Published on: March 30, 2026, 07:21h.
Updated on: March 29, 2026, 03:18h.
Forget the Mirage’s famous gold windows — there’s a significant Las Vegas myth we regret having shared…
For years, the narrative was this: mobster Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal narrowly escaped a car bombing on October 4, 1982, thanks to a steel plate installed beneath the driver’s seat of his 1981 Cadillac Eldorado. Allegedly, this plate redirected the explosion downward, sparing his life. The tale suggested that GM had integrated the plate solely to rectify a weight-balancing issue.
This popular belief, stemming from early investigative hypotheses, was entrenched in Nicholas Pileggi’s book Casino and the 1995 Martin Scorsese film adapted from it, both attributing Lefty’s miraculous escape to that elusive steel plate. (De Niro played a character based on Lefty in the film.)
Still grappling with the truth behind the Mirage windows, Vital Vegas—now reconsidering every truth he accepted about Las Vegas—shared this narrative with the AI he anticipates will eventually surpass him, this column, and all journalistic endeavors.
And what Grok revealed was astonishing.
The assertion regarding Lefty’s life-preserving steel plate was put to the test and disproven five years ago by Motor MythBusters, a series many viewers might be unaware of. After just one season on the MotorTrend app, it was canceled due to low viewership.
Recently released footage on HBO Max displayed the team examining Lefty’s specific vehicle — a 1981 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, the premium version — to investigate if the steel plate beneath the driver’s seat could endure a car bomb’s force.
The car was meticulously disassembled.
They searched tirelessly for the plate.
They discovered nothing.
Naturally, they detonated the car anyway, as that was likely the only content their limited audience craved.
They also investigated GM’s production logs for that year, verifying that no such plate was ever incorporated—neither for balancing nor for bomb protection.
Our Myth Confirmation
We truly dislike being outdone in debunking any Las Vegas myth. Yet, realizing that AI had to inform us of a falsehood we once propagated? Words fall short.
One could argue we should have suspected something sooner. Reports from 1982 never mentioned the steel plate, pointing instead to the actual reason for Rosenthal’s survival: he was not entirely inside the vehicle.
Lefty was partially out of the driver’s door, with one foot and one hand still in the car, at the time of detonation. The explosion propelled him away from the vehicle, and he rolled on the ground to extinguish his burning clothing.
Mobsters, continually alert to car bombs, often reached in to start their vehicles while remaining outside before taking a seat.
Two bystanders reportedly played a crucial role in Lefty’s survival, pulling him away from the burning car moments before the gas tank ignited.
This second blast lifted the 4,000-pound Eldorado several feet into the air, creating flames that reached two stories high and shattered the rear windows of both Tony Roma’s—where Lefty had stopped for takeout—and Marie Callender’s.
We are not alone in allowing this myth to thrive instead of challenging it. It appeared everywhere—though we will refrain from naming any other outlets, since debunking myths is our specialty.
Authorities never unveiled who was responsible for the bombing, although many theories exist. Most revolve around Lefty’s troubled relationship with the volatile mob enforcer Anthony “Tony the Ant” Spilotro, who was involved with Lefty’s wife, Geri.
Rosenthal, who only sustained burns to his legs and face, lived until October 2008, when he passed away from a heart attack at his Miami Beach residence. He was 79 years old.
Perhaps we should consider adding a disclaimer every week at the end of this column…
We cannot guarantee that any of the information provided will not eventually be disproven.
Catch “Vegas Myths Busted” every Monday on Casino.org. To read previously debunked Vegas myths, visit VegasMythsBusted.com. Do you have a suggestion for a Vegas myth that needs to be uncovered? Email [email protected].