Richard Castellano as Clemenza in Godfather I
Paul Castellano was his Uncle
Posted on 12/16/2015 3:32:44 PM PST by Kid Shelleen
Thirty years ago Wednesday, shots rang out in front of Sparks Steak House in Midtown, leaving then-Gambino crime boss Paul Castellano dead in the gutter, and signaling the rise to power of John Gotti who would soon become the most famous gangster in America.
It was also a development, according to mob experts, that ultimately speeded up the demise of the five mob families in New York City.
"It was one of the most singular acts that altered the existence of the New York Mafia," said Phil Scala the retired head of the FBI squad that investigated the Gambino family.
"John Gotti took the La Cosa Nostra rulebook and shot it full of holes on East 46th St. and Third Ave.," Scala said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Also, when RICO was enacted.
It wasn’t Tattaglia, he’s a pimp. It was Barzini all along.
Teflon Don. A psychopathic thug with a sartorial flair.
Paul Castellano was his Uncle
:)
No kidding? Wow. He was perfect in that role.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_S._Castellano
Remember this show? His daughter starred in it with him.
I always liked the name of Umberto's Clam House where there was another Mafia hit (Joe Gallo) in 1972. Apparently Gallo's father was named Umberto, although he didn't start the restaurant.
I do vaguely remember the show, but honestly do not believe I ever watched it.
Cool ; I love trivia like that !
Extremely short lived. LOL
I can’t get over that he died at 55 in 1988.
He looked 55 in 1972.
In 1972, the establishment's founder, Umberto Ianniello, opened the restaurant at 129 Mulberry Street (at the northwest corner of Mulberry and Hester Streets). The restaurant was both the hangout of Umberto's son, reputed Mafia leader Matthew ("Matty the Horse") Ianniello and (according to Judge Edward Weinfeld of the Federal District Court in Manhattan) secretly owned by Matthew.
Two months after opening, on April 7, 1972, New York gangster Joe Gallo was shot and killed at the eatery, where his party of family and friends (including his daughter, wife, and bodyguard had stopped for an early morning snack after celebrating his 43rd birthday at the Copacabana. A rival gangster spotted him and sent in hitmen shortly after Gallo was seated at a butcher block table in a back corner. After sustaining five shots, Gallo stumbled out into the street and died.
Source: Wikipedia
I will bet revenues doubled at that place during the following weeks.
Career
Kirby was a popular character actor through the late 1980s and early 1990s. His film debut was in 1971's The Young Graduates. It was his role in The Godfather Part II as the young Peter Clemenza, that raised his profile in Hollywood. In the summer of 1972 Kirby, in one of his early television appearances, portrayed Anthony Girelli, the son of Richard Castellano's character Joe Girelli, in the television situation comedy The Super; Castellano had played the older Pete Clemenza in The Godfather.
Source: Wikipedia
Very cool.
That wouldn’t surprise me at all!
Coppola was brilliant with his casting.
Castellano was coming off of an Oscar Nominated role and was possibly the best known actor at the time (After Brando, of course)
Brandos career had peaked, then ebbed and nobody wanted to work with him.
De Niro, Pacino, Caan, Duvall, Keaton were all either unknown or little known.
Sterling Hayden still struggling from his blackballing in the 50's.
Even Talia Shire was quite a ploy - Thinking he was going to be fired, he signed her so someone in the family could make some money!
That he did!
Hard to believe also that Brando was only 48 when he played the Don.
Brandos career had peaked, then ebbed and nobody wanted to work with him.
...
I think I read that the studio wanted Ernest Borgnine for the role. Can you imagine?
Godfather and Godfather II are among my top ten movies of all time. They are morality plays, imho, and never grow old.
Think of the Bible and Shakespeare. Love, greed, hatred, revenge. Every human weakness. Love for family. I usually watch both once a year.
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