A distinguished character actor, Richard S. Castellano was the highest earning actor in The Godfather, whose fame outside the saga included playing Joe Girelli in The Super. He also received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Love and Other Strangers.

How much did Al Pacino get paid for Godfather?

For his breakout role as Michael Corleone in 1972's The Godfather, Al Pacino was reportedly paid $35,000. This relatively small salary was due to him being a relative unknown at the time he was cast, though the fact that the movie launched his career most likely more than made up for the lack of upfront payment.

Who turned down The Godfather role?

Burt Reynolds was offered the role of Michael, but Marlon Brando threatened to quit if Reynolds was hired, so Reynolds turned down the role. Jack Nicholson was also offered the role, but turned it down as he felt that an Italian-American actor should play the role.

How much was James Caan paid for The Godfather 2?

$35,000 – Caan made $35,000 for his appearance in "The Godfather" (1972), where he played the role of Sonny Corleone, according to IMDb. He reportedly earned the same salary for the franchise's sequel, "The Godfather Part II" (1974).

Why did Richard Castellano leave Godfather?

Castellano did not reprise his role as Clemenza in The Godfather Part II (1974). He was reportedly excluded because Castellano and his agent insisted on controlling the character's dialogue.

The 50th anniversary of The Godfather in Oscar Awards 2022 - Film Bench

Why wasn t James Caan in Godfather 2?

Coppola offered James Cagney a part in the film, but he refused. James Caan agreed to reprise the role of Sonny in the birthday flashback sequence, demanding he be paid the same amount he received for the entire previous film for the single scene in Part II, which he received.

Why did Robert De Niro turn down The Godfather?

De Niro had previously auditioned for the first installment, The Godfather (1972), but quit the project in favor of doing The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

How much did Marlon Brando get paid in The Godfather?

Ultimately, Brando was paid $250,000 and a percentage of profits, reportedly netting about $2 million from the film. After the film's triumphant release, Brando, appeared on the covers of Time, Life and Newsweek and was prominently featured in Playboy, Ladies Home Journal, Rolling Stone, Vogue and other publications.

What was Al Pacino paid for Godfather 3?

Coppola and Puzo preferred the title The Death of Michael Corleone, but Paramount Pictures found that unacceptable. Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire reprised their roles from the first two films, with Pacino accepting an $8 million salary.

How much did Francis Coppola make on The Godfather?

The leads were paid $35,000, while Brando made $50,000 and Coppola himself was paid $110,000. Filming began in 1971, and crew members quoted in the book said that Coppola was immediately out of his depth and had to be 'nudged along'. “It had gone terribly, and I was in deep, deep, deep trouble,” the director said.

Why did Jack Nicholson refuse The Godfather?

But even with this enthusiasm for the project, Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone. And his reasoning, as revealed in a 2004 interview with Moveline, was that "Italians should play Italians."

Who almost played Sonny in The Godfather?

According to studio executive Robert Evans in his 1994 memoir The Kid Stays in the Picture, Caridi was director Francis Ford Coppola's first choice for the role of Sonny Corleone, but Evans insisted on James Caan because Caridi was too tall to play opposite Al Pacino.

Why didn t Bob Evans want Al Pacino to play Michael Corleone?

Producer Robert Evans referred to Pacino as “that little dwarf.” He told Coppola “a runt will not play Michael.” Evans was concerned that Pacino's short stature would be a problem since Sonny Corleone was originally to be played by six foot four actor Carmine Caridi.

How much did Robert Duvall get paid for The Godfather?

For the first movie, when he was an unknown, the actor was paid $35,000 for his entire role, which was $1,000 less than what Duvall was paid. Duvall apparently took home $500,000 for The Godfather Part II and was offered a salary of $1 million for The Godfather Part III.

Who did Nicolas Cage play in Godfather 3?

Nicolas Cage pleaded with Francis Ford Coppola to play Vincent in The Godfather Part III, and he would've nailed it, but the role went to Andy Garcia. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part III almost starred Nicolas Cage, which likely would have benefited the sequel and made it more memorable today.

Who was supposed to play Mary Corleone?

Sofia Coppola, the daughter of director Francis Ford Coppola, was cast in the role of Mary Corleone after several choices dropped out: Winona Ryder discontinued her involvement with the film due to nervous exhaustion, Julia Roberts due to scheduling conflicts, and Madonna was deemed too old for the part by some.

Who got Marlon Brando's money?

Legendary Oscar-winning actor Marlon Brando left the bulk of his estate (worth approximately $26 million) to his producer, other associates, and his longtime housekeeper, Angela Borlaza.

How much Netflix paid for Godfather?

The film's digital streaming rights were acquired by Netflix at a cost of ₹57 crore and will stream as from November 19. It has been reported from News18 that, the film producers have been offered ₹45 crore for the satellite and digital rights for the Hindi dubbed version of this film.

Why did Marlon Brando refuse the Oscar for The Godfather?

Brando did not appear at the function but a buckskin clad American Indian woman Sacheen Little Feather, got on the stage and told the audience: “Marlon Brando very regretfully cannot accept this award because of the treatment of American Indians in this country to-day on the television, on reruns and recent happenings ...

Who owns the rights to The Godfather?

The estate of Puzo had sought to keep Paramount Pictures from producing the film based on The Family Corleone. Now resolved, Paramount has gained the rights to make more Godfather films.

How many Oscars did The Godfather earn?

The Godfather (1972) would win three Oscars, claiming a revered place in motion picture history. It established Coppola as one of the art form's top talents. Although he is world renowned as a director, Coppola has had perhaps an even more distinguished career as a producer.

Did Robert De Niro really speak Italian in The Godfather?

Robert De Niro spent four months learning to speak the Sicilian dialect of Italian in order to play Vito Corleone. Nearly all of the dialogue that his character speaks in the film was in Sicilian. Originally, the actors in the flashback scenes wore pants with zippers.

Who didn t want Al Pacino for Godfather?

"The studio didn't want Al Pacino at all," Keaton said, noting that she was cast before him in the Francis Ford Coppola classic. She then explained what caused the studio to change their opinion: their chemistry read.

Who tried out for The Godfather?

Robert Redford As Michael Corleone

Warren Beatty was offered the chance to direct, produce, and star as Michael, but turned it down. Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson also turned down the part. David Carradine and Martin Sheen auditioned for the role and Tommy Lee Jones was briefly considered.