Nicky Arnstein

American professional gambler and con artist immortalized in the stage and film versions of Funny Girl along with his second wife, entertainer Fanny Brice. He was known primarily as Julius Arnold, but also under the aliases "Jules Arndtsteyn", "Nick Arnold," "Nicholas Arnold", "Wallace Ames", "John Adams", and "J. Willard Adair". His nickname "Nicky" was short for nickel plate, a sobriquet bestowed in the 1890s when, as a boy, Arnstein rode a gleaming nickel-plated bicycle in the then-popular bike racing craze. However, he spent more time throwing races than winning them. He graduated to gambling on transatlantic liners and in European casinos, and eventually fell in with Arnold Rothstein, a loan shark, bookmaker, fence, Wall Street swindler, real estate speculator, and labor racketeer, who was best known for fixing the 1919 World Series. In 1915, Arnstein was convicted of swindling, and the following year he entered Sing Sing to serve out his term. Fanny Brice visited him every week while he was there, and in 1918 Arnstein's wife Carrie sued her for alienation of his affection. She subsequently divorced him, leaving him free to marry Brice in October of that year. In 1915, Arnstein was convicted of swindling, and the following year he entered Sing Sing to serve out his term. Fanny Brice visited him every week while he was there, and in 1918 Arnstein's wife Carrie sued her for alienation of his affection. She subsequently divorced him, leaving him free to marry Brice in October of that year. Arnstein and Brice had two children. On 16 May 1924, having been convicted of conspiracy to carry stolen securities into the District of Columbia, Arnstein entered Leavenworth prison, where he remained for three years. Brice divorced him on 17 September 1927, soon after his release. Arnstein died on 2 October 1965, aged 86, in Los Angeles, having lived long enough to see himself immortalized in the 1964 Broadway musical Funny Girl, in which he was portrayed in a somewhat whitewashed version by Sydney Chaplin. Omar Sharif assumed the role in the 1968 film and its 1975 sequel, Funny Lady. Link to Wikipedia biography