Overview

The true story of Hitler’s plot to turn Hollywood’s Dream Factory into a Nazi propaganda machine—and the Jewish moguls’ clandestine operation to sabotage the Reich’s insidious reach. World War II began at Hollywood and Vine. From the moment Hitler took power in Germany in 1933, there was no American city he wanted to rule more than Los Angeles. Control the moviemaking capital of the world and Hitler could control the message that came out of it: As clear as black and white, America and all of Europe would see him as a hero and Jews as the villains. That the industry was run by Jewish men—Adolph Zukor, Sam Goldwyn, David O. Selznick, and the Warner brothers, among them—would make his victory all the sweeter. Unfortunately for Hitler, he had no idea who he was dealing with or what he up against in the City of Angels. Recognizing the threat, the movie moguls pooled their resources and financed a clandestine operation to subvert the sabotage. Their teams of undercover spies would infiltrate the German-American pro-Hitler organizations already gestating in Southern California and take out the vile Nazi agents of chaos one by one—by any means necessary. This mission to protect the American way would span a decade. Unfolding like a real-life World War II espionage thriller, and as explosive as nitrate, Hollywood vs. Nazis is one of the most fascinating chapters in heroic American history—and true movie lore—ever told.

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9780806544786

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Reviews

Praise for Michael Benson: “Chockablock with life-threatening espionage, clandestine tradecraft, and a world hanging in the balance, Michael Benson’s Hollywood Vs. Nazis is as gripping as any Tinseltown spy thriller. As his previous tome detailed American gangsters battling Nazi party members in the US in the years before World War II, Hollywood Vs. Nazis highlights how Hollywood moguls funded the fight against Nazi efforts to win American hearts and minds. Not surprisingly, a propaganda war against Hollywood was always doomed to fail, but as ever, Benson reminds us that history, done right, can be great fun.” —Todd Farley, author of Making the Grades and New York Posts on Hollywood vs Nazis “The book you are holding is a whirlwind tale, a roller coaster ride through Hollywood history. Its cast of characters includes names such as Chaplin, Keaton, Valentino, Talmadge and Monroe, lest we forget Hitler and Luciano. It’s got chills, thrills, romance, comedy, intrigue, and danger; it’s equal parts The Last Tycoon and Horatio Alger, except this story is real. Hell, somebody should make a movie out of this.” —Terence Winter, writer of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and The Wolf of Wall Street on MOGULS “This illuminating book sheds light on brothers at least as influential as the Warners, but lesser known in cinematic popular culture.” —Library Journal on MOGULS “Michael Benson’s nonfiction masterpiece Gangsters vs. Nazis reads like speculative fiction at its very best, even though the incidents the book portrays are very much real…One of the most rivetingly relevant reads I’ve ever encountered, chock-full of real-life heroes and villains who are every bit the match for the best that thriller fiction has to offer.” —Jon Land, The Providence Journal on Gangsters vs Nazis “It is a colorful tale. It reads in many places like a mid-20th century Jimmy Cagney movie or Mickey Spillane novel come to life. It occurs in the same settings and the author uses the Runyonesque language of the genre. The mobsters deal out knuckle sandwiches and whack foes on the noggin. At one point Benson urges readers to think of one team as “The Dirty Dozen with some Yiddish thrown in.” —Ricochet on Gangsters vs Nazis “Benson tells this little-known chapter of American Jewish history well and with passion. The prose is colorful and direct.” —New York Journal of Books on Gangsters vs Nazis “Told in a colorful, Runyonesque style, the tale is about one of the strangest campaigns of the late 1930s. It shows how the Jewish American community organized to fight the German American Bund and other fascist groups in the United States in the years prior to America’s entry into World War II. To break up Nazi rallies and bust heads, the community enlisted Jewish gangsters, the author claims—not “good guys” protecting the American way. This is a fascinating and entertaining read.” —The Epoch Times on Gangsters vs Nazis “From indoctrinating youth camps to jack-booted rallies promoting Adolf Hitler, pre-World War II America was threatened by the rise of Nazism. Gangsters vs. Nazis is a must-read, eye-opening account that brings to life the violent struggle between these home-brewed storm troopers and an army of unlikely patriots; gangs of fist-swinging Jewish mobsters willing to break bones and crack heads in order to turn back the Nazi menace.” —Larry Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers on Gangsters vs Nazis “Benson is a master of true crime.” —Robert Scott on Gangsters vs Nazis

Praise for Michael Benson: “A wonderful read with a thoughtful handling of a very serious and complex subject matter. Lovers of Hollywood and history will find Michael Benson’s new book fascinating and entertaining.” —Craig Singer, co-author of Moguls and Emmy-nominated film writer, producer, and director “Chockablock with life-threatening espionage, clandestine tradecraft, and a world hanging in the balance, Michael Benson’s Hollywood Vs. Nazis is as gripping as any Tinseltown spy thriller. As his previous tome detailed American gangsters battling Nazi party members in the US in the years before World War II, Hollywood Vs. Nazis highlights how Hollywood moguls funded the fight against Nazi efforts to win American hearts and minds. Not surprisingly, a propaganda war against Hollywood was always doomed to fail, but as ever, Benson reminds us that history, done right, can be great fun.” —Todd Farley, author of Making the Grades and New York Post contributor, on Hollywood vs. Nazis “The book you are holding is a whirlwind tale, a roller-coaster ride through Hollywood history. Its cast of characters includes names such as Chaplin, Keaton, Valentino, Talmadge, and Monroe, lest we forget Hitler and Luciano. It’s got chills, thrills, romance, comedy, intrigue, and danger; it’s equal parts The Last Tycoon and Horatio Alger, except this story is real. Hell, somebody should make a movie out of this.” —Terence Winter, writer of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and The Wolf of Wall Street, on Moguls “This illuminating book sheds light on brothers at least as influential as the Warners, but lesser known in cinematic popular culture.” —Library Journal on Moguls “Michael Benson’s nonfiction masterpiece Gangsters vs. Nazis reads like speculative fiction at its very best, even though the incidents the book portrays are very much real. . . . One of the most rivetingly relevant reads I’ve ever encountered, chock-full of real-life heroes and villains who are every bit the match for the best that thriller fiction has to offer.” —Jon Land, The Providence Journal, on Gangsters vs. Nazis “It is a colorful tale. It reads in many places like a mid-20th century Jimmy Cagney movie or Mickey Spillane novel come to life. It occurs in the same settings and the author uses the Runyonesque language of the genre. The mobsters deal out knuckle sandwiches and whack foes on the noggin. At one point Benson urges readers to think of one team as The Dirty Dozen with some Yiddish thrown in.” —Ricochet on Gangsters vs. Nazis “Benson tells this little-known chapter of American Jewish history well and with passion. The prose is colorful and direct.” —New York Journal of Books on Gangsters vs. Nazis “Told in a colorful, Runyonesque style, the tale is about one of the strangest campaigns of the late 1930s. It shows how the Jewish American community organized to fight the German American Bund and other fascist groups in the United States in the years prior to America’s entry into World War II. To break up Nazi rallies and bust heads, the community enlisted Jewish gangsters, the author claims—not ‘good guys’ protecting the American way. This is a fascinating and entertaining read.” —The Epoch Times on Gangsters vs. Nazis “From indoctrinating youth camps to jack-booted rallies promoting Adolf Hitler, pre-World War II America was threatened by the rise of Nazism. Gangsters vs. Nazis is a must-read, eye-opening account that brings to life the violent struggle between these home-brewed storm troopers and an army of unlikely patriots; gangs of fist-swinging Jewish mobsters willing to break bones and crack heads in order to turn back the Nazi menace.” —Larry Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers “Benson is a master of true crime.” —Robert Scott on Gangsters vs. Nazis

Author Information

Michael Benson is the acclaimed author of nonfiction history and crime books, including Gangsters vs. Nazis, Hollywood vs. Nazis, Evil Season, and Betrayal in Blood, as well as Moguls, co-authored with Craig Singer. He is also one of America’s most accomplished and popular Mafia experts, having co-authored numerous books on the subject, including Carmine the Snake, Mafia Hit Man, Lord High Executioner, Red Hook, Carlo Gambino, and Olive Oil King with Frank DiMatteo and Mafia Secrets with Gianni Russo. He is a regular commentator, appearing on numerous radio and television shows such as 20/20, On the Case with Paula Zahn, and Deadly Sins on the ID: Investigation Discovery channel. A recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award, he can be found on Facebook at /AuthorMichaelBenson.

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