Ace Rothstein

**Sam "Ace" Rothstein** is the titular main protagonist of Martin Scorsese's 1995 epic crime film, *Casino*. He is a professional gambler working at the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas, with him also being a Mafia associate, with his best friend being brutal Mafioso, Nicky Santoro. He was based on real-life gambler, Frank Rosenthal.

He was portrayed by Robert De Niro, who also played Johnny Civello in *Mean Streets*, Travis Bickle in *Taxi Driver*, Jimmy Doyle in *New York, New York*, Jake LaMotta in *Raging Bull*, Rupert Pupkin in *The King of Comedy*, Jimmy Conway in *Goodfellas*, Max Cady in *Cape Fear*, Frank Sheeran in *The Irishman* and William Hale in *Killers of the Flower Moon*.

## Biography

### 1973

In 1973, Sam "Ace" Rothstein, a Jewish associate of the Chicago Outfit, is sent to Las Vegas to run the Tangiers Casino, along with Philip Green, where he ends up doubling the casino's profits. Soon after, Chicago boss, Remo Gaggi sends down Nicky Santoro, a short-tempered mob enforcer, as well as Ace's childhood friend, to protect Ace on the job. Nicky also sends down his younger brother, Dominick and his childhood friend, Frank Marino to all work as a crew who specialize in jewelry burglaries and shakedowns. However, due to Nicky's excessive criminal activities, he is banned from every casino in Nevada, while Sam also falls in love with hustler and former prostitute, Ginger McKenna, who he soon marries and has a kid with, named Amy. Unfortunately, Ace's and Ginger's marriage goes into turmoil when Ace sends down some of his men to beat up Ginger's con artist boyfriend, Lester Diamond due to him accepting $25,000 from her, with Lester's getting beat up causing Ginger to gain an extreme addiction to drugs and alcohol.

### 1976

Three years later, Sam is seen firing slot manager, Don Ward, due to his incompetence. However, this puts Sam's career in a tight spot, as Ward's brother-in-law, Pat Webb is a Clark County Commission chairman, who denies Ace's gambling license when Sam refuses to rehire Ward. Around this time, Sam also starts a television talk-show inside the casino, which brings more unneeded attention to Nicky and the bosses back in Chicago. However, when Sam confronts Nicky and says that Nicky's reckless behavior is whats bringing the attention to him, which, along with Sam trying to leave Las Vegas, puts a strain on the two's relationship.

### 1980

In 1980, Amy is kidnapped by Ginger, along with the help of Lester Diamond, who both plan to move to Europe. Eventually, Sam convinces Ginger to return home with Amy, however, when her overhears Ginger planning to murder Sam over the phone, he angrily kicks her out, until he regrets it and forgives her. Eventually, Sam finds out the horrible news that Nicky and Ginger are having an affair, where Ace then kicks her out of the house and ends his relationship with Ginger. However, Ginger, with the help of the police gets into Ace's house, steals his money and jewelry and threatens to tell the FBI of his criminal activities, but when she is arrested, she doesn't tell them anything.

### 1982

By 1982, the FBI discover underboss, Artie Piscano's records of his illegal operations and close Tangiers. The FBI also show pictures of Nicky and Ginger together, but Sam rejects them.

### 1983

One year later, Ginger dies from a hot dose which was given to her by the mob. Around this time, Sam is nearly killed by a car bomb, but survives due to the driver's seat having metal under it, while the bomb was put under the passenger's seat.

### 1986

Due to Nicky's recklessness, he and his brother are killed with baseball bats and buried in a corn field by Frank Marino and his crew under the orders of the Chicago bosses. Due to Sam's loyalty and being a good earner for the mob, he is let to live and begins working in casinos in San Diego, due to the ones in Las Vegas being demolished, with Sam being right back where he started.

## Personality

Unlike similar mobster, Jimmy Conway, Ace seems to be a more sensible, fair and less psychopathic Mafioso. He respects people he despises, doesn't kill people who cheat in his casino and even congratulates a police officer when he reveals that he is going to have a baby with his wife. The most honorable thing about Ace is the fact that he doesn't kill anyone during the course of the film which is abnormal seeing as he is an active associate of the Chicago Outfit, along with his best friend being a savage psychopath. Even when he is paranoid of Ginger cheating on him and when he verbally abuses her, he is mostly in the right as Ginger is a narcissistic gold digger. All together, even though Ace does some bad things, he still has an extremely honorable good side.