Law and Order
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"The Torrents of Greed (Part I)"
L&O, Episode 1.15
Production number: 66222
First aired (US): 12 February 1991
First aired (AUS): 1 November 1993
  th of 456 produced in L&O  
th of 456 released in L&O
  th of 1271 released in all  
Greevey Robinette Logan The Torrents of Greed Part 1
Teleplay By
Michael S. Chernuchin

Story By
Michael S. Chernuchin & Michael Duggan

Directed By
E.W. Swackhamer

An assault on a candy store owner leads Benjamin Stone and Paul Robinette to build a case against a powerful mafia don.

Plot[]

Detectives arrest three members of the Masucci crime family involved in a fatal assault. Stone tries to take down the entire Mob, but his plan backfires when he's set up with false testimony.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

  • Hy Anzell as Mr. Spivak
  • Lynnie Greene as Meg Hennessy
  • Christopher McCann as Edgar Hoover
  • Janis Dardaris as Florence Mackey
  • Joe Lisi as Mahoney
  • Dean Iandoli as Finkle
  • Eric Payne as Boswell
  • Luis Antonio Ramos as Valdez
  • James Noah as Arraignment Judge Barry Marton
  • Nancy Addison as Reporter #1
  • Jim Gillis as Reporter #2
  • Coco Barat as Hotel Manager
  • Maria Ottavia as Reporter #3 (uncredited)

References[]

Spivak Grocery; Zalta's Import-Export

Quotes[]

"What's less than nothing? Minus zero? Negative bupkis?"

- Donald Cragen


"There is no fire like passion. There is no shark like hatred. There is no snare like folly. There is no torrent like greed."

- The Dhammapada, chapter 18, verse 251


"I don't photograph well with egg on my face, how about you?"

- Adam Schiff


"Look man, you know how hard it is to get work? I keep my eyes closed, I keep my job."
"What about your ears?"
"Sure, I hear stuff."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Like guys that talk don’t talk for very long. Look, I’ve seen Godfather I, II, and III."

- Delivery man and Max Greevey


"This is New York, remember? Sometimes people get beat up just for the hell of it."

- Donald Cragen


"Hey, they don’t play by the rules, why should we?"
"Because that’s our job."

- Mike Logan and Benjamin Stone

Background information and notes[]

  • This episode is based on the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa and the assassination of Paul Castellano. The mob boss of this episode and his crimes share similarities with those of the John Gotti crime syndicate, who were responsible for Paul Castellano's assassination. Hoffa disappeared on July 30, 1975, and was legally declared dead on July 30, 1982. The exact circumstances of his death were never resolved. Gotti and five of his brothers all joined the mafia at early ages, and Gotti soon became boss of the well-known Gambino crime family, one of the Five Families in New York City. He became widely known for his outspoken personality and flamboyant style, which were factors leading to his downfall. In 1992, Gotti was convicted of numerous crimes and was sentenced to life in prison, where he died ten years after his incarceration. (Source: John Gotti at Wikipedia)
  • Both this episode and the second part aired on the same night in Australia on Network Ten, which were advertised as a special movie length episode event.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

New York Ledger
9th Street & 7th Avenue
Thursday, November 9

Filmore Hotel
20th & Lexington
Monday, November 13

Zalta's Import-Export
268 Clarkson Street
Wednesday, November 15

Masucci Family Baptism
St. Leander's Church
Monday, November 20

5 6 7

Spivak Grocery
165 Cornelia Street
Thursday, November 23

St. Mark's Hospital
300 Washington Street
Thursday, December 5

Supreme Court
Criminal Term
Friday, January 5

Previous episode:
"The Violence of Summer"
"The Torrents of Greed (1)"
Law & Order
Season 1
Next episode:
"The Torrents of Greed (2)"
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