The most notorious criminals in American history have been brought into the 21st century after their mug shots were expertly colorized.
Vivid color images show prohibition era gangster Al Capone with his hat still on, Lucky Luciano, considered the godfather of modern organized crime, and Vito Genovese who rose to power as an enforcer in the American Mafia during the same time period.
Other striking shots include infamous gangster and bank robber John Dillinger, Fred Barker, one of the founders of the Barker-Karpis gang, which committed numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings during the 1930s, and New York mobster Joe Adonis.
The original black and white photographs were painstakingly colorized by Gavin Wieszala from Buffalo, New York. “This particular project was inspired by my love for the TV program about gangsters Boardwalk Empire and a general fascination with the gangsters of the 1920s and 30s,”
he said. “It was interesting and exciting to bring life back to these eerie photos of notorious criminals. I love seeing the emotions of the people in mug shots or portraits...”
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Al Capone is perhaps America's most notorious criminal and founder of the Chicago Outfit. His criminal career came to an end at the age of 33 when he was jailed for tax evasion. |
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John Adonis was an associate of Lucky Luciano, with whom he ran a bootlegging operation in Manhattan. He was later deported back to Italy, where he died. |
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Lucky Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States. He was also the first official boss of the modern Genovese crime family. |
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Albert Anastasiawas an Italian Cosa Nostra mobster, one of the most ruthless and feared organized crime figures in United States history. A founder of both the American Mafia and Murder, Inc., Anastasia was boss of what would become the modern Gambino crime family. |
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Frank Costello was nicknamed 'The Prime Minister of the Underworld' and controlled a vast gambling empire while also commanding political influence. |
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Carmine Galante was a feared and ambitious mobster who was once the acting boss of the Bonanno crime family. |
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Vito Genovese rose to power a Mafia enforcer during the 1930s and later went on to be 'Boss of Bosses'. |
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John Dilinger was charged with the murder of an Indiana police officer but never convicted. He was eventually shot dead by police in 1934, bringing to an end his crime spree. |
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Fred Barker, one of the founders of the Barker-Karpis gang, which committed numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings during the 1930s. |
(Photos: Gavin Wieszala / Media Drum World, via
Media Drum World)