28 Facts About Mickey Cohen

Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen was an American gangster, boxer and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles during the mid-20th century.

Mickey Cohen was born on September 4,1913, in New York City to Jewish parents.

Mickey Cohen was first raised in New York City, moving with his mother and siblings to the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles at an early age.

In 1922, Mickey was sent to reform school for petty crimes including shoplifting and theft.

Mickey Cohen was knocked out cold after 2:20 into the first round.

Mickey Cohen's last fight was on May 14,1933, against Baby Arizmendi in Tijuana, Mexico.

In Cleveland, Mickey Cohen met Lou Rothkopf, an associate of gangster Moe Dalitz.

Mickey Cohen later moved to New York, where he became an associate of labor racketeer Johnny Dio's brother, Tommy Dioguardi, and as well as Owney Madden.

Mickey Cohen later became an associate of Capone's younger brother, Mattie Capone.

In Cleveland, Mickey Cohen worked once more for Lou Rothkopf, an associate of Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.

In 1939, Mickey Cohen arrived in Los Angeles to work under Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.

Mickey Cohen was instrumental in setting up the race wire, which was essential to Vegas betting.

However, no one appeared, and Mickey Cohen was forced to flee when the police arrived.

Mickey Cohen soon converted his house into a fortress, installing floodlights, alarm systems, and a well-equipped arsenal kept, as he often joked, next to his 200 tailor-made suits.

In 1950, Mickey Cohen was investigated along with many other underworld figures by a US Senate committee known as the Kefauver Commission.

Ben Hecht stated in his autobiography, A Child of the Century, that Mickey Cohen called him to say he wanted to do his part in helping Hecht raise money to support Menachem Begin's Irgun in its activities.

Mickey Cohen called together a parlor meeting of business associates and had Hecht address them on the importance of the cause.

In some cases, Mickey Cohen told a donor "that's not enough," and they upped the pledge.

Later, when Mickey Cohen was arrested, he called Hecht from prison to ask if he had access to some cash to help with his bail.

When Hecht apologized, Mickey Cohen politely said goodbye, and they never spoke again.

Mickey Cohen ran floral shops, paint stores, nightclubs, casinos, gas stations, a men's haberdashery, and even drove an ice cream van on San Vicente Boulevard in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, according to author Richard Lamparski.

In 1957, TIME magazine wrote a brief article about Mickey Cohen's meeting with Christian evangelist Billy Graham.

In 1961, Mickey Cohen was again convicted of tax evasion and sent to Alcatraz.

Mickey Cohen was the only prisoner ever bailed out of Alcatraz; his bond was signed by US Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren.

In 1972, Mickey Cohen was released from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, where he had spoken out against prison abuse.

Mickey Cohen had been misdiagnosed with an ulcer, which turned out to be stomach cancer.

Mickey Cohen died at age 62, of complications from stomach cancer surgery in July 1976.

Mickey Cohen is interred in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.