Birth of Robert De Niro, who would star as David 'Noodles' Aaronson in Once Upon a Time in America.
The Italian-American crime drama film Once Upon a Time in America, directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro, is released.
Young Noodles meets Max and the other boys, beginning their friendship in the Jewish neighborhood of New York City.
Noodles and his friends engage in petty crimes and form a small gang to survive the harsh environment.
The gang conducts their first major robbery, successfully establishing their criminal reputation.
The gang expands its criminal operations into bootlegging during Prohibition, gaining power and wealth.
Tensions rise between Noodles and Max leading to betrayals and violent confrontations within the gang.
Following a police raid, Noodles escapes and disappears for many years to avoid arrest and betrayal consequences.
After several decades, Noodles returns to New York to reconnect with old friends and confront his past.
