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2 TV ENCORE By Kyla Brewer TV Media K nown as The Windy City, Chicago is famous for a lot of things — deep dish pizza, the L train and Oprah Winfrey to name a few. But the city is also infa- mous for being the setting of the rise of one of North America's most notorious organized crime syndicates: The Chicago Outfit. A new docuseries offers view- ers a dramatization of the events that led to the rise and fall of one of the Mob's founding mem- bers. Michael Kotsohilis ("The Dark Side of War," 2009) stars as iconic gangster Al Capone in a new episode of "The Making of the Mob: Chicago," airing Monday, Aug. 15, on AMC. In addition to dramatic reenact- ments, the program features archival footage and photos, as well as interviews with histori- ans, authors, law enforcement personnel and actors famous for their portrayal of gangsters. Actor Ray Liotta ("Goodfellas," 1990) narrates the series, which is now in its second season. The first season focused on the rise of the New York Mob, particularly with reference to Lucky Luciano, who was credited with revolu- tionizing the Big Apple's orga- nized crime hierarchy by forming alliances and creating the Five Families. Attracting around a mil- lion viewers per episode, the debut season was a respectable success for AMC, so it came as no surprise when the show was renewed. "The histories and the spec- tacular personalities inside the Avelle Mechanical 2 x 3" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" Rans Funeral 2 x 3" On the Cover American mafia provides a fasci- nating real-life look at organized crime, and allows us to expand the storytelling beyond New York City," said AMC executive Joel Stillerman. "Al Capone is one of the most notorious crime figures, and 'The Making of the Mob: Chicago' showcases the canny criminal minds and brutish no- nonsense killers that will stop at nothing for power." The eight-episode series picked up with Capone's early days in New York, and followed him on to Chicago, where he worked with his childhood mentor in the underworld: Johnny Torrio (Paolo Rotondo, "The Insider's Guide to Happiness"). After Prohibition was established, Capone got into the bootlegging business, garner- ing a reputation for his ruthless practices and flamboyant life- style, which attracted the atten- tion of President Herbert Hoover. For a time, he was seen as a man of the people, even donating some of his ill-gotten gains to charity. However, the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre shat- tered that rock star gangster image. Capone is believed to have been responsible for the murder of seven members of the rival North Side Irish Gang in a bid for power. Season 2 of "The Making of the Mob" features appearances by actor Vincent Pastore ("The Sopranos") and Michael Madsen ("Reservoir Dogs," 1992), both famous for their portrayals of Capone-like gangsters. Jonathan Eig, a New York Times best-sell- ing author and a renowned Capone expert, also shares his thoughts, as does former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman. While the focus of the series rests squarely on Capone's brawny shoulders, he isn't the only gangster featured in this season of the docuseries. Along with the aforementioned Rotondo as famed Italian- American mobster Torrio, "The Making of the Mob: Chicago" stars Jason Fitch ("Shortland Street") as enforcer Tony Accardo, newcomer Christopher Valente as "The Brains" Paul Ricca, and Emmett Skilton ("The Almighty Johnsons") as Sam Giancana, known as The Wild Card. Hollywood has long tapped organized crime for stories, and some of the most memorable films in history have dealt with the workings of the American Mob. From "The Godfather" (1972) to "Scarface" (1983) to even TV's "The Sopranos," North American audiences seem to be fascinated with the Mob, which is good news for AMC. "The Making of the Mob" appears to have a solid following, with about a million live viewers per episode last season, and another 500,000 or so tuning in at their convenience. Things appear to be on track for Capone's turn in the spotlight, as the opener attracted close to 1.2 million viewers. Cable has recently been pio- neering this type of program: a hybrid of drama and real life, mixing history, dramatic reenact- ments and interviews with experts and other notables. Stephen David Entertainment, which produces "The Making of the Mob," is also known for the highly successful History Channel miniseries "The Men Who Built America." AMC recently wrapped "The American West," a similar series that took a look at the lives of famous native Americans, cowboys and lawmen, as well as notorious outlaws in the Wild West. While it's next to impossible to know the whole truth in such sit- uations, programs like these con- sult extensively with historians and experts. The Huffington Post has credited "The Making of the Mob: Chicago" with taking a more human look at Capone's rise. Based on his actions, there's little doubt the man was ruthless, but AMC's series presents a multi-faceted Capone as opposed to the one-dimensional killer he's often depicted as in other TV shows and films. George H. Xanthis as seen in "The Making of the Mob: Chicago" 'The Making of the Mob: Chicago' chronicles Capone's rise D&J Liquors 3 x 2" Harrison-Metzger & Rans Funeral Homes Marocco-Rans Funeral Chapel 574.753.6282 • 119 E. Market St. • Logansport www.ransfuneralhomes.com • Funeral & Cremation Services • Monument Sales • Preplanning Options Funded by Pathway from Pekin Insurance F 574.643.2265 • 304 S. Chicago St. • Royal Center 574.653.2265 • 123 E. Main Street • Kewanna w w w . p h a r o s t r i b u n e . c o m

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