Bugsy Siegel, Thespian
The notorious mobster behind the modernization of the Las Vegas Strip had a hidden ambition: to become a Hollywood star
Opera Pick of the Week
The Met Opera honors Dmitri Hvorostovsky with seven nights of streamed performances, including Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, with Renée Fleming
Record High
How did Warner Bros. Records land the Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac, and Prince?
Sounds of Silence
A collection of photographs captures the calm that has given Venice room to breathe and its treasures a chance to shine during the coronavirus pandemic
Heart of Darkness
It was only after Robert Maxwell’s death that the world realized how far his criminality extended. Yet the riddle surrounding his final moments endures
Leading Ladies
Women used to be Hollywood’s stars. Today, even in the wake of #MeToo, the film industry is a man’s game. What happened?
Funny Valentines
Oh, the things we overlook for love. Herewith, honest tracks for faithful lovers, from Alvin Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, Dorothy Lamour, and more
Rupert Murdoch’s Rival—and His Mysterious Death
On this week’s podcast, a riveting look at Robert Maxwell, the father of Ghislaine; and much more
Opera Pick of the Week
A new presentation of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs, starring baritone Johnathan McCullough and available for streaming by the Opera Philadelphia
Heroes and Villains
Stan Lee’s final days were as tragic and conflict-filled as his career was momentous. The comic-book legend’s biographer reveals the roots of his undoing
All in the Family
Like his daughter Ghislaine, the notorious British media baron Robert Maxwell was a monster. How did it all start?
David Mamet
With theaters shut, read what the playwrights are reading. In Mamet’s case, this means William Bolitho (introduced to him by Shel Silverstein), Christopher Hollis, and Pierre Berton
The Absurd, Redefined
Was Albert Camus offed by a K.G.B. kill squad? (Probably not)
Fran Lebowitz Has a Few Things to Say …
The inimitable New Yorker on lockdown, Trump, outdoor dining, and more
