Cohen Mickey

Mickey Cohen (Cohen, Mickey) — Public Profile

Birth name: Meyer Cohen

Born: September 4, 1913
Birthplace: New York City, United States

Died: 1976 (Los Angeles, California, United States)

Overview

Meyer "Mickey" Cohen was an American gangster and a prominent figure in the mid-20th century Los Angeles underworld. Often described as a powerful, flamboyant operator, he led a network involved in gambling, racketeering, extortion and other illicit activities. Cohen was associated with the broader syndicate around Bugsy Siegel and played a key role in the organized crime scene that influenced West Coast crime during the 1930s–1950s. He became a well-known public figure due to his bold persona, frequent police attention, and frequent coverage in crime history accounts.

Early life

Cohen was born in New York City to a Jewish family and later became part of the West Coast criminal milieu. By the 1930s he had established himself in Los Angeles crime networks and began to rise within the underworld hierarchy, earning a reputation as a capable and forceful operator.

Criminal career & activities

• Led and coordinated protection rackets, gambling operations, loan sharking, and illicit entertainment ventures as a senior figure in the Los Angeles criminal scene.
• Worked within the broader syndicate linked to Bugsy Siegel and other West Coast mob elements; his influence helped shape the LA underworld during the mid-20th century.
• Known for a public, media-friendly persona that blended charisma with ruthless reputation, making him one of the era’s most recognizable crime figures.

In popular culture & media

Cohen remains a notable figure in crime history and has appeared in several depictions in film and television. A prominent recent portrayal is in the 2013 film Gangster Squad, where the mob boss Mickey Cohen is portrayed by actor Sean Penn. The character is often referenced in documentaries and crime-history programs that explore Los Angeles organized crime, rackets, and the broader mob era in America.

Public profile & social media

There are no official, verified public social media accounts tied to Mickey Cohen (by a living individual or organization). Any accounts bearing his name on social platforms are fan pages or historical reference pages and are not official representations. Contemporary interest tends to come from film/television adaptations, historical analyses, and crime-history exhibitions rather than direct, living-public presence.

News, updates & recent projects

As a historical figure who died in 1976, there are no ongoing personal projects. Public discussion centers on archival material, historical retrospectives, and media portrayals of his life. Notable recent touchpoints include film portrayals (e.g., Gangster Squad, 2013) and various documentaries and crime-history features that examine the Los Angeles underworld of his era.

Notable facts & quick references

• Alias: Mickey Cohen; Birth name Meyer Cohen
• Prominent in the Los Angeles crime milieu; linked to wider West Coast mob networks
• Frequently cited as a central figure in mid-20th century American organized crime history
• Represented in modern media by actors in Gangster Squad (Sean Penn as Cohen)

For readers seeking verification, classic biographies, crime histories, and film/TV references provide the most reliable public details about his life and role in organized crime.