Milton “Milt” Jaffe (1895-1981) was a Pittsburgh entertainment entrepreneur. He was a major player in the city’s Prohibition-era casinos and speakeasies before becoming a boxing promoter (Billy Conn) and moving to Las Vegas to manage the Stardust Casino.
Post-Gazette, Jul. 17, 1963.
For reasons that should be obvious, Jaffe didn’t like to have his photo taken. Despite many arrests and his high-profile work in entertainment and sports, few newspaper photos were ever published. Earlier this week I interviewed the family of one of Jaffe’s former racketeering associates. During the three-hour session, they broke out family photo albums with photos of their flamboyant ancestor (also in the “entertainment” biz). Several dating to the 1930s kinda-sorta look like two photos of Jaffe published in newspapers (look to your left).
I struck out with the relatives of some of Jaffe’s other closest known associates, including Art Rooney Jr.: “Could be. Not sure. He was like a relative ….” I also struck out with folks who came into contact with Jaffe at his Squirrel Hill home in the 1940s and 1950s — they were young children at the time.
Seeing no other potential information sources, I came here, to the world’s most comprehensive crowdsourcing tool. So, I’ll put it you you, friends: Is this Milt Jaffe? Let me know in the comments, along with your sources.
Is this Milt Jaffe?
© 2021 D.S. Rotenstein
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That’s my great uncle , i will ask my mom. My grandfather lived with him at the squirrel hill home while going to Pitt. I am much younger so I only remember the older Uncle Milton always with a cigar.
This sounds so weird but I have something that is signed by Milton in 1940. On the back of a hanging shelf. Along with what looks like Mary or Naomi Jaffe in 1930.
No, This is definitely not Milton Jafee. My father, Billy Conn, was managed by Milton. He was very close to Milton Jafee. I remember him long before he moved to Las Vegas to manage the casino at the Stardust.
I agree Tim. My dad knew him very well. He tried to get my dad to become a boxer when he was still in HS but my grandparents wouldn’t allow it. They became good friends though. My dad met your dad through him. He was at my Bar Mitzvah and I saw him in Pittsburgh a few times over the years. That definitely is not him.
I don’t think that is him. I met him for the first time in 1959 and saw him for the last time in June 1975 in Vegas. Only saw him a couple of times in between. The nose looks too wide and the hair doesn’t seem right.