Gianni Vito Russo (born December 12, 1943) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Carlo Rizzi in the 1972 film The Godfather.[1]
Life and career
Russo was born in Manhattan on December 12, 1943[2] and raised in Little Italy and Rosebank, Staten Island.[3] After reprising Carlo Rizzi in a brief flashback scene at the end of The Godfather Part II, Russo acted in more than 46 films, including Goodnight, My Love (1972), Lepke (1975, as Albert Anastasia), Laserblast (1978), Chances Are (1989), The Freshman (1990), Side Out (1990), Another You (1991), Super Mario Bros. (1993), Any Given Sunday (1999) and Seabiscuit (2003).
Russo claims that he started a fledgling career in organized crime working as an errand boy and mob associate for Frank Costello[1] as an adolescent but later abandoned the dangerous and volatile lifestyle of organized crime. The Staten Island Mafioso Tommy Bilotti was best man at Russo's wedding.[4]
Since the beginning of his acting career, Russo owned a Las Vegas restaurant called Gianni Russo's State Street at 2570 State Street in the Commercial Center (closed in 1988), and defeated 23 federal criminal indictments on a variety of charges stemming from alleged organized crime associations.[1]
In 1988, Russo killed a man inside the Las Vegas nightclub. When he tried to intervene to stop a man from harassing a female patron, the man stabbed him with a broken champagne bottle. Russo, a legal carry owner, pulled his gun and shot him in the head. The man was a 30-year-old Cuban national. Russo was not charged with the killing because it was ruled a justifiable homicide by the Nevada District Attorney's Office.[5]
Russo is also a singer. In 2004, he released a CD called Reflections that pays homage to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
Russo owns a wine brand, Gianni Russo Wines, which debuted in 2009.[6]
In 2019, he published his memoir, Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob.[7]
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1972 | The Godfather | Carlo Rizzi | |
| 1974 | The Godfather Part II | ||
| 1975 | Rudeness | Salvatore Mannino | |
| 1975 | Lepke | Albert Anastasia | |
| 1975 | The Four Deuces | Chip Morono - the 'Deuce of Clubs' | |
| 1978 | Laserblast | Tony Craig | |
| 1979 | Winter Kills | Co-Pilot | |
| 1989 | Chances Are | Anthony Bonino | |
| 1990 | Side Out | Dick Sydney | |
| 1990 | The Freshman | Maitre D' Gourmet Club | |
| 1991 | Out for Justice | Sammy | |
| 1991 | Another You | Carlos | |
| 1992 | Stay Tuned | Guido | |
| 1993 | Super Mario Bros. | Anthony Scapelli | |
| 1996 | Striptease | Willy Rojo | |
| 1998 | Circles | Howard Thomas as Jeremy's father | |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Christina's Advisor | |
| 2000 | The Family Man | Nick | |
| 2000 | Rope Art | Sen. Bob Krause | |
| 2001 | 3000 Miles to Graceland | Money Cart Guard | |
| 2001 | Harvard Man | Andrew Bandolini | |
| 2001 | Rush Hour 2 | Red Dragon Pit Boss | |
| 2002 | Red Dragon | Newsie | |
| 2003 | Seabiscuit | Alberto Gianini | |
| 2004 | After the Sunset | Clippers Fan | |
| 2005 | Meet the Mobsters | Paul | |
| 2013 | Send No Flowers | Johnny Pisano | |
References
- ^ a b c Jacobs, Andrew (April 9, 2005). "His Big Break? The Corleones Killed Him; Godfather's Son-in-Law Is Singing, Selling and Enjoying Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
- ^ Gianni Russo on Sleeping with Marilyn Monroe, Kidnapped by Escobar, JFK Murder (Full Interview), retrieved March 12, 2022
- ^ Staten Island's Gianni Russo to pay homage to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at Lorenzo's Cabaret Staten Island Advance (March 1, 2012) Archived February 6, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Gianni Russo had to battle Marlon Brando after snagging Carlo Rizzi role in “The Godfather” Tom Wrobleski, Staten Island Advance (October 3, 2022) Archived November 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Restaurateur cleared in shooting death". Reno Gazette-Journal . Reno, Nevada. November 2, 1988. p. 2C. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ "Celebrity Spotlight: The Intriguing Life of Gianni Russo Beyond The Godfather • Italia Living". July 28, 2010.
- ^ Kenyon, Sandy (March 27, 2019). "Star of 'The Godfather' pens autobiography 'Hollywood Godfather'". WABC-TV. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
External links
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|---|---|
| National | |
