By the spring of 1969, The Godfather had turned its author, Mario Puzo, into an overnight celebrity. Tasked with adapting his best-selling book for the screen, Puzo’s life soon became that of a Hollywood big-shot. He took up residence at the Beverly Hills Hotel, had an office on the Paramount lot, and even hired a personal assistant, Janet Snow, who spent as much time playing tennis with the overweight writer as she did driving him to-and-from dinners with Puzo's newfound friends and admirers such as Orson Welles. All the while, Paramount still had a movie to make. The studio turned to Al Ruddy, a no-nonsense, pennywise producer and former shoe salesman who—like Robert Evans and Puzo—found success by good luck as much as by tenacity. In Episode Three, Mark and Nathan trace Ruddy’s unorthodox path to the top of the film industry, and explore the circumstances of Puzo’s new life in the spotlight—which included an unfortunate dust-up at Chasen's with the real-life inspiration for The Godfather's Johnny Fontaine, Frank Sinatra.

By the spring of 1969, The Godfather had turned its author, Mario Puzo, into an overnight celebrity. Tasked with adapting his best-selling book for the screen, Puzo&rsquo;s life soon became that of a Hollywood big-shot. He took up residence at the Beverly Hills Hotel, had an office on the Paramount lot, and even hired a personal assistant, Janet Snow, who spent as much time playing tennis with the overweight writer as she did driving him to-and-from dinners with Puzo's newfound friends and admirers such as Orson Welles. All the while, Paramount still had a movie to make. The studio turned to Al Ruddy, a no-nonsense, pennywise producer and former shoe salesman who&mdash;like Robert Evans and Puzo&mdash;found success by good luck as much as by tenacity. In Episode Three, Mark and Nathan trace Ruddy&rsquo;s unorthodox path to the top of the film industry, and explore the circumstances of Puzo&rsquo;s new life in the spotlight&mdash;which included an unfortunate dust-up at Chasen's with the real-life inspiration for The Godfather's Johnny Fontaine, Frank Sinatra.

What’s left to say about “The Godfather"? Upon the film’s release in 1972, it almost instantly became a byword for the best Hollywood has to offer. It minted a new generation of stars, earned hundreds of millions of dollars, established Francis Ford Coppola as one of the best directors of his generation, and changed the way Americans viewed the mafia—and cinema—forever. 

 

And yet, “The Godfather” almost never got made, with meddling studio executives and vindictive members of the real-life mafia trying to smother the movie at every turn. During production, location permits were revoked, war was waged over casting decisions, author Mario Puzo got into a public brawl with Frank Sinatra, a producer’s car was riddled with bullets, and “connected” men auditioned for—and in some cases landed—parts in the film. 

 

On “Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli,” Mark Seal, author of the 2021 book by the same title, and Nathan King, a deputy editor of AIR MAIL, present new and archival interviews with Coppola, James Caan, Robert Evans, Talia Shire, Al Ruddy, and many others, stripping back the varnish of movie history to reveal the complicated genesis of a modern masterpiece.

What&rsquo;s left to say about&nbsp;&ldquo;The Godfather"? Upon the film&rsquo;s release in&nbsp;1972, it almost instantly became a byword for the best Hollywood has to offer. It minted a new generation of stars, earned hundreds of millions of dollars, established Francis Ford Coppola as one of the best directors of his generation, and changed the way Americans viewed the mafia&mdash;and cinema&mdash;forever.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
And yet, &ldquo;The Godfather&rdquo; almost never got made, with meddling studio executives and vindictive members of the real-life mafia trying to smother the movie at every turn. During production, location permits were revoked, war was waged over casting decisions, author Mario Puzo got into a public brawl with Frank Sinatra, a producer&rsquo;s car was riddled with bullets, and &ldquo;connected&rdquo; men auditioned for&mdash;and in some cases landed&mdash;parts in the film.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
On &ldquo;Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli,&rdquo; Mark Seal, author of the 2021 book by the same title, and Nathan King, a deputy editor of AIR MAIL, present new and archival interviews with Coppola, James Caan, Robert Evans, Talia Shire, Al Ruddy, and many others, stripping back the varnish of movie history to reveal the complicated genesis of a modern masterpiece.

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of the Godfather

Hollywood Swinging

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/241a41ad-0cbd-4d35-a003-b295012dbe4c/transcript

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