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Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob Kindle Edition

by Gianni Russo (Author), Patrick Picciarelli (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,383 ratings
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Hollywood Godfather is Gianni Russo's 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 become a producer and starred in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films.

Hollywood Godfather is a no-holds-barred account of a life filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.

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  1. Print length
    300 pages
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  4. Publisher
    St. Martin's Press
  5. Publication date
    March 12, 2019
  6. File size
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gianni Russo walks the walk and talks the talk. What a life. Fascinating. A worthy read." ―Robert De Niro, two-time Academy Award-winning actor

“Gianni Russo has seen a lot, done a lot, and tells it all. Amazing.”―Nick Pileggi, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of Goodfellas

“Gianni Russo is a true character who has led a most colorful life.”―Gay Talese, journalist and New York Times bestselling author

"Recounting a life that reads like a narrative for a mob-movie script, a mobster, actor, and Las Vegas presence delivers numerous eye-opening revelations about national and world events...Russo is an engaging raconteur." ―Kirkus Reviews

“In this robust, fast-paced memoir, Russo describes his life going from being a real-life mobster to landing a role playing one in The Godfather…[his] exhilarating memoir packs a punch.” ―Publishers Weekly

"Russo tells a fascinating story about how a kid from New York’s Little Italy grew up to be a genuine mobster (and actor, singer, and restaurateur)...it’s a hell of a story either way, and Russo comes across as a hell of an interesting guy." ―Booklist

"Russo's writing style reads like narration from Goodfellas...Fans of mob movies and unlikely success stories will find Russo's account compelling." ―Library Journal

About the Author

GIANNI RUSSO has appeared in more than thirty movies, been involved in the production of several others, and appeared 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; Side Out; Another You; Super Mario Bros.; Any Given Sunday; The Family Man; Seabiscuit; and Rush Hour 2. His life-long association with organized crime has made him a witness to Mob history. He is also a singer, whose shows are sold out across the country.

PATRICK PICCIARELLI is a retired NYPD Lieutenant, Vietnam veteran and private investigator. He is the author of Street Warrior: The True Story of the NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era That Created Him, and other books. He resides in Pennsylvania.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07D2BYL71
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (March 12, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 12, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 14895 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,383 ratings

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  1. Patrick Picciarelli

    Patrick Picciarelli

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    Patrick Picciarelli is the author of Jimmy the Wags: Street Stories of a Private Eye (William Morrow (1999) and wrote the screenplay (movie rights sold). He also wrote the sequel, My Life in the NYPD: Jimmy the Wags (Onyx 2002), Mala Femina: A Woman’s Life as the Daughter of a Don, (Barricade Books 2003), Undercover Cop (St. Martin’s Press (2013), Street Warrior: The True Story of the NYPD’s Most Decorated Detective and the Era That Created Him (St. Martin’s Press 2017) and Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob (St. Martin’s Press 2019). His short story, The Prince of Arthur Avenue, published in the anthology Bronx Noir (Akashic Books 2007), was included in a list of "Other Distinguished Mystery Stories of 2007” in the Best American Mystery Stories anthology, co-edited by George Pelecanos and Otto Penzler. It was made into a film by KnightVision Productions (2010). He is also the co-host of The Hollywood Godfather Podcast

    Picciarelli, a former U.S. Army machine gunner in Vietnam, spent 20 years in the NYPD, retiring as a lieutenant, and is a licensed private investigator. He holds a BA and MA degrees (2) in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. He also holds a Doctorate in Criminal Justice from California University of Pennsylvania where he is an adjunct professor of criminal justice.

    He is the recipient of the coveted PAGS award, recognized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for outstanding graduate-level scholarship.

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  2. Gianni Russo

    Gianni Russo

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
3,383 global ratings
Get this book. Very interesting/ entertaining
5 Stars
Get this book. Very interesting/ entertaining
Got to meet Gianni at the mob museum here in Las Vegas. It was about a 2-3 hour program that ended down in the speakeasy after. There is so much more to this gentleman than just his role as “Carlo” in The Godfather movie. In fact after reading the book ( or hearing him speak) you’ll find out that although the movie role was an important part of his life, there are many other stories/situations that are more interesting and entertaining to read. His actual interacting with real, extremely important La Costra Nostra figures ( in fact it’s how he got the role in The Godfather movie but I’ll say no more). Get this book, very entertaining read and very interesting guy. I highly recommend it!
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Top reviews from the United States

Kim
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
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I just started this book two nights ago and already halfway through.
Can’t put it down. Very interesting and the authors do a great job of
keeping the story flowing. I highly recommend. I don’t want it to end. 🥹
One person found this helpful
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Wyogirl
5.0 out of 5 stars All possible if you've lived in NYC
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2020
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To those who say it's not possible, there are those of us who knew a neighbor who had to move suddenly or ended up with a new car or furniture "from a friend" or "for a favor". And it was rare for someone to have a car in Manhattan, which is where we lived. The parking fees were astronomical in the lots, plus who needed the hassle when there were subways, buses, and taxis every minute? Neighborhoods cleared out and got quiet now and then, in different areas of the five borougs like Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island. Things were going on and you could tell it was something you better not stare at or make it your business. Street murders happened and made the papers. Sometimes they happened while you were at work, so you didn't know until the papers came out. Manhattan had lots of people and millions of things going on. A neighbor disappeared or moved away suddenly. You met so many people and so many things happened to you in the day that you lived a lifetime every ten years. You learned to be tough, quiet, and mind your own business to be safe, while you heard and saw without listening or looking. But you knew how to be tough when the need arose.
I heard stories like this in Russo's book when very young to early adulthood. Crazy? Yes. Real? You bet.
The only things that I was skeptical about was Marylin and the restaurant in Louisiana, but I met and saw all kinds of stars including Marilyn walking with Arthur Miller, movie and Broadway "stars", Dick Cavett, world models, famed sport stars in hockey, football, just on the same sidewalk or across the street coming toward me. Common happening. But the made men were pretty obvious in plain sight and you looked straight ahead away from them.
By the way, this book is very entertaining, humorous and educational as well as scary at times: hard to put down, I was wanting more when I had finished the book.
7 people found this helpful
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theo
4.0 out of 5 stars Believe it or Not, still a fun read
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
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Prompt delivery. Copy in good shape. Claims "inside" information and is very detailed about his life and acquaintances. The more details included, the more likely to be believed. Doesn't disappoint. I suppose many of these tales could easily be verified, but I didn't bother. "Seems" everybody loves this guy, a close friend and confidante to gangsters, movie stars and, outlandishly, to Pablo Escobar! Some reads true, some not so much. Still an easy, enjoyable read.
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Clean Gene
5.0 out of 5 stars Great index, easy to read. Tells it like it is.
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2020
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I am 86 years old, MS Criminology, and headed up an organized crime unit in Nevada from 1965-1985.
I listened to Russo's podcasts, thought he was either boosting to sell a book, or make a movie.

After reading the book, it is one of best I have ever read out of my collection of over 250 books. Russo has been under the radar and somehow avoided arrests for his criminal activity. I imagine an IRS audit will be forthcoming?

His associates and skimming partners were low profile. His State Street Club was expensive, yet attracted local entertainers like the old Sahara lounge. Las Vegas was an open city, the mob divided the illegal activity by working like a corporation. Laundry,clothing stores, gambling skim, loansharking, stolen furs etc.
Russo seemed to overlap all families, New York, Chicago, Kansas City, and New Orleans. He knew all the players here, and passed himself off as an entertainer, a mobster in a movie role.

I recommend this book to all. His JFK chapter was common knowledge in Las Vegas, but not spoken out loud
until this book came out. Using the Vatican as a bank was new to me as well as his chapter on taking the Shaw's wealth out of Iran in a timely fashion. This book should be used as a reference book for The Mob Museum, but I doubt it, to close to home. A movie will be coming shortly?
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James R. Holland
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Eye Witness Observations About Everybody
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2019
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To be perfectly honest this reviewer had doubts about whether he would like this autobiography. There is just something odd about paying money to read about a confessed mobster. And the fact that the same mobster was able to threaten and then make friends with some of this reviewer’s favorite actors was also unsettling.
However, once I started reading I couldn’t stop. The book is a slam-dunk page-turner. I’m so glad the author Gianni Russo survived to share his life-adventures with the readers of this volume.
And survival was not assured for Russo. He had a very close call with death when he went to Columbia to see Pablo Escobar after he had shot and killed one of Escobar’s hoods sent to set up his Las Vegas cocaine network. That was one close call for Russo. What finally saved Russo was the fact that Escobar loved the movie “Godfather” including the character Russo had played as Carlo Rizzi, who married Michael Corleone’s sister. Escobar even acted out Rizzi’s confession scenes with Michael Corleone. Russo was afraid that Escobar would even recreate Rizzi’s strangulation scene in the car where he kicked out the windshield.
I’d wanted to read the book for the information Russo had written about Marilyn Monroe, whom he dated and confided in for years in NYC. I have to agree with his theory about who killed Marilyn and how.
Russo was also shipped out of the USA for almost two years because he felt that he had played a minor messenger role in the killing of JFK. Most of the people connected with that event were killed shortly after the event and Russo felt he’d seen Lee Harvey Oswald with New Orleans
Mob boss Carlos Marcello just prior to the Dallas Assassination of JFK. Russo’s boss Frank Costello had chosen to protect his long-time delivery boy from both the police and rest of the mob by sending him to Europe.
The book is filled with Russo’s friendships with Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Sammy Davis, Jr. etc, etc. He had affairs with Liza Minelli and dozens of other movie stars in addition to Marilyn Monroe.
There are some great experiences detailed in this autobiography. It’s difficult to put aside once started. And as Russo admits, “I’ve never physically hurt anyone unless it meant my survival."
66 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Ms. T
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Life Indeed!!
Reviewed in Canada on December 31, 2023
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This biography of Gianni Russo was so well written 👏 and with much humor 🤣....he has lived a fascinating life thus far. I absolutely recommend this book for all the enjoyed The Godfather and any mob type films as that was his life starting at a early age. He is acquainted with mob bosses and celebrities most accountable Frank Sinatra. I am awaiting the CD 💿 from Gianni Russo as he is an accomplished singer according to the reviews....can't wait to get it to enjoy!!
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A. Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars 75% Hollywood 25% Gangster
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2020
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Let's make a gangster movie. Start with an action scene. Let's start with a suave, sophisticated, generous Italian American nightclub owner, who is 'mobbed up' (associates with organised crime criminals-in this case Italian American mafia) getting into an argument with a crazed Colombian. The Colombian slashes his girlfriend with a champagne bottle & the nightclub owner ends up shooting him. Only this Colombian is an emissary to none other than Pablo Escobar, head of the notorious Cali cartel. And everyone knows, Escobar is not to be messed with.
Cue the next scene, nightclub owner is sent a 'message' that he is a marked man and his family is in serious danger so he needs to get this sorted and quickly. So what can he do? Because of his Mob ties, he arranges a sit down with the 'Teflon Don' himself, John Gotti, to see if there's a way the matter can be resolved with the Colombians.
Gotti arranges a meeting with Escobar and the nightclub owner in Colombia and our main character has to go down there to meet him. But wait, whilst he's flying down let's do a flashback to the 'good old days' of New York's Little Italy, when the Mob was at it's peak and the nightclub owner was young.
Unloved by his parents & afflicted with polio, this kid shows he has the guts & determination to rise above his circumstances and get to the top. And so we hear Russo's life story of Mafia, movies, celebrity and money.
From his time in the polio ward as a kid (with an attractive, young and amply proportioned nurse to care for him, of course) to working for Frank Costello (head of the Gambino crime family), meeting Marilyn Monroe, his different businesses in Las Vegas, Sinatra, the rat pack, his part in the JFK assassination to working with Brando on The Godfather, his association with Gotti and Chicago Outfit boss, Tony Accardo, up to his run in with Escobar. This story has it all and more. Everything you'd expect from a solid gangster movie. It's a great story and it'd make a great movie. Is it true? Who knows? I just read it & went along for the ride.
3 people found this helpful
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Ann Gracias
4.0 out of 5 stars Price difference
Reviewed in India on March 17, 2020
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I paid ₹726/- for this book. There is sticker on the back cover with a marked price of ₹599/-. Pls explain this difference
One person found this helpful
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Max Naegele
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
Reviewed in Germany on September 29, 2019
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what aread if half of this is true Gianni is a living legend!!
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Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interest autobiography, and part history .
Reviewed in Australia on September 9, 2022
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For all that lived through the assassination of JFK, this book is very enlightening. Also an expose’ into the world of the mafia and film stars of the era.
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