Vito Corleone is loosely based on Giuseppe “Joe” Profaci who's cover was also that of an olive oil importer. Many of the stories in Mario Puzo's book are based on actual events during the war between the Gallo Brothers and the Profaci faction.

Which family are the Corleones based on?

The Corleone family has drawn comparisons with the real-life Genovese and Bonanno crime families.

Was Robert De Niro supposed to be Michael Corleone?

Robert De Niro Could Have Played Michael Corleone, the Role Al Pacino Made Iconic in The Godfather. Sean Levy writes in the excellent biography De Niro: A Life that Francis Ford Coppola considered “a number of names for every key role” in 1972's The Godfather – including De Niro and Pacino.

Who is Michael Corleone supposed to be?

Of Vito's children, he is certainly the best candidate to take over the family. But Michael was never supposed to get involved in the Mafia. He was supposed to become a senator, perhaps even president. Even when he does begin working for his father, he doesn't seem fully reconciled to the decision.

Who was supposed to be in The Godfather?

Numerous actors, many of whom were bankable stars, were considered to play Michael. From Jack Nicholson to Warren Beatty and Robert Redford, some of Hollywood's biggest stars were either offered the role or turned it down. Coppola held out for Pacino, but Paramount made a move to cast James Caan as Michael.

How did Vito Corleone know it was Barzini all along?

Who is The Godfather supposed to be in real life?

Vito Corleone is based on a composite of mid-20th-century New York Mafia figures Carlo Gambino, Frank Costello, Joe Bonanno, and Joe Profaci. Mario told me that all of the great dialogue, those quotable lines he put into the mouth of Don Corleone, were actually spoken by Mario's mother.

Who was the original choice for The Godfather?

When Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount Pictures set out to cast the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather, they had a disagreement. The studio wanted Robert Redford, Warren Beatty or Ryan O'Neal.

Did Michael regret killing Fredo?

He is also mentioned many times throughout the film; the dialogue makes it clear that Michael is tormented with guilt over ordering his brother's death, and that it has alienated him from his ex-wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), and his son, Anthony (Franc D'Ambrosio), both of whom know the truth about Fredo's death.

Who was the first choice to play Don Corleone?

Hard as it may be to believe, Brando was not the first choice to play Don Vito Corleone. The British legend Sir Laurence Olivier was the first actor to be offered the role. Sir Laurence pleaded date issues.

What did Michael Corleone suffer from?

Traumatized by the attack, Michael suffers a diabetic stroke, briefly incapacitating him.

What actor turned down the role of Michael Corleone?

Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson both turned down the role of Michael. There were many actors considered for role of Michael. Robert Redford…he was too WASPish, Martin Sheen who actually auditioned for the role.

Who auditioned for Kay in The Godfather?

Mia Farrow As Kay Corleone

But she wasn't the first choice for the role. Three horror movie starlets — Rosemary's Baby's Mia Farrow, Don't Look Now's Julie Christie, and Trilogy of Terror's Karen Black (who got her film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's You're a Big Boy Now) — were also considered to play Kay.

Who was supposed to play Sonny in Godfather?

Anthony Perkins not only auditioned for Sonny, but also for Tom Hagen. Originally Caan was to be cast as the main character Michael Corleone (Sonny's youngest brother), while Carmine Caridi was signed as Sonny. However Coppola demanded that the role of Michael be played by Al Pacino instead.

Who is Don Vito Corleone based on?

Carlo Gambino influenced Vito Corleone's backstory, including the manner of the character's death. The most notable mobster to influence Don Coreleone's story was Frank Costello, who disliked violence as much as The Godfather's patriarch.

Why did Fredo betray Michael?

Fredo's decision is most likely a result of resentment toward Michael, by whom he felt he had been passed over. Michael was Fredo's "kid brother," and the fact that their father chose for Michael to take over the "family business" came as a great insult to Fredo, who was neither as intelligent nor as strong.

Why did Jack Nicholson refuse The Godfather?

The primary reason why Jack Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather was that the presently retired Nicholson, who identified himself as being Irish throughout his career, felt that the role of the Italian-American Michael should be played by an Italian actor.

Who turned down the role of Johnny Fontane?

Damone eventually declined the role because of a salary dispute and also because he did not want to provoke the mob or anger Frank Sinatra, whom Damone profoundly respected. Ultimately, the part of Johnny Fontane was given to Martino.

Why didn't they like Al Pacino in The Godfather?

Posting a portion of Al Pacino's audition tape for the role of Michael Corleone to his Instagram account, the director stated: “The interesting thing here, was a reason given to me against casting Pacino was not only was he too short, but also too 'scruffy'.”

Who killed Fredo in the boat?

As Fredo prays the Hail Mary (which he claimed brought him luck whilst fishing), Neri shoots him in the back of the head, not knowing that Anthony was watching from his bedroom window.

Why did Kay leave Michael?

By The Godfather Part II, Kay has decided that Michael is a cold, distant, inattentive husband and father, but only after an attempt is made on his life in the family home does she resolve to rebel against him.

Who is the real villain in The Godfather?

Emilio "The Wolf" Barzini is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and in its 1972 film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte. The Barzini crime family was inspired by the Genovese crime family.

Who turned down godfather roles?

Jack Nicholson's Reason for Not Joining The Godfather Cast

He read The Godfather script and knew that the film would be a hit, based on the quality of Mario Puzo's novel alone. But even with this enthusiasm for the project, Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone.

Who tried to stop The Godfather from being made?

Colombo family crime boss Joe Colombo (center) first tried to stop production on the "The Godftaher" — then turned over and helped it get made. Director Francis Ford Coppola accepted one of the film's three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.