Michael Corleone was loosely based on Salvatore “Bill” Bonanno, Joseph Bonanno's son, who was groomed to go into the straight life after law school but got prematurely pulled into the family business after his old man was kidnapped.
Michael Corleone is a fictional character and the protagonist of Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather. In the three Godfather films, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Michael was portrayed by Al Pacino, for which he was twice-nominated for Academy Awards.
The Corleone family are fictional characters in both the novels and the films created by Mario Puzo, first appearing in his 1969 novel, The Godfather. They are an organized crime family originating from the Sicilian town of Corleone, and based in New York City.
Vito Corleone is based on a composite of mid-20th-century New York Mafia figures Carlo Gambino, Frank Costello, Joe Bonanno, and Joe Profaci. The character's story begins as Vito Andolini in Corleone, Sicily, in the Kingdom of Italy.
Michael Corleone was inspired by Salvatore “Bill” Bonanno
Despite his father's wishes, Michael — like Bill — found his way into the mob life. However, that's where the common thread ends. In real life, Bill's personality was more like Michael's older brother, Fredo.
He survived an assassination attempt, valued brains over brawn, enjoyed a long marriage and adored gardening.
The five major families of organized crime still exist in New York today, and the families continue to operate in illegal business practices similar to those they have engaged in since their creation. The practices of the families include extortion, gambling, loan sharking, and racketeering.
Both Greene's character and personality are based on Bugsy Siegel: his affiliation with the mob in Los Angeles, his involvement in the development of Las Vegas, and his flamboyant tendencies. Greene is portrayed in the movie by Alex Rocco.
Corleone, city, western Sicily, Italy. The name Qurliyūn is found in Arab sources of the 9th century ad; the city was probably an earlier Byzantine foundation. Made a military centre by the Hohenstaufen rulers of Sicily from the 10th century, it later passed under Spanish rule.
Sonny may be based on Bill Bonanno who was been groomed by his father Joe Bonanno to be Boss of the Bonanno family and when his father disappeared he led the family in a war against rival mobsters.
Lenny Montana(1926-1992)
Tall and solidly built, this Italian-American professional wrestler turned actor was born Lenny Passaforo in Brooklyn, New York, and is best remembered for his first on-screen role as the not too bright but ever loyal bodyguard Luca Brasi in.
Constanzia “Connie” Corleone
Her first husband, Carlo Rizzi, is an abusive one. Nonetheless, they still go on to have two children together – Victor and Michael-Francis.
Johnny Fontane is based on Frank Sinatra, who is believed to have used his mob connections to gain a part in From Here To Eternity. Incidentally, the actor he replaced was Eli Wallach, who later played Don Altobello, a role written for Sinatra.
In the original cut, Michael retires to his Lake Tahoe estate after Mary's murder – then one day slumps over in his chair and dies. In the new cut, everything is set up the same; but Michael is denied an on-camera death. Instead, he's forced to live with the guilt of losing his closest loved one.
Don Corleone was inspired by real-life mob boss Frank Costello. Don Vito Corleone has similarities to several real-life mobsters, including Joe Profaci, who used his olive oil distributorship as a front for his illegal activities, and Carlo Gambino, who used a quiet, non-flashy style en route to power.
As authentic as The Godfather films may have felt to critics and fans, however, they were not based on an actual mafia family. But while The Godfather wasn't based on a true story, being an adaptation of Mario Puzo's 1969 novel of the same name, the inspiration for Vito came from actual mobsters.
The Staten Island house featured in The Godfather is now available to book on Airbnb. The property, which was as Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando)'s home in the 1972 mafia film, also memorably served as the backdrop for the opening scene, featuring the wedding reception of Connie Corleone (Talia Shire).
Our most recommended things to do in Corleone, Sicily. Enjoy a full-day shore excursion to Corleone, a small town that has had its history and culture shaped by the Mafia. Visit the museum in Corleone and admire the breathtaking scenery of Sicily as you journey through green valleys, cornfields and vineyards.
The Sicilian scenes of The Godfather are filmed in Savoca, now one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Here you can see the famous Bar Vitelli where Michael asks his father to marry Apollonia: originally the structure was a former farmhouse, transformed into a bar for filming.
The kiss is known as "Il bacio della morte," meaning "the kiss of death." In this instance, it was to signify to Fredo that he was marked for death for betraying his brother to Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) and his right-hand man Johnny Ola (Dominic Chianese) in The Godfather Part II.
Hyman Roth is based on real casino mogul Meyer Lansky.
Hyman Roth, played in The Godfather: Part II by actor Lee Strasberg, was based on real-life mobster Meyer Lansky. Lansky is widely credited for coming up with some of the key innovations upon which the casino and gambling industry is built today.
Emilio Barzini is based on several real-life mobsters. His desire to take complete control of the New York Mafia is inspired by Vito Genovese, who made a similar attempt in the 1950s that ended with the disastrous Apalachin meeting.
Known by the names "The Honoured Society", L'Onorata Societa or La Famiglia to Italians but more simply as the Mafia to most Australians, the 'Ndrangheta has controlled Italian-Australian organised crime all along the East Coast of Australia since the early 20th century.
Charles "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian-American mobster, considered the founder and father of organized crime in America and the most powerful Mafia boss of all time.
Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (born June 4, 1944) is an Italian American former mobster who was de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family before becoming a government witness in 1999. Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano, the protagonist of the HBO series The Sopranos, is said to be based upon Palermo.