The Movie
The Godfather I was released in 1972 and starred Hollywood legend Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone. Based on the 1969 book of Mario Puzo, the story of the not-so-secret American-Italian mafia captured everyone's attention.
Not only were fans captivated by the troubles the mafia got themselves into, but also by the lives of the entire Corleone Clan. In fact, one of the first movie's most important subplots is the wedding between Michael’s sister and Rizzi. Do you remember this character?
Who Is Rizzi?
Rizzi plays a crucial role in the first film of the franchise. He was a minor criminal from Nevada that longed to become part of New York's mafia elite. Of course, what better way of doing that than marrying the daughter of the most powerful mobster from the region, Vitto Corleone?
As the plot develops, Rizzi starts being involved in the businesses of the Corleone family. The last scenes between Rizzi and Michael Cordeone are epic and dramatic, but hey, let's not spoil the movie!
The Cast
One of the things that makes The Godfather such a terrific movie is its enviable cast. We're all familiar with the fact that Marlon Brando and Al Pacino played the patriarchs of the Corleone family, but do you remember who played Rizzi?
Rizzi was played by actor Gianni Russo and you'd be surprised to know that he wasn't a professional actor before being cast for The Godfather. How did he end up playing one of the lead roles in the greatest mafia film ever made, then? The answer will surprise you.
Russo’s Childhood
Born in 1943, Gianni Russo was raised in Little Italy, one of Manhattan's working class neighborhoods. When he was only 7 years old, he got infected with polio and remained hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital for five whole years.
Russo had a hard time adjusting to life at the hospital, but things took a turn for worse when he murdered a pedophile named Harold in one of the hospital's toilets. That would be just the beginning of the tough and tumultuous life that lay ahead of him...
When Russo Met Frank Costello
After being cured of polio at the age of 12, he left the hospital and started to work as a pens’ seller on the street. Russo would often stay at the front of Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, where the mafia boss Frank Costello — also known as The Prime Minister of the Underworld — owned a penthouse.
Even though Russo has no recollection of this ever happening, one day, Costello reached out to him and tried to touch his shoulder as a way of wishing him good fortune, but Russo flinched and backed away. Little did little Russo imagine that their lives would cross paths once again in the near future.
Under Costello’s Wing
It appears to be that the young kid's act of defiance impressed Costello, so the mafia leader started keeping an eye on him. One day, Costello approached Russo once again and asked him if he wanted to work for him. At the time, little did Russo imagine that he was in the face of one of America's greatest criminals.
Costello was the leader of one of the country's largest bootlegging and gambling organizations and he loved recruiting young, vulnerable men to work for him. According to Russo himself, he was just a poor Italian immigrant at the time, so being recruited by Costello actually helped him lead a better life. But at what cost?
First Jobs For Costello
It wasn't long before Russo started working as Costello's personal messenger. Soon after that, Russo started traveling around the world, mostly because of the global money laundering.
During his first days as Costello's messenger, Russo started being known as “The Kid”. As he once told North Jersey in 2019, "They all knew me as The Kid. I was allowed everywhere". But how long would he keep on working for him?
Meeting Celebrities
When Russo was 18, he was sent to Miami for a special job at one of the city's most exclusive nightspots. It was his first time in the city and it would mark the beginning of his dodgy career. He ended up working in Miami for a few years and got to meet some very famous figures.
During the time working in Miami, he met some of the most prominent Hollywood stars and American politicians, such as Liza Minelli, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, John F. Kennedy, and Marilyn Monroe. In fact, he even had an affair or two with some A-list stars! Can you guess with whom?
Secret Romance With Marilyn
When Russo first met Marilyn Monroe, little did he imagine that they would become somewhat of an item. According to the American-Italian actor, they were in a 4-year relationship and she was the first woman he was ever with.
Despite the wide age difference — Monroe was twice his age — Russo said that they really hit it off. In Russo's own words, she was a deeply affectionate person and “she believed in everybody and wanted to give everybody a hug”.*
When Ruso Met JFK
However, Marylin wasn't the only star that he met in person. In his autobiography, Russo claimed that he met the late U.S. president J. F. Kennedy when he was still a senator.
But here's something you probably didn't know. Can you believe that Russo was allegedly involved in the former president's murder? Read on if you want to find out more!
When Russo Met Little Man
One day, Russo was asked to deliver an envelope to mafia leader Carlos Marcello, also known as “Little Man”, at the Creole restaurant in New Orleans. There was nothing unusual about the task he was asked to carry out but something strange happened that day.
At point, he went to the bathroom and accidentally bumped into a stranger he had never seen before. Once he came back from the bathroom, Little Man told him "Tell Frank it's on" after reading the envelope. But what does this have to do with JFK's assassination?
JFK's Murderer
A few weeks later, JFK was brutally shot on-camera, and when Russo saw the murderer's face on TV, he suddenly froze. The man on the screen, Lee Harvey Oswald, definitely rang a bell.
That's when he realized that Oswald was the man he had bumped into at the Creole restaurant! According to Russo, Oswald was promised a ticket to Cuba if he killed the president, but we all know that was far from the case.
Russo’s Secret Passion
We've already mentioned that Russo had to travel a lot back in his days working for the mafia and that he would usually attend shows and parties alongside famous stars. However, what nobody ever told you is that attending these shows sparked another passion within him: singing!
One day, just as he was carrying one of his messenger jobs, Russo met the one and only Frank Sinatra and the famous music icon taught him some singing skills. But can you guess what other famous star Russo met?
A Life Full Of Adventure
Not only did Russo meet famous Hollywood stars and politicians, but he also got to meet important figures from the crime world. Can you guess who?
Russo claimed he was once asked to carry out a favor for the former Shah Of Iran before the 1979 revolution. He also met Pablo Escobar, the most important Colombian drug dealer of all time. But wait a moment... did Russo ever get involved in serious crimes?
It Wasn't For Him
According to Russo, it was the mafia what saved him from leading a desolate life of poverty, and he'll always have Costello to thank. However, he also admitted that he had never wanter to get involved with the crime scene.
This being said, Russo was never really involved in any killing or anything of the sort. While he developed a close friendship with Costello himself, he was never given any bigger responsibilities other than his messenger gigs. As Russo told Fox Business in 2019: “I never wanted to join that club”.
Russo’s Big Opportunity
I know what you're thinking: how did Russo go from being the biggest mafia leader's messenger to a Hollywood star? Well, it all began when he read an article in the Los Angeles Times that said that Paramount Studio was looking for amateur actors to play secondary roles in a gangster film.
As you can imagine, The Godfather’s producers were looking for Italians and American-Italians that could convincingly portray the lives of America's greatest mafia leaders. Before landing the role of Russo, he auditioned for the roles of Carlo, Sonny and Michael.
The Mafia Didn’t Like The Film
Before giving it a shot, Russo asked his boss whether it was OK for him to audition. While they didn't show any objection at first, it turns out that the mafia mobs weren't too amused about the release of the film. They figured that if the film were successful, it wouldn't make them look good.
After the release of The Godfather was announced, a group of mobsters created the The Anti-Defamation League, an Italian-American organization that started to lobby against Paramount’s plans. But what happened then?
Russo Knew What He Had To Do
Russo happened to play a key role in the conflict between the mafia and the film studio. In fact, he was the mediator between the mafia families and Paramount. Who would've thought?
By that time, Russo still hadn't been given a role yet, so these were the terms they settled on: the mafia families would let Paramount to shoot the film in New York, and in exchange, Russo would be cast for a role in the film. But this was not all!
The Deal
The mob also set some conditions. While they would allow Paramount to shoot in the streets of NY, the gang would receive a small percentage of the film's profits.
According to Russo, his bosses received $100 for every ticket sold on the premier gala, and all of the most important families accepted those terms. However, Coppola was about to face even more obstacles with the mob...
His Big Break
Without a doubt, portraying Carlos Rizzi was Russo's big break. He was barely known in the film industry, and his terrific performance as a mafia leader really helped him make a name for himself.
Russo admitted that his role in the famous mafia film opened many doors for him in the movie industry. The actor went on to star in movies like The Freshman, Sea Biscuit, and Rush Hour, among others. However, his role in The Godfather would get him into one last great adventure...
The Night Of 1988
After the success of The Godfather I, Russo started managing a nightclub in Las Vegas. He made a fresh start, but in 1988, something wild happened to him.
A man went to the club and started to pick of a fight with a few other guys. The man even tried to hurt Russo with a broken bottle and was left with no choice but to shoot him. Little did he know that this stranger worked for the famous Colombian drug-dealer Pablo Escobar! This meant he was in big trouble...
When Russo Met Pablo Escobar
The man died a few hours after being shot, and Russo knew his life was in danger. After all, no one wants to mess with Escobar's closest friends! In fact, Escobar sent a mob to beat him up, though the actor made it out alive.
However, when Escobar found out that the man he had ordered to be tortured had starred in The Godfather, he was left baffled. The Godfather happened to be Escobar's favorite movie, so the drug dealer asked to meet Russo in person. They even recreated one of the movie's ending scenes together! How bizarre is that?
A Hollywood Story
As you can see, Russo's life story seems as if it came straight from a Hollywood film. Who would've thought that a man involved in the mafia would ever star in history's greatest mafia classic?
Some of the adventures and troubles he got involved in sound so bizarre that they seem totally made up, but that's just how exciting Russo's life was! Believe or burst!