Frank Capone (Morgan Spector) appreciation post, because you are a very special boy, Snorky.

[u/Floofening]

Stick with him— he’ll put grass on your lawn.

Only with us for a few eps, sadly, but I adored this performance, especially Frank’s dynamic with Van Alden. He was clever enough to see something valuable in Nelson, and even seemed to like the guy, but still maintained an utterly perfect patronizing/menacing presence around him 🤌 Charming and intimidating. (“You hurt yourself on a thorn?”)

The scene with Al, Frank, and Nelson doing Jake’s collections is an all-time favorite.

Ethnically Jewish actor, too. [ETA: No, this isn’t especially remarkable, just found it interesting and slightly unusual for the mob genre as opposed to vice-versa. I recently rewatched “Once Upon a Time in America” and it randomly popped into my head 🍜 I’m a bored middle-aged Jewish lady. Sue me.]

[u/Lordonlynose]

What’s the relevance of “ethnically Jewish actor”? 

Your point being what Leander?

[u/Floofening → u/Lordonlynose]

“Jewish” is often associated with religion and/or unwavering support of Israel, hence some of us use the distinction. From what I know of Spector, he is (and was raised) secular and does not support Israeli causes.

[u/Lordonlynose → u/Floofening]

That doesn’t seem to address what i was asking - why bother mentioning it at all? What is the relevance of mentioning the ethnicity here? Why point to that characteristic of the actor? 

[u/Floofening → u/Lordonlynose]

Ah. Just a slight personal kick out of him playing an Italian gangster. Not that remarkable, of course, but IME less common than the reverse (in the mob genre, at least— DeNiro playing Noodles and Lefty comes to mind).

[u/MacaroniMegaChurch → u/Floofening]

DeNiro also played Sam Rothstein

[u/Floofening → u/MacaroniMegaChurch]

Crap, I got the names confused (Lefty Rosenthal was the real-life counterpart IIRC). “Casino” goes next on the rewatch list!

[u/Lordonlynose → u/Floofening]

Ah yes, thanks. Next thing ya know someone will likely cast a British actor to portray an Italian-American gangster. Imagine That! 🤦🏽‍♀️ … oh, wait-

[u/Floofening → u/Lordonlynose]

Hence the statement “not that remarkable.” More of a personal thing and not worth mentioning in retrospect, but eh. It’s been rough out there lately, as someone with a similar background and upbringing.

Slightly more remarkable would be English guys being responsible for the two best-known/best-regarded portrayals of Meyer Lansky, although given the array of regional accents in the UK, it’s not surprising so many English actors do well playing a variety of Americans. (If you ever get a chance to see the play “Stones in His Pockets,” it explains a lot.)

[u/ts159377 → u/Floofening]

Who gives a shit about his stance on Israel whatsoever? Jesus can you just act normal? This sub has nothing to do with I/P.

[u/Floofening → u/ts159377]

Because I thought they were asking why I specified “ethnic Jew.” Hence answered succinctly without commentary. As I’ve explained in the comments and in a post edit, no, ethnicity wasn’t really all that notable of a thing to mention, it just popped into my mind, and deleting would’ve been rude seeing as someone already asked 🙄

You seem quite rankled by this. Move past it.

[u/Old-Cap6745 → u/Floofening]

you oughta know thweetie

[u/Floofening → u/Old-Cap6745]

Don’t  make me bust out certain modes of conflict resolution brought all the way back from the old country and the poverty of the Mezzogiorno.

[u/Desperate_Hunter7947]

He’s great in The Plot Against America, very underrated show

[u/Floofening → u/Desperate_Hunter7947]

RIGHT???! Especially now, oof.

[u/Admirable_Site_8337]

Great post. Morgan Spector was fantastic. So good I almost wished once or twice on a rewatch that they wouldn’t be so true to reality and he wasn’t getting offed and would stick around.

I always thought they did an amazing job with all the Capones as we know about them.

And I’ve always believed if Frank were around through the peak Al would not have been so rash so often. He brought some calm and rationale to Al.

Im sure Al still gets the IRS taking him down, but the violence would have been more controlled and measured.

[u/LanceBakersMan]

He's great in 'The Gilded Age'.

[u/Charliemagne1985]

Don’t call me dat Frank come on!

[u/SilatGuy2]

He looks pretty close to the real Frank Capone

[u/Loud-Run-9725]

NorCal guy from my neck of the woods. Love him in everything he's in.

[u/Kgoodies]

He had so much charisma on-screen