About the Book
Niko El Santo Zavero has spent forty-two years researching, interviewing people, and writing his newest screenplay, "The Past Posters". More realistic and interesting than "Goodfellas", "Casino", and other recent films, Niko "The Saint" Zavero has spanned the globe going to Palermo, Sicily, Rome, Greece, and elsewhere to ensure realism, visit locations, and interview subjects with an in-depth knowledge of the era and the particulars of those who lived it. Featuring authentic, gritty characters in true-to-life environments, "The Past Posters" is a story with big league writing, production, and characters that reach out and grab the viewer. Looking for work after being released from the U. S. Navy, Frankie and Vinnie find themselves embroiled in the dangerous world of pimps, hookers, thieves, dopes, pushers, mother fuckers, - and bookmakers. The Mafia is doing big business in California and Las Vegas in the 1960s and 1970's. The boys set out to learn the tricks of the trade - the schemes and scams, the gimmicks, even the special language and terminology known only to those on the inside. They take to the California racetracks and recruit members for their "family", a team of gamblers working together, concocting scams of their own.Family is important to Frankie and Vinnie, both coming from traditional Italian backgrounds. But they soon learn hard lessons about honor amongst gamblers. They are cheated, and learn to cheat. They even learn to take incredible risks, yet they learn how to win. In Los Angeles they rent an office and set up a business, only to have the building mysteriously burned to the ground in the middle of the night. They decide to pack it in and call it quits when, out of the blue, they meet Sammy. Sammy helps the boys out on a new scheme, and they come away big winners. Suddenly, they're back in business.In need of operating expenses, Frankie and Vinnie take drastic steps and risk it all. The game does not always go their way. They make deals with bookies who either disappear or refuse to pay. They are held up at gunpoint, and all their winnings are stolen. Always living in a world of degenerates and low-life's, and there is often a heavy price to pay.Along the way, they encounter people from all walks of life, from the lowest class to the highest class. They employ senior citizens, street bums, mingle with movie stars, even the Mafia. Hear first-hand accounts of the gambling world the way the Mafia ran it in the '60s and 70's. Betting on sporting events is also a huge business, both at home and out of the country. Professional football, basketball, baseball every game has its own scams and con artists. Learn about the system from the inside - the schemes and gimmicks, the winners and losers. Learn the secrets of knowing whom to trust.Gambling is a disease - an addiction so intense that some will risk everything for the high it gives. They will lie, cheat, steal - even from their own family - hoping that they can beat the odds and get the G.W.!Follow them as they go from racetrack to racetrack, from con game to con game, learning schemes, gimmicks, scams, and getting the Guarantee Winner (G.W.). They also get involved and are associated with the Mafia, FBI, & the Justice department, in the dangerous world of gambling. The unbelievable risks they take, will they make it out alive on their next G.W. this time?Read the inside tips on how to gamble. And be warned about what it might cost you!What makes this script most intriguing is the fact, that, it really happened. This is my true-life story. I am the last living survivor from this crew.
About the Author: Name: Niko El Santo Zavero Height: 6' 4" (1.93 m) Weight: 185 Ibs Date of Birth: 16 May 1975, Melrose Park, Illinois, United States. Niko El Santo Zavero began acting on stage with a theater company at the age of 5. A graduate from (UIC) with two BS DEGREES, in, Marketing and Management. He is a contributing journalist for, "THE NEWARK POST", in the state of Delaware and also writes for the newspaper, "THE NATIONAL HERALD", in New York. American-born Niko El Santo Zavero is a member of the (Screen Actors Guild) & (American Federation Radio Television Artists), Hollywood California. The year was (1995) and Niko El Santo Zavero successfully worked on the movie set entitled, "Chain Reaction", featuring Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman. That year he was Keanu Reeves Body Double. In (1997), Niko successfully filmed a role in, "My Best Friends Wedding", as a Spanish Singing waiter and worked with Julia Roberts, Rupert Everett, Cameron Diaz, and P.J. Hogan the Director. Later in the year he had a Cameo appearance in the movie, "Kissing a Fool" featuring David Schwimmer, Jason Lee, Bonnie Hunt, and Laura Flynn Boyle (1998). Several months later worked on set entitled, "Since You've Been Gone" and worked once more with David Schwimmer, back to back years. In (1998) Niko produced, wrote, and acted in the Independent Film called, "The Big Pay-Off" (1998). This has changed titles and today he has written a script called, "THE PAST POSTERS". Director P.J. Hogan came back to Chicago to film the movie entitled, Unconditional Love (2000) and once more Niko Zavero worked with the acclaimed director from Australia, and British Actor Rupert Everett. Mid August of (2001) he performed at the Theatre in Athens, in front of Greece's beloved actor Lakis Lazopoulos. Throughout the decades he has worked on the movie sets: Hoodlums (1997), The Negotiator (1998), U.S. Marshall (1998), Since You've Been Gone (1998), Madison (2001), Rocky Bull Winkle (2000), Save the Last Dance (2001), Soul Survivors (2001), Just Visiting (2001).
