet he wanted to give his fans what they wanted. He motioned that the mike be brought closer to him. His voice was weak and he apologized for not being able to say much, but as the mike was brought closer to his lips, he managed to say, “Thank you all for your prayers. I know that’s what pulled me through. I was told not to leave the hospital but you see, I promised to give the bride away tomorrow, and what kind of a guy would I be if I didn’t keep my promise? So if you’ll excuse me, I’m a little tired right now and I have a big day tomorrow, but I promise you, when I feel better, you can ask me all the questions you want. Thank you.”
Jimmy’s fans were moved by his loyalty to his friends and his courage. It was obvious that he was seriously ill. The words the television audience heard sounded like words from a wounded warrior’s heart. Jimmy was an anomaly. His adoring public just adored him more.
Red and Tarzan helped Jimmy up to the room, above the bar, where he settled onto the bed. As soon as his head rested on the pillow, he fell fast asleep. He needed rest, a lot of it. The men carefully removed his shirt and trousers. Soon there was a tap on the door. Doc had arrived, carrying a bag which he placed on the bureau. He took out its contents and placed them in a neat row on the bureau. He carefully removed the old bloody bandages, gently tended to his wounds and slowly replaced the bloody rags with fresh new ones. Jimmy slept all the while Doc was tending to him. The boys took turns sitting with him all throughout the night. At one point, when Red came in to check on him, Jimmy was struggling to put his pants on.
“Whoa! Stop right there. Whadda’ you think you’re doing?”
“Come on Red, help me with my pants. I’m a little tired.”
Red helped Jimmy down the stairs to a table. A few minutes later, the door to the kitchen opened and a chef appeared, holding a tray with breakfast on it. Jimmy was hungry. This was a good sign. In no short order, he ingested four slices of bacon, two eggs, two cups of coffee and two slices of whole wheat toast. All he needed was to be back with the boys in the safety of the Starlight Club. That was the best medicine in the world. Nothing better for the soul than a good hearty breakfast.
In the corner of the anteroom was a soft leather half moon lounge with a recliner facing it. Jimmy asked Red to help him to the recliner. He had tried it on his own and had almost fallen. Once seated in the comfortable folds of the leather, he raised the footstool, placing him in a position parallel to the floor. He closed his eyes, willing himself to find the strength to get through the day.
Chapter Forty
St. Leo’s church in Corona Heights was packed and the procession started promptly at two o’clock. James Roman stood with Mary at the front of the church just inside the front door. A cane supported him. The moment the organist started playing Here Comes the Bride, a pale and frail Jimmy the Hat handed his cane to Raft, took Mary’s arm into his left uninjured arm, and began the ceremonial walk down the aisle. He was in pain but the bride would never know. Jimmy counted the steps, panting and telling himself “just one more.” Each stride was more painful than the one before. His body was screaming in anguish, his head was spinning and Jimmy could feel the moisture of wet blood accumulating underneath his coat. As he approached the priest, Jimmy proudly handed off the bride to Trenchie and fell into a seat next to Moose and he rested there until the priest pronounced the couple man and wife. As soon as the words were spoken Jimmy leaned over and managed to whisper to Moose, “Get Red” before his head went limp, resting on Moose’s shoulder. Moose gingerly held his friend’s face and nodded to Red who rushed to Jimmy’s side, all the while yelling to Marco to have Tarzan bring around his car - they had to get Jimmy to the hospital right now.
In a quiet show of respect, row by row, the wedding guests began to file out of the church. Minutes seemed like hours until the church emptied. A gaggle of men gingerly carried Jimmy to the car through the sacristy, trying to hide him from prying eyes. Stationed at the sacristy door was a lone female reporter and her cameraman. She thought she was here to get her next great story about gangsters and movie stars but something odd was happening and she knew it. She had already ordered her crew to shoot the moment the door opened, no matter what, and they did. It would be the only footage of Jimmy leaving the church, and when it was shown later that night, there was much speculation about the movie star’s health.
Tarzan sped through the streets, running red lights and blowing his horn for traffic to clear his path while Red cradled a feverish, weakening Jimmy in his arms. “You’re gonna be all right kid - just hang on a little longer.” There was a sense of desperation in the car. Both men knew that Jimmy was fading fast - the question was would they make it to the hospital in time? Jimmy could sense death hovering nearby whispering in his ear and he opened his eyes unafraid and smiled, “What a great ride I had Red. The devil ain’t gonna get me Red. Him and me wouldn’t get along. God needs me. If the devil tries to push him around, he’s gonna need somebody to watch his back. Besides, me and God are pals. He loves me. He guided me to The Starlight Club and to all my pals . . . Red was surprised because he had never heard Jimmy speak of God. Red leaned closer as Jimmy said. “I want you to know it was a pleasure knowing you. You’re the closest I have to a family and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” He pulled Red closer and whispered to him. “I made you the executor of my will. When I’m gone, spread out whatever monies I have to whoever you think should have it. Take care of Bobby. He’s a good kid. He helped save me once and now he could use a little help himself. You’ll take care of that for me, won’t you Red?”
“Sure I will, Jimmy.”
“Promise me, Red. Promise me.”
“I promise Jimmy. You have my word on that.”
“Thanks Red. I knew I could count on you.”
Word had already reached the hospital that the movie star was on his way. Hoards of press members crowded the doors and driveway and the emergency room was filled to capacity with newsmen, reporters and television cameras. One phone
call had sent the media into a flurry. Jimmy was wheeled immediately into a room where doctors and nurses awaited him. The media, hoping for a story, for a moment turned their attention to the other star in the room - George Raft. Frankie, Red and Raft waited for three hours until finally a doctor emerged and led them into a small hospital office.
“I thought it would be better here away from the media.”
“Thanks, Doc,” answered Red. “How’s Jimmy?”
“We did our best, but he died a few minutes ago from an infection caused by a gunshot wound.”
Red was stunned. Somehow, he wasn’t expecting this. A little blood transfusion, a band-aid, some fluids - that’s all Jimmy needed. He paused, trying to let it all sink in, and turned and said, “George, you have experience dealing with the press. I’d appreciate it if you’d say a few words to them. Tell them about Jimmy passing away.” All three men walked back to the emergency room where Raft called an impromptu press conference.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know I accompanied James Roman to New York to attend a friend’s wedding. All of you know of the heroic act James Roman performed in saving the groom’s life. He left the hospital against the will of his doctors to keep his word to give away the bride at the wedding. I’m sorry to say James Roman passed away a few minutes ago.” The usually stoic Raft had difficulty finishing his sentence.
Shocked silence filled the room. No one expected to hear that James Roman, age thirty, and the country’s number one movie star was dead. The media’s questions began going off at lightning speed, one after another. Raft signaled that he would say no more and slowly walked toward the other men, joining them at their seats. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, everyone rushed the doors again, but this time making a hasty exit to report the news of the death of James Roman to the world.
The funeral was held at Frank E Campbell’s on Madison Avenue and it rivaled silent screen idol Rudolf Valentino’s funeral. Mourners covered several city blocks packed with mostly teary-eyed, broken-hearted women waiting to view their handsome movie star hero who had died tragically so young. Hollywood stars, politicians and the gang of wise guys were all there to show their respect. Trenchie, Mary, Big Red, Frankie, Tarzan, Ralph, Gibby and George Raft stood near the casket while the mourners filed past, viewing Jimmy in his final resting position. Moose was there, too, with a bandaged arm perched in a sling. He had grown close to Jimmy. Upon hearing of Jimmy’s death, he had reacted by putting his fist through a large plate glass storefront window, ripping his arm from his wrist to his shoulder, requiring over one hundred stitches. Bobby, The Starlight Club meat delivery boy, had asked Red if he could accompany them to the funeral parlor. Red, choked up, was touched and invited Bobby to join him in his car.
Weeping grown men held handkerchiefs to catch the waterfall that flooded their faces. Moose was almost inconsolable, as was Ralph struggling to hold his emotions in check. Trenchie told Mary he needed to step outside for a smoke but the truth was, he just didn’t like feeling this way - it was far too sad. Red wore dark glasses to hide his tears while Bobby looked on, almost in disbelief that these groups of tough guys were in so much pain. Red acknowledged him with a pat on his knee. Red couldn’t remember the last time he had cried. Mary looked at the grieving men from The Starlight Club. They were more like a band of brothers than the gangsters they were purported to be, she thought.
Father Patrick Hanlon from St. Patrick’s Cathedral conducted the service and when the service ended, a line of fifty-two cars escorted Jimmy to the Holy Rood Cemetery in Long Island. Red, with Bobby still at his side, waited while the casket was lowered into the ground.
Back at The Starlight Club, the guys and close friends all gathered to partake in a buffet fit for a move star, prepared by Red’s head chef. Father Hanlon said a few words and everyone raised their glasses and drank a toast . . . to Jimmy the Hat.
Epilogue
Present
You see Lynn, I was one of the guys who hung around The Starlight Club. I was young, I minded my own business, I never asked any questions, I kept a secret and everyone knew me because I was there every day. We lived in Astoria at the time and I used to pass The Starlight Club on my way home, so I’d stop in for a drink. I did this on a regular basis. I had no friends where we lived because all I did was work. Even with the long hours I put in at the butcher shop, I still worked on weekends loading trailers and if I needed extra money, I would drive a cab at night. After a while, these guys were the only friends I had and they proved to be good friends. I never told this to anyone, but when you was born, I didn’t have the money to get your mother and my baby out of the hospital and if it wasn’t for the three hundred fifty dollars that Big Red loaned me, I don’t know what I would have done. That was the only time I ever went to a loan shark to borrow money and when I went to repay the loan, he wouldn’t take the vig from me. I insisted, but he said the loan wasn’t business, that I was a friend and that he didn’t charge his friends interest. He was there for me when I needed help.
I became a fixture at The Starlight Club and I don’t think anyone realized it, but I knew everything that went on there. I heard it all and I seen it all and I locked it all in my memory. I met the three Gallo brothers and a lot of their men and I had occasion to speak with some scary crime bosses and a few honest politicians like Doc. I talked with movie stars and real bad men. But among the bad men, there were good bad guys like Red, Trenchie, Ralph and Tarzan and even Jimmy the Hat, I considered them all my friends. When you see the movies that James Roman starred in, you see a heroic handsome man, but if the truth was told, he was a real life gunman, a shooter who worked for Big Red and through Red, he became a famous movie star, but on the other hand he was a loyal friend who never let a buddy down and he’d give you the shirt off of his back. What connected him to me was a time when I was drivin’ through Corona Heights. I just finished my route and I was heading to The Starlight Club when I saw Jimmy havin’ a fight with two guys. He was doin’ his best but it was a losin’ battle. He was bein’ double tagged by two pro’s who were systematically takin’ him apart. I didn’t have any weapons but I looked around my van for my meat hook that I used to carry sides of beef. It’s what longshoremen use on the docks so I grabbed it and ran to help Jimmy. I stuck the hook in the shoulder of the first guy and as I pulled him away from Jimmy, the hook bit deep into his shoulder rippin’ tendons which put the guy out of action, cuz he couldn’t use his arm. The other guy turned to look at what happened to his buddy and Jimmy seized the moment and picked up a large stone and cold cocked the guy by slammin’ the rock into the guys head. Jimmy was still showin’ the effects of the beatin’ he had taken and he staggered over to the other guy, raised his right hand and slammed the rock into the guy’s face breakin’ teeth and knockin’ him unconscious. Jimmy was badly bruised with one eye shut and a fat lip, so I pushed him into my truck and took we off hopin’ no one wrote down the name or phone number of the butcher shop which was stenciled on the sides of the truck in large white letters. I drove him to The Starlight Club and Red handled it from there. But from that time on, Jimmy always looked out for me. He never really mentioned it again, but every time they got a load of swag, he always made sure something was put aside for me and he made sure Frankie did the same thing.
During the drive to Darien, Connecticut Bobby continued to explain the remarkable story of The Starlight Club to his fascinated daughter. He explained that Jimmy had made only four pictures for Columbia, but when they were released, they all became huge box office hits. Larry Bernstein had created another James Dean and what a coincidence . . . two great legendary stars and both of them named Jimmy.
He looked at his daughter as she drove and said to her, “Did you know he left me a million dollars? That’s how your mom and I could afford to buy our house in Massapequa, and that’s how we could afford to send you kids to college and that’s how we could afford to buy our condo by the water in Fort Lauderdale. It was all due to James Roman,
a major movie star. He made it all possible. And don’t forget Big Red didn’t have to give the money to me, he could have kept it for himself. But he was a man of honor and he kept his word to his dyin’ friend.
I’ll never forget the day that Big Red asked me to step into his office. I was deliverin’ meat and I thought maybe I did somethin’ wrong. You know, you start lookin’ for a reason why a big guy like Red would ask a kid like me to come to his office and I have to tell ya, I was more than a little nervous as I sat down. Red held an envelope in his hand explainin’ that Jimmy had written me into his will and left me somethin’. He told me that he was the executor of Jimmy’s estate and this was the last piece of business to complete. I asked him what it was that he left me and he acted as if he didn’t hear me and told me that Jimmy never forgot what I did for him that day when I stepped in and helped him during that fight.” Then looking at the envelope he held in his hand he said. ‘So he left you this.’”
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s a bank check for a million dollars kid, and it’s yours.” Lynn . . . I had just gone from a dead end job with no future, to being a rich man. I couldn’t wait to get home to tell your mother.” The old gent paused a moment to collect his thoughts. “Where was I?” Oh yes, then he continued the story from where he had left off.
“Big Red made sure that Bernstein did the right thing in givin’ the exact monies Jimmy earned to his estate, but he needn’t have worried because Bernstein was a stand up guy. Even though Jimmy’s weekly salary wasn’t up to Hollywood standards, his residual income from the percentage Red’s lawyers made, were included into his written contract and that amounted to millions of dollars in royalties. Jimmy the Hat died in 1962, and all the rest of the guys died in the intervening years. I’m an old man now and soon it’ll be my turn. And when I go, I hope that there’s a place like The Starlight Club and all my friends will be there with smiles on their faces waitin’ for me. Maybe they’ll have a drink ready for a toast. That would be nice. That would make me happy.”
