It’s a piece of Hollywood – and, by extension, Las Vegas – history that you might not have known existed.
The animatronic torso, modeled after Joe Pesci and his “Casino” character, Nicky Santoro, is on display at the Mob Museum. The prop, made of fiberglass, foam and wood, was used for the scene in which – spoiler alert! — Santoro is beaten nearly to death and then buried alive.
The character of Santoro was based on Tony Spilotro, the Chicago Outfit’s enforcer in Las Vegas. The bodies of Spilotro and his brother Michael were found in an Indiana cornfield in June 1986.
The piece (warning: graphic image) is on display in the museum’s “Mob’s Greatest Hits” exhibit on the second floor.
The museum is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at 300 Stewart Ave. Admission starts at $19.95 for Nevada residents; themobmuseum.org.