Meyer Lansky (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is a protagonist in Lansky.
The central protagonist whose life spans from a Jewish immigrant child fleeing pogroms to a powerful American crime financier. He builds a gambling and bootlegging empire, helps establish the Commission, funds Las Vegas casinos, and eventually faces federal tax charges before fleeing to Israel and retiring in Miami. Anna Lansky (played by Illeana Douglas) appears in Lansky.
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (played by Anthony LaPaglia) appears in Lansky.
A rising gangster who initially beats Lansky for refusing protection money but later recruits him into his bootlegging operation. He eventually eliminates rival Mafia bosses, establishes the Commission to unify organized crime, and secures cooperation between Jewish, Irish, and Italian mobs. Teddy Lansky (played by Beverly D'Angelo) appears in Lansky.
Rabbi / Caretaker (played by Yosef Carmon) appears in Lansky.
An elderly Jewish man Lansky encounters in Jerusalem. They share wine together before the man heads to the synagogue for prayer, serving as a reflective bookend to Lansky's life story. Ben "Bugsy" Siegel (played by Eric Roberts) appears in Lansky.
Lansky's childhood friend and early criminal partner. They team up with Luciano to assassinate rival bosses and establish crime rules. Lansky financially backs his Las Vegas casino ventures, but after financial mismanagement and profit failures, Lansky reluctantly authorizes a hit on him. Longy Zwillman (played by James Harper) appears in Lansky.
Hasid in Grodno (played by Fima Noveck) appears in Lansky.
Lansky (1999) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Meyer Lansky
(played by Richard Dreyfuss) — protagonist
The central protagonist whose life spans from a Jewish immigrant child fleeing pogroms to a powerful American crime financier. He builds a gambling and bootlegging empire, helps establish the Commissi...
Anna Lansky
(played by Illeana Douglas) — supporting
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
(played by Anthony LaPaglia) — supporting
A rising gangster who initially beats Lansky for refusing protection money but later recruits him into his bootlegging operation. He eventually eliminates rival Mafia bosses, establishes the Commissio...
Teddy Lansky
(played by Beverly D'Angelo) — supporting
Rabbi / Caretaker
(played by Yosef Carmon) — supporting
An elderly Jewish man Lansky encounters in Jerusalem. They share wine together before the man heads to the synagogue for prayer, serving as a reflective bookend to Lansky's life story.
Ben "Bugsy" Siegel
(played by Eric Roberts) — supporting
Lansky's childhood friend and early criminal partner. They team up with Luciano to assassinate rival bosses and establish crime rules. Lansky financially backs his Las Vegas casino ventures, but after...
Longy Zwillman
(played by James Harper) — supporting
Hasid in Grodno
(played by Fima Noveck) — supporting
Eight-Year-Old Meyer Lansky
(played by Joshua Praw) — supporting
Appears in childhood flashbacks fleeing a burning shtetl during a pogrom and experiencing early street gambling, establishing his formative years and initial exposure to crime before emigrating to the...
Yetta Lansky
(played by Jill Holden) — supporting
Lansky's mother who provides him with money for Shabbat challah, which leads to his first gambling loss. She is also shown hastily packing valuables and preparing to flee their burning shtetl with the...
Jewelry Shopkeeper
(played by Mosko Alkalai) — supporting
Bugsy Siegel Ages 17-26
(played by Matthew Settle) — minor
Max Lansky
(played by Bernardo Hiller) — minor
American Lawyer
(played by Jeff Perry) — minor
Meyer Lansky Ages 19-28
(played by Max Perlich) — minor
Jake Lansky Ages 9-11
(played by Christopher Rodriguez Marquette) — minor
Benjamin Lansky
(played by Larry Moss) — minor
Evelyn
(played by Octavia Spencer) — minor
Zen Ben-Dov
(played by Scott Rabinowitz) — minor
Irish Boy #2
(played by Adam Hendershott) — minor
Story Analysis
A biographical drama tracing Meyer Lansky's rise from a pogrom survivor to a powerful mobster, his strategic alliances, and his eventual downfall.
