Film “Forget About It” was a dream come true for Paloma - not only would he get the millions by exploiting the company’s stock, but in addition he would star the opposite of real film stars: Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Charles Durning, Robert Loggia, Phyllis Diller and Richard Grieco. In a stunning development, Paloma would play a mobster who steals millions. Producers of “Forget About It” didn’t realize just how much the film plot resembled the reality. That is, until Paloma brought two suspicious-looking visitors with him to the film set. One of them was a typical East Coast tough guy in a black leather coat, who looked like he was trying to get cast in the “Sopranos”. His name was Anthony Tarantola and he was the nephew of organized crime figure, Salvatore “Bill” Bonanno, whose latest aspiration was to become a Hollywood Producer. Right behind Tarantola towered his elegantly-dressed Uncle Bill. They were accompanied by an unidentified Bonanno family’s soldier. Paloma was fluttering around the group, obviously, aspiring to impress them.
When temperamental Producer/Director of “Forget About It”, BJ Davis, pulled Paloma over to the side to remind him that this was a closed film set, Paloma dropped a bombshell: these folks did not intend to leave – not unless they were leaving with a piece of the film. Uncle Bill also wanted to play a part of a Godfather in “Forget About It”. In prime Godfather fashion, Uncle Bill told BJ he “wanted to wet his beak” and demanded 50% of the company, 50% of the movie and 10% of BJ’s future earnings while extorting over $500,000 dollars in cash from the film company and Davis. Davis sternly refused to give Bonanno a part in the film. Little did he know, the connection between the mob and the union would soon rear its ugly head. The very next day the local Union , International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) picketed the set, even though Arizona was a “right to work” state. Organized crime’s history of involvement in Union affairs is an age old reality. BJ suddenly remembered Uncle Bill softly telling him over the lunch that Arizona was “his” state.