Politician, developer. He was a member of the State Board of Equalization, the state agency which approves and issues liquor licenses, and was well known for his battles with "Los Angeles Times" newspaper publishers Harry and Norman Chandler, as well as Dorothy Buffum Chandler, who controlled the "Los Angeles Mirror." He was born in Kingman, Arizona, to George Alfred Bonelli and Effie Ellen Tarr. He moved to Los Angeles in 1912 and attended the University of Southern California, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1916. From 1918-1919, he served in the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army, remaining in the Reserve as a pilot until 1934. He attended Occidental College and obtained his Master of Arts degree in 1923, and he taught at Occidental College for seven years until 1929. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Southwestern Law School in 1924, and in 1925 he was admitted to the California Bar. In 1927 he was elected President of the Los Angeles City Council, beginning a long and colorful career in politics. He was elected to the California State Assembly from the 54th District in 1931, and was Director of the State Department of Professional and Vocational Standards from 1934 to 1938. After two unsuccessful attempts to become the mayor of Los Angeles, one in 1929 and the other in 1932, he was appointed to the State Board of Equalization. Despite his long-time friendship with "Los Angeles Times" publisher Harry Chandler, he and Harry's daughter-in-law, Dorothy Buffum Chandler, did not see eye to eye. The "Los Angeles Mirror" (an afternoon tabloid that ran in the late 1940s and 1950s) was controlled by Buffum, and several articles appeared in the Mirror during 1953 which accused Bonelli of criminal associations, long involvement in kickbacks on liquor licenses, and bribery. Bonelli fought back and defended himself by hiring Leo Katcher, a journalist, to ghost-write "Billion Dollar Blackjack: The Story of Corruption and the Los Angeles Times" (1954). He also sued the "Los Angeles Mirror" for $1.15 million for libel because of the front page articles which, in addition to other smear tactics, he was called the Liquor Czar. Political troubles aside, he was a large promoter of the Southern California aircraft industry and was heavily involved in land developments in the Santa Clarita Valley. He formed "Rancho Santa Clarita," and with it the Santa Clarita Water Co. The water company was situated next to one of his other well-known land holdings - Hoot Gibson's rodeo venue (which he purchased in 1937), later named Bonelli Ranch Stadium. It was used to host racing events for midget cars and hot rods on a quarter-mile dirt track until 1954. At that time, the track was expanded to a one-third mile and paved, and the name was changed to the Saugus Speedway. His legal troubles continued, however, and charges of corruption in the awarding of liquor licenses brought an impending grand jury indictment. He tried unsuccessfully several times to have the court case moved to San Diego County, insisting that he would not be able to get a fair trial in Los Angeles County. He was denied each time, so Bonelli moved to Mexico and lived there in exile until his death in 1970.