Devito Presses Ahead With ‘crazy Eddie’ Movie Plans
By WENNTuesday, November 24, 2009
DANNY DEVITO has vowed to press ahead with plans to make a new movie about U.S. fraudster ‘CRAZY EDDIE’ ANTAR - despite discovering he could be sued if the electronics retailer is paid to participate.
Antar built a hugely successful chain of stores across the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
He fled to Israel in 1990 amid claims he’d ripped off shareholders - but returned to stand trial in 1993 and was convicted and jailed for two years in 1997.
DeVito teamed up with Antar to take his tale to the big screen, but his plans angered the fraudster’s victims, who vowed to launch a lawsuit if Antar profits from the project.
Antar, now 61, has been forced to step aside, but the actor/director insists his departure won’t derail the film.
DeVito tells the New York Daily News, “He’s cool about it. I know he wants the story told, even if he’s not part of the project.”
