List No. 076
THE GODFATHER
Francis Ford Coppola
Circa 1970
Few movies in the history of cinema have garnered as much praise as The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s sublimely directed crime saga set in 1940s New York. Each and every aspect of the film is close to perfect, including an impressive roster of acting talent that included Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall. However, it could have been so different. Here, from one of Coppola’s notepads, is a list of potential cast members, written before production began.
CAST
| Don Corleone: | Marlon Brando |
| John Marley | Laurence Olivier |
| Carlo Ponti* | *Frank Dekova |
| Michael Corleone: | *Al Pacino *Scott Marlowe |
| Robert di Niro | Mike Margota |
| Art Genovese | (Richard Romanos) |
| Dustin Hoffman | Jimmy Caan |
| Mike Parks | Martin Sheen |
| SONNY CORLEONE: | *Jimmy Caan |
| Tony Lo Bianco | Carmine Caridi |
| Peter Falk | *Scott Marlowe |
| Al Letteiri | *Don Gordon *(Tony Zerbe) *Lou Antonio (Paul Banteo) Robert Viharo (Rudy Solari) John Saxon John Brascia Johnny Sette (7) Adam Roake |
| Harry Guardino | Ben Gazzara |
| TOM HAGEN: | Ben Piazza *Robert Duvall Tony Zerbe *Peter Donat |
