Lewis Yablonsky's book "George Raft"

Page.125 Literal exerpt.

Raft belonged to a set of male pals who met for dinner every Tuesday
night. "There was Cagney, Ralph Bellamy, Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien,
Lynn Overman, and Frank McHugh. We'd go to different restaurants
each time. Like Chasen's one night, Romanoff's the next week, or La
Rue on the Strip. We rotated picking up the tab. For most guys it
was the boys' night out, because they were married."

[Quote from Raft]

"After dinner we might go to the fights or a ballgame, but sometimes
we would just sit around and talk about work, sports, or dames..."


[END OF EXERPT}

Chasens and La Rue were supper clubs--which were also night clubs of
the day. This was between 1939 - 1940. During this time, Raft was
romantically linked to Norma Shearer (of all people.)


As far as other references to Cagney's night clubbing -- Margaret
Burke, author of "Are the Stars Out Tonight" writes that Cagney often
frequented the Cocoanut Grove on Tuesday night during the 1930's.

You can see The Cocoanut Grove in the Cagney film "Lady Killer" (1933)

Tuesday nights were always star night at most Los Angeles night
clubs. I don't know why it was Tuesday--maybe because it was always
the slowest night of the week for regular folks to go out drinking
and dancing.

Many clubs had a different theme and clientele every night. For
instance, Friday nights were usually collegiate nights at the
Cocoanut Grove since it was positioned so close to USC.

RE: Raft and Cagney as friends--Raft and biographer Lablonsky attest
that it was Cagney "who remembered Raft from New York" and
subsequently got George an uncredited bit part in "Taxi." Raft
wasn't a star at the time.

Therefore, they obviously were friends going way back.

Raft and Cagney were photographed together as late as 1978. ALways
friends. However, Raft was not friendly towards Bogart and had a
bitter feud with Edward G. Robinson. Both Raft and Robinson
exchanged punches frequently on the set of "Manpower." If you are
lucky to see a picture taken of them fighting off set--it is
hilarious. A picture can be found in "The George Raft File" now
sadly out of print and worth about $50.00.

During the making of "Manpower", fan magazines such as Hollywoodland
and Screenland sided with Raft--stating that Robinson might be
feeling a little threatened and thought Raft was stealing the movie
from under him. The fact that Raft was sleeping with co-star Marlene
Dietrich also didn't help matters much since Dietrich also took
Raft's side.

Raft also didn't care much for Peter Lorre and supposedly clocked
Lorre in the jaw after shooting a particular scene in "Background to
Danger" (1942) Lorre, despite complaints from Raft and orders from
Director Raouel Walsh, kept blowing cigarette smoke in Raft's face.

Telling it to you straight--Raft was no peach. He was temperamental
as hell as was known to lock himself in his dressing rooms until the
writers rewrote certain lines. He was quite famous in his day for
being rebellious.

Another Raft/Cagney story has to do with Raft saving Cagney from a
mob "accident" while filming "Each Dawn I Die." Union extortionist
and well-known Hollywood gangster Willie Bioff was trying to squeeze
money from Jack Warner, who refused to pay his annual fee to prevent
stage hands from striking.

George saw Willie (whom he knew from New York) on the set of "Each
Dawn I Die" several times and noticed Willie was scowling rather
visciously at Cagney.

According to one source, Raft saw Bioff talking to an electrician and
pointing to Cagney. Raft made a phone call. Willie stopped dropping
by.

Afterwards, Willie confessed that he was going to have an electrician
drop a heavy lamp of Cagney's head. But Willie's boss called and
told him not to do it because it was a Raft picture.

I know this story has been recounted in at least one Cagney biography
and it is also found in Yablonsky's Raft biography. However, when
Raft tells the story--he omits the fact that he made the phone call
to save Cagney's life. But then again, Raft always glossed over his
Underworld ties.

I still know there are other references to Cagney and Raft clubbing
together. Maybe if I can free up a little time, I'll go to the
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Library in Los Angeles and go
through the files.

For those interested in finding Lewis Yoblonsky's biography--check
out e-bay. It normally sells from $2.99 - 5.99.

Craig Owens