"of Tom Hagen. After screen testing several other actors, Coppola eventually got his wish and Duvall was awarded the part of Tom Hagen. Al Martino, a then famed singer in nightclubs, was notified of the character Johnny Fontane by a friend who read the eponymous novel and felt Martino represented the character of Johnny Fontane. Martino then contacted producer Al Ruddy, who gave him the part. However, Martino was stripped of the part after Coppola became director and then awarded the role to Italian singer Vic Damone. Damone eventually dropped the role because he did not want to play an"
"Al Martino Al Martino (born Jasper Cini; October 7, 1927 – October 13, 2009) was an American singer and actor. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid-1970s, being described as ""one of the great Italian American pop crooners"", and also became well known as an actor, particularly for his role as singer Johnny Fontane in ""The Godfather"". Jasper ""Al"" Cini was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The name Jasper was an anglicisation of his father's name, Gasparino. His parents were immigrants from Abruzzo, Italy, who ran a construction business, and while growing up, he"
"82nd birthday. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Al Martino Al Martino (born Jasper Cini; October 7, 1927 – October 13, 2009) was an American singer and actor. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid-1970s, being described as ""one of the great Italian American pop crooners"", and also became well known as an actor, particularly for his role as singer Johnny Fontane in ""The Godfather"". Jasper ""Al"" Cini was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The name Jasper was an anglicisation of his father's name, Gasparino. His parents were immigrants"
"in Bohlen's europop sound) reached number 93 in the German single charts. Apart from singing, Martino played the role of Johnny Fontane in the 1972 film ""The Godfather"", as well as singing the film's theme, ""Speak Softly Love"". He played the same role in ""The Godfather Part III"" and ""The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980"". He later returned to acting, playing aging crooner Sal Stevens in the short film ""Cutout"", appearing in film festivals around the world in 2006. Martino was married first to Jenny Furini; then to Gwendolyn Wenzel; and, finally, to Judi Martino, to whom he was married at the"
"playing Las Vegas casinos as a performer, and although he had to declare bankruptcy in the early 1970s, he earned enough as a casino performer to clear up his financial difficulties. He extended his geographical range, touring through the United States and the United Kingdom, and as a result of his popularity, decided to record some albums again for RCA. In the UK, he appeared on Tommy Cooper's ""Christmas Special"" television show in 1974. In 1972, he was offered the role of Johnny Fontane in ""The Godfather"". The role ultimately went to Al Martino, as Damone turned down the role"
"Harry Dean Stanton Harry Dean Stanton (July 14, 1926 – September 15, 2017) was an American actor, musician, and singer. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton made appearances in the films ""Cool Hand Luke"" (1967), ""Kelly's Heroes"" (1970), ""Dillinger"" (1973), ""The Godfather Part II"" (1974), ""Alien"" (1979), ""Escape from New York"" (1981), ""Christine"" (1983), ""Repo Man"" (1984), ""Paris, Texas"" (1984), ""Pretty in Pink"" (1986), ""The Last Temptation of Christ"" (1988), ""Wild at Heart"" (1990), ""The Straight Story"" (1999), ""The Green Mile"" (1999), ""Alpha Dog"" (2006), ""Inland Empire"" (2006), and ""Lucky"" (2017), and had supporting roles in"
"Dominic Chianese Dominic Chianese (born February 24, 1931) is an American actor, singer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Corrado ""Junior"" Soprano on the HBO series ""The Sopranos"", and Johnny Ola in ""The Godfather Part II"". Chianese was born in the Bronx, New York. His father was a bricklayer. His grandfather emigrated to the United States from Naples in 1904 and settled in the Bronx. After a decade of attending college and appearing in Off-Broadway theatre, Chianese attended his first professional acting class at HB Studio in Manhattan, with renowned teacher Walt Witcover. Drama and musical"
"Jimmy Fontana Jimmy Fontana (13 November 1934 – 11 September 2013) was an Italian actor, composer and singer-songwriter. Two of his most famous songs are ""Che sarà"", performed also by José Feliciano with Ricchi e Poveri and ""Il Mondo"". Born Enrico Sbriccoli in Camerino, Italy, he went to Rome, after graduating from school, to study Economics and Accounting, while teaching himself the bass and attending local jazz venues. Eventually, he would devote himself completely to music. Early on in his career, he adopted the stage name Jimmy Fontana, taking the name of one of his idols, American musician Jimmy Giuffre,"
"James Caan James Edmund Caan (born March 26, 1940) is an American actor. After early roles in ""The Glory Guys"" (1965), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, ""El Dorado"" (1967), and ""The Rain People"" (1969), he came to prominence in the 1970s with significant roles in films such as ""Brian's Song"" (1971), ""Cinderella Liberty"" (1973), ""The Gambler"" (1974), ""Freebie and the Bean"" (1974), ""Rollerball"" (1975), ""Funny Lady"" (1975), ""A Bridge Too Far"" (1977) and ""Chapter Two"" (1979). For his signature role in ""The Godfather"" (1972), that of hot-tempered Sonny Corleone, Caan was nominated for the Academy Award for"
"eldest daughter Tara and one from his son Scott. James Caan James Edmund Caan (born March 26, 1940) is an American actor. After early roles in ""The Glory Guys"" (1965), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, ""El Dorado"" (1967), and ""The Rain People"" (1969), he came to prominence in the 1970s with significant roles in films such as ""Brian's Song"" (1971), ""Cinderella Liberty"" (1973), ""The Gambler"" (1974), ""Freebie and the Bean"" (1974), ""Rollerball"" (1975), ""Funny Lady"" (1975), ""A Bridge Too Far"" (1977) and ""Chapter Two"" (1979). For his signature role in ""The Godfather"" (1972), that of hot-tempered Sonny"
"Gianni Russo Louis Giovanni ""Gianni"" Russo (born December 12, 1943) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Carlo Rizzi in ""The Godfather"". Russo was born in Manhattan, raised in Little Italy and Rosebank, Staten Island. After reprising the Rizzi character in a brief flashback scene at the end of ""The Godfather Part II"", Russo went on to act in more than 35 movies, including ""Goodnight, My Love"" (1972), ""Lepke"" (1975, as Albert Anastasia), ""Laserblast"" (1978), ""Chances Are"" (1989), ""The Freshman"" (1990), ""Side Out"" (1990), ""Another You"" (1991), ""Super Mario Bros."" (1993), ""Any Given"
"the television series ""The Sopranos"". In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to Vale. Jerry Vale Jerry Vale (born Genaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an American singer and actor. During the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, including a cover of Eddy Arnold hit ""You Don't Know Me"" (1956) and ""Have You Looked into Your Heart"" (1964). Vale, who was of Italian descent, sang numerous songs in Italian, many of which were used in soundtracks"
"John Cazale John Holland Cazale (; ; August 12, 1935 – March 13, 1978) was an American actor. He appeared in five films over six years, all of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: ""The Godfather"", ""The Conversation"", ""The Godfather Part II"", ""Dog Day Afternoon"", and ""The Deer Hunter."" He appeared in archival footage in ""The Godfather Part III"", also nominated for Best Picture. From his start as a theater actor, he became one of Hollywood's premier character actors, starting with his role as the doomed, weak-minded Fredo Corleone opposite longtime friend Al Pacino in Francis"
"Frank Fontaine Frank Fontaine (April 19, 1920 – August 4, 1978) was an American stage, radio, film and television comedian, singer and actor. Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fontaine came from a family of entertainers. His father, Ray Fontaine, of French-Canadian descent was a popular vocalist, whose career in Canada resulted in his being compared to Bing Crosby. His mother, Anna McCarthy, of Irish and Scottish descent, performed as a dancer, and he had a brother who also became a singer. Fontaine left school and married at age sixteen. Two days before his 17th birthday, he married his childhood"
"Jerry Vale Jerry Vale (born Genaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an American singer and actor. During the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, including a cover of Eddy Arnold hit ""You Don't Know Me"" (1956) and ""Have You Looked into Your Heart"" (1964). Vale, who was of Italian descent, sang numerous songs in Italian, many of which were used in soundtracks by films of Martin Scorsese Vale showed his love of Italian music with his albums, ""I Have But One Heart"" (1962) and"
"John Marley John Marley (born Mortimer Marlieb, October 17, 1907 – May 22, 1984) was an American actor who was known for his role as Phil Cavalleri in ""Love Story"" and as Jack Woltz— the defiant film mogul who awakens to find the severed head of his prized horse in his bed—in ""The Godfather"" (1972). He starred in John Cassavetes' feature ""Faces"" (1968) and appeared in ""The Glitter Dome"" (1984). Marley was born in Harlem in New York City. He dropped out of high school, turning instead to a career in acting. Marley served in the United States Army Signal"
"from the Heart"" (1982) compelled him to take up Paramount's long-standing offer to make a third installment. Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire reprised their roles from the first two films. According to Coppola's audio commentary on the film in ""The Godfather DVD Collection"", Robert Duvall refused to take part unless he was paid a salary comparable to Pacino's. On an episode of ""Inside the Actors Studio"", Duvall said he understood that Pacino was the star but felt insulted by the difference in their salaries, saying: ""if they paid Pacino twice what they paid me, that's fine, but not"
"Eddie Fontaine Eddie Fontaine (March 6, 1927 – April 13, 1992) was an American actor and singer, best known for television roles in the 1960s and 1970s. Born Edward Reardon in Springfield, Massachusetts, Fontaine signed as a vocalist with RCA in 1954 after serving in the US Navy. In 1955, he appeared at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in disc jockey Alan Freed's first rock and roll show. He also sang in the Jayne Mansfield movie, ""The Girl Can't Help It"" (1956). Musically he is best remembered for his 1958 single ""Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees)"", which was"
"Jacquelynne Fontaine Jacquelynne Noelle Fontaine (born 1982) is an American opera singer, actor, and beauty pageant titleholder. She held the title of Miss California 2006, finished in the top 10 and won a preliminary talent award at Miss America in 2007. She is known for her performance as Carlotta Giudicelli in the adaptation of ""The Phantom of the Opera"" by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Academy of Music. Fontaine graduated from Oxnard High School. In 2005, she graduated from the California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks with a Bachelor degree in Music. Fontaine completed her master's degree in Vocal Arts"
"Sopranos"", and in ""When in Rome"". In 1989, Duse starred in the film ""Queen of Hearts"", and he won the Jury Distinction Award at the Montréal World Film Festival. Vittorio Duse Vittorio Duse (21 March 1916 – 2 June 2005) also known as ""Victor Duncan"" or ""Victor Duse"" was an Italian actor born on 21 March 1916 in Marche, Italy. He died on 2 June 2005 in Rome, Italy. One of his first roles was in Luchino Visconti's debut feature ""Ossessione"" (1942). Outside Italy, Duse is known for his role in ""The Godfather Part III"" as Don Tommasino in 1990,"
"Sterling Hayden Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor and author. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as ""Johnny Guitar"", ""The Asphalt Jungle"", and ""The Killing"". Later he became noted for appearing in supporting roles such as Gen. Jack D. Ripper in ""Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"" (1964). He also played the Irish American policeman Captain McCluskey in Francis Ford Coppola's ""The Godfather"" in 1972 and the novelist Roger Wade"
"was the top-grossing movie of the year in Italy with a 1,751,300 Italian lire (about 40 million Euros in 2009) turnover. Among the many artists who have covered this song are the following: Mario Abbate - Francesco Albanese - Renzo Arbore - Francesco Benigno - Andrea Bocelli - Franco Califano - Renato Carosone -Gigi D'Alessio - Lucio Dalla - Maria Pia De Vito - Peppino Di Capri - Giuseppe Di Stefano - Gabriella Ferri - Nico Fidenco - Sergio Franchi - Connie Francis - Nunzio Gallo - Robert Goulet - Enzo Jannacci - Fausto Leali - Manhattan Express - Leopoldo"
"Carmine Caridi Carmine Caridi (born 23 January 1934) is an American television and film actor. He has appeared in a wide variety of roles over the past 30 years. He lives in West Hollywood. In 2004, he became the first person to be expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His most notable film roles are Carmine Rosato in ""The Godfather Part II"" (1974) and Albert Volpe in ""The Godfather Part III"" (1990). He is one of three actors to play two different roles in the ""Godfather"" films (the others being Frank Sivero, who played a young"
"Richard Conte Richard Conte (born Nicholas Peter Conte; March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s through 1970s, including ""I'll Cry Tomorrow"", ""Ocean's 11"", and ""The Godfather"". Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte on March 24, 1910, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Italian-Americans Julia (Fina), a seamstress, and Pasquale Conte, a barber. He graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City. Conte worked as a truck driver, messenger, shoe salesman, and singing waiter before starting his acting career. He was discovered"
"season for her debut performance. Julie Gregg Julie Gregg (January 24, 1937 – November 7, 2016) was an American television, film and stage actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sandra Corleone in ""The Godfather"" (1972). Also notably, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in the 1968 musical ""The Happy Time"". Gregg was born Beverly Scalzo, on January 24, 1937 in Niagara Falls, New York, the daughter of Italian parents Victoria (née Larocca) and Caspar Scalzo. She moved to California to attend the University of Southern California"
"Anthony Corleone Anthony Vito ""Tony"" Corleone is a fictional character in ""The Godfather"" trilogy of films directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He is portrayed by Anthony Gounaris in the first film, James Gounaris in the second, and singer Franc D'Ambrosio in the third. (The character was given the name Anthony because it was thought that the 3-year-old Gounaris of the first film would respond best if his own name was used.) He is the son of Michael (Al Pacino) and Kay Corleone (Diane Keaton), and the older brother of Mary Corleone (Sofia Coppola). While Anthony was never a major character"
"Tony Fontane Tony Fontane (1925–1974) was an American recording artist in the 1940s and 1950s who gave up his career in popular music to become a gospel singer following a near-fatal car accident in 1957. Due to his high, clear tenor voice and unrelenting sense of purpose, he became one of the world's most famous gospel singers, performing in concert halls and churches around the globe and recording many albums for RCA. Fontane was born as Anthony Trankina on September 18, 1925 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the son of Joseph and Raphaella Trankina. His father, a railroad worker for the"
"and district winner; Burbank Philharmonic Young Artist winner; Rio Hondo Symphony ""Young Artist of the Year""; and the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Los Angeles, ""Singer of the Year"". Jacquelynne Fontaine Jacquelynne Noelle Fontaine (born 1982) is an American opera singer, actor, and beauty pageant titleholder. She held the title of Miss California 2006, finished in the top 10 and won a preliminary talent award at Miss America in 2007. She is known for her performance as Carlotta Giudicelli in the adaptation of ""The Phantom of the Opera"" by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Academy of Music. Fontaine graduated"
"Morgana King Morgana King (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018) was an American jazz singer and actress. She began singing at a young age and a professional singing career at sixteen years old. In her twenties, she was singing at a Greenwich Village nightclub when she was recognized for her unique phrasing and vocal range, described as a four-octave contralto range. She was signed to a label and began recording solo albums. She recorded dozens of albums well into the late 1990s. King had her debut and breakout role in film as Carmela Corleone in ""The Godfather"" (1972) and"
"life. He died of an illness on September 21st 1989 at the age of 64. The role of Don Tommasino was passed on to Vittorio Duse. Corrado Gaipa Corrado Gaipa (March 13, 1925 – September 21, 1989) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Born in Palermo, Sicily, Gaipa enrolled in the Silvio d’Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1946. He appeared in many Italian films. Internationally, he was well known for having played Don Tommasino in Francis Ford Coppola's ""The Godfather"" in 1972. Also active on stage, radio and television, he was mainly active as a voice actor"
"Fontaine (singer) Fontaine Weyman, better known as Fontaine, is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and photographer in the Los Angeles, California, area. Born May 7, 1979, in France, she was raised in South Carolina. She has shared a stage with Paula Cole, performed at Lilith Fair, and provided back-up vocals for Rob Zombie, and Josh Brown. In 2006, she self-released her debut album, ""The Chemistry Between Us"". The track ""Long Way Home"" is featured in the film ""All In"", starring Michael Madsen, Dominique Swain and Louis Gosset Jr. Tracks ""Paris, Texas"" and ""Beachwood"" have been recognized by We Are Listening, an"
"Char Fontane Char ""Kaci"" Fontane (January 12, 1952 – April 1, 2007) was an American actress and singer. Born as Kerry Charae Fontane in Los Angeles, to singer Tony Fontane and his wife, actress Kerry Vaughn Fontane. Her first role was portraying her father as a young boy in the 1963 production ""The Tony Fontane Story"". The movie told about her father's rise to popularity as a teen idol and his subsequent tragedies and successes. She also played herself as a child in the second half of the story. She made guest appearances on several popular TV shows during the"
"falling out during the shooting of their final collaboration ""Nighthawks"" (1982). Joe Spinell Joe Spinell (born Joseph J. Spagnuolo; October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an American character actor who appeared in numerous films in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as various stage productions on and off Broadway. His notable roles included performances in ""The Godfather"" (1972) and ""The Godfather Part II"" (1974), ""Rocky"" (1976) and ""Rocky II"" (1979), ""Taxi Driver"" (1976), ""Sorcerer"" (1977), ""Cruising"" (1980), and many more. He was a recurring actor in early Sylvester Stallone films. Most his career consists of him playing bit"