The Waiting Blame

Hollywood types aren't the only people feeling the pain of the Writers Guild of America strike that's crippling the entertainment industry.

by Mary F. Patel

Hollywood types aren't the only people feeling the pain of the Writers Guild of America strike that's crippling the entertainment industry. Local author Sean Patrick Griffin has a project on major hold as the writers battle it out with studio executives.

Griffin, an associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State's Abington campus who is not a member of the Guild, penned the intriguing novel Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of the Philadelphia's Black Mafia. The expose chronicles the history of the Black Mafia from the 1960s to the present.

Jane Walsh Griffin (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

While Griffin was paid six figures for the film rights by Fortress Entertainment in 2005, sources close to the project say that Fortress' option has expired and that Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Studios, where DiCaprio has an exclusive deal, now have the rights to the film.

When reached for comment, Griffin said he was under a "gag order" to not discuss the film project. Meanwhile, noted black actor, director and writer Vondie Curtis-Hall is writing the screenplay because, word is, the screenwriter had to be black. Hall appeared on a local L.A. talk show recently and lamented the writer's strike and the delay in finishing the script.

Whenever the strike is settled, Black Brothers will be shot in Philly with DiCaprio playing Jim Nicholson, an organized crime reporter at the Inquirer in 1970s. Griffin's book explores how major Mafia figures mixed with, and took benefits from, politicians. Numerous elected officials, power brokers, developers and mob figures are featured, including former Mayor John Street, Ron White, Mark Mendelson, Angelo Bruno and Nicky Scarfo.

Enter Robert N.C. Nix Sr., Cecil B. Moore and the city's leader of the Nation of Islam, Jeremiah Shabazz, who all became integrated within the social fabric of the black-power groups that later became known as the Black Mafia. These groups, such as the Black Coalition and Nation of Islam, drew strength and influence by connecting with the city's political base.

Griffin, a former cop, wrote the book in 2004 and a small U.K. company, Milo Books, published it a year later. In an interview after Fortress optioned it, Griffin said he hoped to have some say about the character development. And while he did sell the rights to his book, and is part of the writing team, he does not have total creative control over the final product. Calls to Patrick Rizzotti, CEO of Fortress Entertainment, were not returned.

Casting director Norbert Pickett came across Black Brothers online when researching black mob figures and got the book rights back from Fortress when their option on the film expired, according to sources.

Pickett is very friendly with DiCaprio manager Rick Yorn, and wrangled a deal with Warner.

It will be interesting to see who will portray Street, White, Moore and the other real-life figures.

Other politicos and notables featured include Muhammad Ali, Louis Farrakhan, Bruce Crawley, Carl Singley, Paul Dandridge, Jannie and Lucian Blackwell and Ed Rendell. 

African-American patrons of independent bookstores drove sales of Black Brothers to the point where mainstream retailers were forced to carry the book. Griffin is currently working on an update, since many of the mob figures have gone to jail since the last printing.

This and That

A.J. Thomson, the attorney and Fishtown activist who was mulling a run against the indicted state Sen. Vincent Fumo in the upcoming April Democratic primary, has opted out of the race. Whether another Fumo opponent, Anne Dicker, factored into Thomson's decision is not clear. Thomson did say that a change in the district is important although it will be a tough race against Fumo.

In other news, Joseph J. DeFelice, an active Republican in local politics, has been named the city's director for the Republican State Committee.

(rcpatel@aol.com)