Gianni Russo played Carlo in The Godfather. From age 7, he was quarantined with 20 other boys in a NYC hospital for polo and allowed no visitors. He got out at age 13. While shining shoes, he befriended mob boss Frank Costello and became his errand boy.

At age 26, Russo read the novel The Godfather and decided he’d be good for either Michael, Sonny or Carlo. So, he made a 16mm acting test and sent it to the person casting the movie. The film stock Russo used was old which gave it the look that Coppola wanted for his movie, so everyone watched it and learned who Russo was.

When Coppola needed to get permission from the mob to film in New York, Russo arranged a meeting between Coppola and NYC mob bosses. Russo suggested the bosses would get the proceeds from the premiers of The Godfather in every major city.

Coppola agreed and got permission to film in mob neighborhoods. Russo instructed the bosses to insist that Russo get the part of either Sonny, Michael or Carlo to cement the deal. Coppola gave him the part of Carlo.

At the table reading for The Godfather, every script had the note on the front page that said: ‘Do not talk or touch Marlon Brando’.

During a break, Brando tells Russo that Carlo is too important a character for an actor with no experience to play. Then Brando tells Coppola he wants Russo out of the movie.

Russo puts his arm around Brando and moves him to the back of the room and says, “Let me tell you something. If you fxxx this up for me, I will suck on your heart right here. Who the hell are you to destroy my opportunity? Just because your Marlon Brando?”

Brando, thinking Russo was acting, says, “That was brilliant,” and tells Coppola, “This kid is a good actor.”

Years later, Russo came to the rescue of a woman being beaten inside a Las Vegas casino. The man stabbed Russo with a broken bottle and Russo, licensed to carry a gun, shot and killed him. Being self-defense, Russo was not charged.

However, it turned out to be one of drug lord Pablo Escobar’s men. With his family threatened, Russo went to Mexico to meet Escobar and explain what happened and possible be killed.

Russo was tortured via a bottomless chair the same way James Bond was tortured in Casino Royale. But when Escobar found out that Russo was Carlo in The Godfather, he was invited to dinner. 

Once Russo explained why he was forced to kill Escobar’s man, Escobar said, “I believe you. But before you leave, please act out the scene in The Godfather where Al Pacino confronts Carlo. I’ll be Pacino and you be Carlo, like you did in the movie.”

It turned out, Escobar was a big fan of the movie and fancied himself an actor.

In his bio, Russo said:

“I did the scene with him. He had the dialogue memorized and was a surprisingly good actor. During the scene, he handed me an airline envelope, just like Pacino did to me in the movie. I looked inside, and saw tickets to Miami and Las Vegas where I lived. It was at that point, I figured Carlo, me, was going to die, only this time for real.

“I figured that since acting the scene with me was so important to Escobar he would have video-taped it. But then I figured that he planned on killing me, just like Carlo had been, and didn’t want any evidence of it.

“After we did the scene, Escobar walked me outside to a waiting car. I made a motion toward the back door, but Escobar opened the front door. In the back seat were the two men that had tortured me. I sat down and Escobar closed the door. I heard a voice behind me say, ‘Hello, Carlo’, (just like in the movie).

“I figured that I was dead, and my daughter would never know what happened to me. I waited for the wire noose to wrap around my neck. But then, the guy patted me on the back. Escobar and everyone laughed. And then I was driven to the airport.”

Russo went on to act in 46 movies.

Note: Information came from a video interview with Gianni Russo and his book Hollywood Godfather, now on amazon.

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