History UsefulNotes / AlCapone

Torrio subsequently invited Capone to join him as a partner when he took over the businesses of Chicago crime lord "Big Jim" Colosimo and expanded his operations to take advantage of the lucrative market for bootlegging created by the passage of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act, which banned the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic drinks in the US. After Colosimo's murder in May 1920 (many believe that Capone personally killed him), Torrio and Capone soon established themselves as one of the major players in Chicago's rising organized crime world.

Torrio and Capone established a monopoly for illegal activities in the nearby town of Cicero, but their South Side Gang was still caught up in a mild turf war against Irish-American bootlegger Dion O'Banion and his North Side Gang. When O'Banion was murdered, all hell broke loose amongst the gangs in Chicago and a MobWar began as his subordinates sought revenge. Torrio, a pacifist who narrowly survived an assassination attempt during these events, opted to abandon Chicago and leave all his operations to Capone.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/al_capone.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"Hell, it's a business... All I do is supply a public demand. I do it in the best and least harmful way I can. I can't change the conditions. I just meet them without backing up."'']]

Torrio subsequently invited Capone to join him as a partner when he took over the businesses of Chicago crime lord "Big Jim" Colosimo and expanded his operations to take advantage of the lucrative career of bootlegging created by the passing of 18th Amendment in the United States, banning the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic drinks. After Colosimo's murder in May 1920 (many believe that Capone personally killed him), Torrio and Capone soon established themselves as one of the major players in Chicago's rising organized crime world.

* ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'': Portrayed by Stephen Graham in this show, he first appears as a young thug trying to expand his share in the business. Over the course of five seasons, we see him becoming the crime boss of Chicago.

* Capone has been the subject of two theatrical-release biopics: ''Al Capone'' (1959), starring Creator/RodSteiger as the Big Fella, and ''Capone'' (1975), with Ben Gazzara as Scarface. He appears as a character in literally dozens of other movies, TV shows, and other media set in the period.

* In ''[[Literature/FightAndBeRight The World Of Fight And Be Right'']], Al Capone's parents emigrated to France instead of the United States. As of 1940, he has recently been elected Chief of State of France.

* In ''[[Literature/FightAndBeRight The World Of Fight And Be Right'', Al Capone's parents emigrated to France instead of the United States. As of 1940, he has recently been elected Chief of State of France.

* Capone has been the subject of two theatrical-release biopics: ''Al Capone'' (1959), starring Creator/RodSteiger as the Big Fella, and ''Capone'' (1975), with Ben Gazzara as Scarface. He appears as a character in literally dozens of other movies, TV shows, and other media set in the period. Some of the more notable appearances include:

Things started going downhill again when Capone had seven rival gangsters, mostly members of Moran's South Side Gang, killed in the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, bringing him unwanted national attention. While there is some speculation that he was innocent of that particular crime, or that the killing was engineered by his subordinates without Capone's knowledge, a number of his henchmen (among them "Machine Gun" Jack [=McGurn=], Fred "Killer Burke" and John Scalise) were soon connected to the massacre through circumstantial evidence and their own, after-the-fact boasting. The brutality of the killings shocked the nation and Capone's reputation with both the press and public immediately nosedived.

* PhonyVeteran: He would often claim the famous scars on his face were received in combat during World War I. In reality, he never served.

* ComicStrip/DickTracy's first arch enemy was a Capone {{Expy}} named Big Boy Caprice.

* OlderMentor: His right hand man, Frank Nitti, was thirteen years his senior.

'''Not''' a member of TheMafia , although his organization, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Outfit Chicago Outfit]], as well as Capone himself, sat on The Commission.

* Capone has been the subject of two theatrical-release biopics: ''Al Capone'' (1959), starring Rod Steiger as the Big Fella, and ''Capone'' (1975), with Ben Gazzara as Scarface. He appears as a character in literally dozens of other movies, TV shows, and other media set in the period. Some of the more notable appearances include:

* ''Film/NightAtTheMuseum: Battle Of The Smithsonian'' has an animated photo of him (played by Creator/JonBernthal) recruited by Kahmunrah, along with wax statues of Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible.

* ImprobableAge: Capone was only 26 years old when he took over the Chicago Outfit, and 32 when his reign ended with his conviction.

* OldderMentor: His right hand man, Frank Nitti, was thirteen years his senior.

* ''Film/RoadToPerdition'': In a deleted scene. His enforcer Frank Nitti appears in his place.

* The 1959 FilmNoir {{Biopic}} ''Al Capone'' starring Rod Steiger. Directed by Richard Wilson, it is pretty accurate to the record, with only a romantic subplot made-up for the film. It is highly accurate and deglamorized in its depiction of Capone's racket.

More than his contemporaries, Capone also cultivated a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity public reputation]] as a "businessman" who merely answered a public need by providing alcohol; his friendliness with the media and associations with various athletes and celebrities in Chicago didn't hurt. Capone often [[NeighborhoodFriendlyGangsters hosted soup kitchens for the poor]], and paid the hospital bills of bystanders, [[PetTheDog especially children]], who were wounded in gangland disputes. (His affection for children, at least, appears to have been sincere, considering that he was a doting father to his only son, Albert Francis "Sonny" Capone.) He also established ties with Chicago politicians, including the corrupt Mayor, William "Big Bill" Thompson, which prevented his prosecution by local authorities.

Alphonse Gabriel Capone (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947) was one of the first iconic American gangsters of the 20th century. He was the fourth son of first-generation Neapolitan immigrants. Born in New York City on January 17, 1899, Al dropped out of school and let himself be caught up in street gangs. During his teen years, Capone received his famous facial scars during an altercation with a man whose sister he insulted. His brawling behavior as an adult brought himself to the attention of racketeers Frankie Yale and Johnny Torrio.

* ''Literature/TheNightsDawnTrilogy'' has Al Capone return from [[TheNothingAfterDeath The Beyond]] at the height of the [[ZombieApocalypse reality dysfunction]]. He effectively takes over a planetary government.

* The episode * The Motorcross Trap" of ''WesternAnimation/BikerMiceFromMars'' has him and several other gangsters returns as zombies and fight the titular heroes. A later episode (" My Cheese Is Quick"), namedrops him when the BigBad Limburger gets in trouble from tax evasion.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/al_capone.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hell, it's a business... All I do is supply a public demand. I do it in the best and least harmful way I can. I can't change the conditions. I just meet them without backing up."'']]

* Played by Jason Robards, Jr. in Creator/RogerCorman's ''The St. Valentine's Day Massacre'' (1967).

* TwoFaced: He only had his distinctive scars on one side of his face.

* ''Series/YoungIndianaJones''

->''"He's OK. [[BrooklynRage He's from Brooklyn]], that's it."''

'''Alphonse Gabriel Capone''' (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947) was one of the first iconic American gangsters of the 20th century. He was the fourth son of first-generation Neapolitan immigrants. Born in New York City on January 17, 1899, Al dropped out of school and let himself be caught up in street gangs. During his teen years, Capone received his famous facial scars during an altercation with a man whose sister he insulted. His brawling behavior as an adult brought himself to the attention of racketeers Frankie Yale and Johnny Torrio.