Watch Forest Whitaker Take On the Mafia in "Godfather of Harlem"
On Sunday night, September 29, Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker will hit the small screen as legendary crime boss Bumpy Johnson in EPIX's "Godfather of Harlem."
Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson ruled over Harlem in the early 20th century. After surviving a deadly mob war, Johnson became an associate of Charles "Lucky" Luciano who founded the syndicate that became known as the Genovese crime family.
The show focuses on his life in the early 1960s following his release from Alcatraz. After a decade behind bars, he returns to New York to find his neighborhood controlled by the Italian mafia. As he tries to regain control of Harlem, he befriends Malcolm X, played by Nigél Thatch.
"Godfather of Harlem," created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, also stars Vincent D'Onofrio and Giancarlo Esposito and includes Paul Sorvino and Chazz Palminteri in recurring roles as infamous mobsters Frank Costello and Joe Bonanno.
Watch the trailer below and see if you can spot scenes shot locally; our studios in Queens and Brooklyn played host to filming of this television series. It’s such an honor to play a part in bringing these stories to life. It’s what we have been doing for over 35 years and we would not have it any other way.