Frank J. Russo gets 'Charlie Lucky'

Concert promoter forms Creative Pictures

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Concert and sports promoter Frank J. Russo has acquired "Charlie Lucky," a script by Joe Cortese that chronicles the criminal career of mobster Charles "Lucky" Luciano.

Russo, who has produced and promoted concerts featuring Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli over the course of a 39-year career, has formed Creative Pictures to make his first foray into the film business at age 62.

"Charlie Lucky" covers Luciano's rise from street hood to architect of the organized crime syndicate that ruled major U.S. cities. Pic will also depict Luciano's feuds with mob rival Vito Genovese and New York Gov. Thomas Dewey.

Dewey got Luciano convicted on trumped-up prostitution charges, then enlisted him to aid the U.S. during WWII. Luciano helped Gen. George Patton find the easiest route through Sicilyand helped clear German saboteurs out of New York harbor.

The script purports that Luciano, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky tried and nearly succeeded in getting Dewey elected president in 1948. Dewey then pardoned Luciano -- and deported him back to Italy.

Russo decided five years ago to write a Luciano film, resolving to self-finance if he had to. Russo got 45 pages in when he got an advance look at the "Charlie Lucky" script by Cortese.

"I wasn't aware of how involved Luciano was with Dewey," Russo said. "Joe wrote a compelling screenplay, and I wrote a seven-figure check."

Russo said he has already hired Fred Caruso, production manager of "The Godfather" and other films, and has secured the services of Bill Conti to score the pic.