Welcome to Cut to Black: A Reel History Special. This is a crossover between two of our Shows What You Know podcasts! On Cut to Black we discuss The Sopranos; on Reel History we dig into the historical context of movies and television.

This episode bridges the gap between both podcasts as we’ll be using Scorsese’s The Irishman as a jumping-off point to discuss the formation of the mafia in the USA, so whether you’re hearing this on our Cut to Black feed or Reel History feed we believe there will be something in it for you!

So, I heard you paint houses? This week we tackle the Martin Scorsese mobster masterpiece, The Irishman! Join us in our special crossover episode with sister show Cut to Black as we discuss the origins of the American Mafia. How did the organisation of the Mafia Commission lead to deals with Union boss Jimmy Hoffa and what was the role of WWII veteran “the Irishman,” Frank Sheeran in Hoffa’s infamous disappearance? From the Five Points Gang to the Bay of Pigs invasion, we track the influence of the mob on shaping the 21st century.

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