Nicholas Pileggi was born and raised in New York, the son of a shoe store owner. He worked as a journalist for Associated Press in the 1950s where he specialized in crime reporting. Over the next 30 years he built up his contacts and reputation, covering stories for New York magazine and contributing to many others, as he became an expert on crime, most especially the organized crime world of the Mafia.
In 1986 he wrote "Wiseguy" which he subsequently developed into the Academy Award nominated screenplay for
GoodFellas (1990) with
Martin Scorsese. He followed that up with scripts for
Casino (1995) (also with Scorsese) and
City Hall (1996) as well as writing and producing several other crime-based movies and TV shows.
The Alto Knights(2025)
Ace & Nicky(2023)
Vegas(2012)
The Irishman(2019)
American Gangster(2007)
Kings of South Beach(2007)
Everything Is Copy(2015)
Broken Horses(2015)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl(2015)
Building Vegas(2013)
Casino: The Story(2005)
Mr. Scorsese(2025)as Self - Screenwriter & Friend, Self - Screenwriter, Goodfellas
Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists(2018)as Self - Journalist & Screenwriter
Scorsese's Goodfellas(2015)as Self
Martin Scorsese - L'Italo-Américain(2024)as Self
Chroma(2016)as Self
