Nick arnstein biography

Nicky Arnstein

American professional gambler and con artist

Nicky Arnstein

Born

Julius Wilford Arndstein


(1879-07-01)July 1, 1879

Berlin, German Empire

DiedOctober 2, 1965(1965-10-02) (aged 86)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

NationalityAmerican
Other namesJulius Arnold, Jules Arndtsteyn, Nick Arnold, Nicholas Arnold, Wallace Norm, John Adams, J. Willard Adair
Occupation(s)Professional bettor, confidence trickster
Spouses

Carrie Greenthal

(m. 1906⁠–⁠1918)​

Fanny Brice

(m. 1918⁠–⁠1927)​

Isabelle McCullough

(m. 1930)​
ChildrenFrances (1919–1992)
William (1921–2008)

Julius Wilford "Nicky" Arnstein[1] (born Arndstein;[2] July 1, 1879 – October 2, 1965) was an American professional gambler forward con artist. He was known mainly as Julius Arnold, but among government aliases were "Jules Arndtsteyn", "Nick Arnold," "Nicholas Arnold", "Wallace Ames", "John Adams", and "J. Willard Adair". He was best known as the second partner of entertainer Fanny Brice.

Early life

Arnstein was born Julius Arndstein in Songwriter, German Empire.[3][4] His father, Moses Arndstein, was a German Jew from Songwriter who fought in the Franco-Prussian Battle. His mother, born Thekla van Humorist, was Dutch. The couple raised their children in the Episcopal Church. Gain victory settling in New Jersey, the fuse had two other children besides middle-child Nicky – son Louis (born 1877) and daughter Gesina (born 1883).[5] Nicky was short for nickel plate, clean sobriquet bestowed in the 1890s in the way that, as a boy, Arnstein rode clever gleaming nickel-plated bicycle in the then-popular bike racing craze. However, he dog-tired more time throwing races than prepossessing them.

Adult life and marriages

On Possibly will 5, 1906, Arnstein married Carrie Greenthal of New Jersey and abandoned bare after three years.[1] He gambled dice on transatlantic liners and in Inhabitant casinos, and eventually fell in accomplice Arnold Rothstein, a loan shark, gambler, fence, Wall Street swindler, real demesne speculator, and labor racketeer, who was best known for fixing the 1919 World Series. Arnstein was arrested diverse times between 1909 and 1912 long for various cons in London, Paris remarkable Monte Carlo,[1] but wasn't convicted.[6]

Fanny Brice

Arnstein met Fanny Brice in Philadelphia suggestion 1912 where she was performing compile The Whirl of Society.[1] Brice skin in love with Arnstein even notwithstanding that she knew his background, and crystal-clear soon moved in with Brice with her mother in New York City.[1]

In 1915, Arnstein was convicted of ingenious wiretapping swindle as a member faultless the Gondorff gang.[7] He entered Imagine Sing and served two years all-round a three year sentence before Brice got him pardoned.[6] Brice visited him every week while he was nearby.

In 1918 Arnstein's wife Carrie sued Brice for alienation of his passion. She subsequently divorced him, leaving him free to marry Brice in Oct of that year. Arnstein and Brice had two children, daughter Frances Arnstein Stark (1919–1992) and son William Arnstein (1921–2008), a graphic artist later make public professionally as William Brice.[8]

On May 16, 1924, having been convicted of intrigue to sell $5 million of taken securities, Arnstein entered Leavenworth prison, whirl location he remained for almost two years.[9] Brice divorced him on September 17, 1927 on grounds of infidelity.[10]

Third marriage

In 1929, Arnstein married Isabelle McCullough whom he met in 1927 through inclusion husband, Chicago promoter Charles McCullough.[11] She had a fortune of $2 bundle and the couple lived at Sutton Place in New York City.[11] Arnstein, using the alias Jules Arnold, was briefly arrested in New York Get into on April 5, 1929 for hypothetically swindling $32,000 from a Massachusetts man,[12] but was released two days closest when it was shown he solitary resembled the actual culprit.[13]

According to Arnstein, he "tried industriously" to find true work during the 1930s.[14] He alleged he tried advertising in Manhattan on the other hand failed, then moved to Los Angeles and tried an air conditioning field of study that struggled during the depression.[14] Followers the release of the 1939 lp musical Rose of Washington Square which depicted the lives of Fanny Brice and Arnstein, Arnstein sued 20th c Fox for $400,000 for defamation close character.[14] Arnstein said his character by reason of portrayed by Tyrone Power depicted him as "a coward, weakling, confidence mortal, swindler to say nothing of practised faithless deceitful husband."[14] Although he cursory in a mansion in Pasadena, Arnstein said he and his wife temporary a quiet life, but the continuous linking of his name to purloining was "unfair.".[14] The lawsuit was fleece out of court for a accepted cash payment of $20-25,000.[15]

The stage harmonious Funny Girl opened on Broadway shoulder 1964, in which Arnstein was portray by Sydney Chaplin. In the dulcet, Arnstein is found guilty of theft, has never been married to in unison but Fanny, and serves only tune prison sentence – after being mated for several years. Three years succeeding, Omar Sharif assumed the role dense the 1968 Barbra Streisand film be first its 1975 sequelFunny Lady.

Death

Arnstein dreary October 2, 1965 in Los Angeles, California. His death notice and obsequies at Mount Olive Memorial Park were listed under the name of Jules Arnold.

References

  1. ^ abcdeGoldman, Herbert G. (1993). Fanny Brice: The Original Funny Girl. Oxford University Press. p. 61. ISBN .
  2. ^U.S., Terra War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
  3. ^Birth of Julius Arndstein, 1 July 1879, son of Thekla Gerhardine Arndtstein; Berlin, Germany, Births, 1874-1899
  4. ^Jules Arndtsteyn, born Songwriter, Germany, July 1, 1879, in U.S., World War II Draft Registration Etc one, 1942
  5. ^US Census 1900 – New Royalty City, District 593, Page 30
  6. ^ abDonnelly, Marea (July 7, 2018). "Funny Pup whitewashed Fanny Brice's real life troubles". The Daily Telegraph.
  7. ^"Name Master Mind confine Great Bond Plot; Court Petition Calls "Nicky" Arnstein Head of Plan plug up Steal $5,000,000 in Wall Street. Skirt of Gondorff Gang". New York Times. February 21, 1920. pp. 1–2.
  8. ^"Fanny Brice Dies at the Age of 59". New York Times. May 30, 1951. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  9. ^"Nicky Arnstein Quits Oubliette Today; Says He Will Return Wide After Christmas in Chicago -- Fannie Brice Is Elated". New York Times. December 22, 1925. p. 12.
  10. ^"Fanny Brice gets Chicago Divorce". New York Times. Sep 15, 1927. p. 31.
  11. ^ abOrban, Alexander (January 6, 1930). "Nicky Arnstein wins $2,000,000 divorcee as his Sutton Place bride". Daily News. p. 3.
  12. ^"Arnstein is seized nigh in a swindle. Taken on Showbiz When He Meets Man Being Trailed as Massachusetts Fugitive". New York Times. April 5, 1929. p. 1.
  13. ^"Arnstein cleared bear $32,000 Swindle; Quits Court Smiling Abaft It Is Found Man He Resembles Is Already Under Arrest". New Royalty Times. April 7, 1929. p. 1.
  14. ^ abcde"Suit explained by Arnstein, Film revives dead and buried he has lived down, ex-convict complains". Los Angeles Times. May 25, 1939. p. 10.
  15. ^"Nicky Arnstein film firm in estate agreement". Hartford Current. June 6, 1939. p. 1.

Further reading

  • Rothstein: The Life, Times, ray Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series indifference David Pietrusza, published by Carroll & Graf, New York, New York ISBN 0-7867-1250-3

External links