Bumpy Johnson was one of the most notorious and successful criminals in American history. He was born in 1910 to a single mother in Harlem, New York. From a young age, Bumpy was involved in criminal activity, and he quickly rose through the ranks of the underworld. He became known for his toughness and his willingness to fight anyone who crossed him. In the 1930s, Bumpy teamed up with Dutch Schultz and Lucky Luciano to form one of the most powerful crime gangs in New York City.
Bumpy Johnson was born in 1911 as Leroy G. Reynolds in New York City. He was one of six children, and his father died when he was young. This left Bumpy and his siblings to fend for themselves on the streets of Harlem. Bumpy quickly learned how to hustle and make money, and he soon became known as a tough guy who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He started out as a small-time criminal but eventually rose to become one of the most notorious gangsters in Harlem.
Bumpy Johnson’s Life
In the 1930s, Bumpy teamed up with Dutch Schultz and Lucky Luciano to form one of the most powerful crime gangs in New York City. The gang was involved in everything from racketeering and gambling to drug trafficking and murder. Bumpy quickly became one of the richest and most powerful criminals in America.
Johnson rose in the criminal underworld working for Madame Stephanie St. Clair. He started a criminal gangs war against Dutch Schultz that left more than forty people dead and lost that feud, albeit he made peace and continued dealing in extortion rackets and prostitution schemes. Then, he’d graduate to trafficking heroin and would get arrested for it and serve a fifteen sentence in Alcatraz, only to be released in the early 1960s. He’d return to New York and recruit Frank Lucas under his wing as one of his main enforcers. Frank Lucas’ life would be told in the Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe movie “American Gangster”.
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How Did Bumpy Johnson Die?
However, Bumpy’s criminal empire came crashing down in the early 1960s. He was arrested and sentenced to prison for tax evasion. While he was in prison, his wife and children were killed in a fire. Bumpy was devastated by their deaths, and he never fully recovered. He was released from prison in 1966, but his health had deteriorated, and he died just a few years later in 1968. While under investigation for his crimes, Bumpy Johnson would suffer complications of congestive heart failure and would die on July 7, 1968, at a restaurant in Harlem.
Bumpy Johnson In Pop Culture
The life of Bumpy Johnson was depicted in several cultural productions, his rags to riches story were first fictionalized in the Blaxploitation film “Shaft” in 1971 in the fictional character “Bumpy Jonas”, then in 1972 in the film Come Back Charleston Blue, the main character is also based upon him. The 1979 movie “Escape From Alcatraz” has another character based on him.
Rick James played a character named “Spanky Johnson” in the movie Life, and as mentioned earlier, Clarence Williams III played Bumpy Johnson in American Gangster opposite Denzel Washington. The cable network Epix made a serial television program called “The Godfather of Harlem,” starring Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker, where he plays Bumpy Johnson.
Why Does Hollywood Romanticize Gangsters?
Hollywood has a long history of romanticizing gangsters and criminals. There are many reasons why this is the case, but it often comes down to the fact that these stories offer a glimpse into a world that is usually hidden from view. Gangsters like Bumpy Johnson lived lives of luxury and excess, and their stories are full of excitement and drama.
While Hollywood may glamorize the life of a gangster, it’s important to remember that these people were often involved in very real crimes. Bumpy Johnson was a ruthless criminal who was responsible for countless murders and other serious crimes. His story is not one of a charming anti-hero but rather a cautionary tale about the dangers of crime.
Despite his criminal past, Bumpy Johnson is remembered as a folk hero in Harlem. He was a self-made man who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most powerful criminals in America. His story is an American rags-to-riches tale, and he remains an iconic figure in history.
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