Harry Grey

Herschel Goldberg, better known as Harry Grey, was a Russian-American writer. His first book, The Hoods (1952), was the model for the film, Once Upon a Time in America by Sergio Leone, where his part was played by Robert De Niro. This was one of the few autobiographies of real gangsters. It is believed that the real name of the author was Goldberg and that his memoir, partially factual, partially subconsciously altered, and partially fictional, was written when Goldberg was incarcerated in the Sing-Sing prison.