What happened to Jimmy the Gent?

Jimmy “The Gent” Burke, age 64, died of lung cancer on April 13, 1996, at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. He was still serving his sentence and would have been eligible for parole in 2004.

Who is Jimmy Conway?

James “Jimmy the Gent” Conway (5 July 1931-13 April 1996) was a Lucchese crime family associate who organized the 1979 Lufthansa heist, the most lucrative cash theft in US history, and the murders of many of the participants afterwards.

Was Henry Hill a made man?

For example, famous Lucchese family associate Henry Hill, portrayed in the 1990 film Goodfellas, was unable to become a made man, despite his extensive Mafia career and his mother’s Sicilian descent, because his father was of Irish descent.

Is Goodfellas a true story?

Still, “Goodfellas” is just a movie. It’s not a 100% accurate portrayal of the life of a mafioso — or so you may think. While it’s far from being a 1:1 biography, “Goodfellas” is based on “Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family,” the biography of the real-world Henry Hill by author Nicholas Pileggi.

How many people Jimmy Burke killed?

It is claimed by some that he was involved in at least 50 murders during his career. He supposedly killed nine people following the Lufthansa Heist. After Jimmy Breslin had written a disparaging and accusative article on Paul Vario, Burke strangled the journalist almost to death in front of a bar full of witnesses.

Was Jimmy Conway real?

Though Henry Hill was a real person, the names of several other real-life gangsters were changed for the film. Jimmy Conway, for example, was actually James Burke a.k.a. Jimmy the Gent.

Was the helicopter following Henry?

But as Henry leaves the house, he spots a helicopter, which he believes is following him. That forces him to change his plans, roping in his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) to make it look like they’re an ordinary couple visiting her family and doing some shopping.

What crime family was the Goodfellas?

Lucchese crime family
Henry Hill was a member of the Lucchese crime family who became a federal informant, inspiring the Martin Scorsese movie ‘Goodfellas.

What is Goodfellas based on?

Wiseguy
Goodfellas is based on New York crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi’s book Wiseguy. Martin Scorsese did not intend to make another mob film, but he saw a review of Pileggi’s book, which he then read while working on the set of The Color of Money in 1986.

Who was Jimmy the Gent and what did he do?

James “Jimmy the Gent” Burke was one of the most notorious Irish-American gangsters of all time, a violent, ruthless criminal responsible for countless murders and one of the largest cash robberies in American history.

Who was Jimmy Burke and what did he do?

Burke was never an official member of the mafia. His Irish blood excluded him from its Italian-only ranks. But he spent his bloody career working closely with the made men and associates of two of the five New York City crime families. He had a son who joined him in organized crime and a daughter who married a gangster.

How old was James Burke when he died?

James (Jimmy the Gent) Burke, a legendary gangster and suspected mastermind of the 1978 Lufthansa theft of nearly $6 million in cash, died on Saturday at a Buffalo hospital. He was 64.

Who was the son of James the Gent?

The victim was the son of James ‘Jimmy the Gent’ Burke, who is believed to have masterminded the $5.8 million Lufthansa cash heist at Kennedy Airport in 1978. ‘Basically, he (Burke) was a career criminal and he tried to emulate his father,’ said Lt. Remo Franceschini, commander of the Queens District Attorney’s Detective squad.