Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob

Gianni Russo · Patrick Picciarelli

Mar 2019 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Gianni Russo

About this audiobook

"Gianni Russo walks the walk and talks the talk. What a life. Fascinating. A worthy read." — Robert De Niro

This program is read by the author and includes a bonus conversation.

The over-the-top memoir of a real-life mobster-turned-actor who helped make The Godfather a reality, and his story of life on the edge between danger and glamour.

Gianni Russo was a handsome 25-year-old mobster with no acting experience when he walked onto the set of The Godfather and entered Hollywood history. He played Carlo Rizzi, the husband of Connie Corleone, who set her brother Sonny—played by James Caan—up for a hit. Russo didn't have to act—he knew the mob inside and out: from his childhood in Little Italy, where Mafia legend Frank Costello took him under his wing, to acting as a messenger for New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello during the Kennedy assassination, to having to go on the lam after shooting and killing a member of the Colombian drug cartel in his Vegas club.

Along the way, Russo befriended Frank Sinatra, who became his son's godfather, and Marlon Brando, who mentored his career as an actor after trying to get Francis Ford Coppola to fire him from The Godfather. Russo had passionate affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, and scores of other celebrities. He went on to star in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films, and also acted as producer on several. Hollywood Godfather is his no-holds-barred account of a life lived on the edge. It is a story filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.

Ratings and reviews

well I guess you could call it an unbelievable story because not a minute of it was believable. this guy was apparently the Forrest Gump of the mob right place at the right time for every major event in US history and yet no one's ever heard of him...

What a wonderful and rich story teller. Gianni Russo is a repository of stories ranging from Hollywood, this thing of ours, and beyond. The first couple of stories where worth the price of this audio book and he goes in depth to stories you can find on YouTube and provides a richer narrative. He provides a first hand account of history as witnessed by him. I highly recommend this audio book to anyone who enjoys a great story.

Absolutely fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyed. The only disappointment was that I finished listening to it and wanted more.

About the author

GIANNI RUSSO has appeared in forty-five movies, has been involved in the production of nineteen more, and has been in numerous TV shows. His most well-known roles include parts in The Godfather: Parts I and II; Goodnight, My Love; Lepke; Laserblast; Chances Are; The Freshman; Seabiscuit; and Rush Hour 2. He also has a part in the upcoming Barry Minkow biopic. His lifelong association with organized crime has seen him witness to mob history. He is also a singer with sold-out shows across the country.