Johnny Fontane (Al Martino) appears inThe Godfatheras Vito’s (Marlon Brando) godson, and his similarities to real-life singer Frank Sinatra did not go unnoticed by the legendary pop star. First-time viewers ofThe Godfatherwould be smart to keep a cast guideopen while watching Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece film franchise based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo. Taking place over decades and with the characters portrayed by different actors and new characters introduced to replace old ones, it can be easy to get confused.
The GodfatherandThe Godfather Part IIare arguably two of thegreatest movies of all timeand have wheedled their way into every corner of culture. Even young viewers who have never seen the movies are now aware of its place in pop culture thanks to a biting and hilariously accurate reference inBarbie. Everyone has heard ofThe Godfather, so when a character in the film, obscure as he may be, seems to have a real-life inspiration, like Johnny Fontane and Frank Sinatra,Sinatra is going to be highly concerned with how the public perceives his stand-in.
Who Is Johnny Fontane In The Godfather?
Johnny Is An Aging Hollywood Star With Mafia Connections
Johnny Fontane is Vito Corleone’s godson in both the novel and the movie. An Italian lounge singer, Johnny is a total heartthrob, and just his arrival at Connie’s (Talia Shire) wedding causes women to swoon. Johnny owes his career to Vito, who once used Luca Brasi to threaten a bandleader to release Johnny from a contract and let him move on to bigger things. On the surface, Johnny seems like a cool, collected individual, butwhen his career starts to take a nosedive, he turns into a whinging, spoiled star who goes running to his powerful godfather for help.
Which Real-Life Gangster Marlon Brando’s The Godfather Character Is Based On
Actor Marlon Brando portrayed the powerful mob boss Vito Corleone in The Godfather series, a character who is based on an array of real life people.
After stealing a girl away from a powerful Hollywood executive, Jack Woltz, Johnny was blacklisted from the industry. He goes to Vito in tears and the godfather gives him a slap upside the head for not taking responsibility for his actions. Of course, Vito still helps his godson and sends Tom Hagen to negotiate. The intransigent Woltz is finally convinced of the Corleone’s position after waking up with the severed head of his favorite horse under his sheets and Johnny gets his movie.Johnny shows just how far Vito’s hand can reachwhen he wants to extend it.
Godfather Author Mario Puzo Denied Johnny Fontane Being Based On Frank Sinatra
Puzo Claimed The Character Was A Composite Of A Handful Of Characters
Johnny Fontane isn’t an evil character, but he’s shallow and would be a bit embarrassing for anyone to be compared to. Incidentally, there are a lot of similarities between Johnny and Frank Sinatra. Johnny is clearly modeled off the Italian lounge singers of the era, of which Sinatra was the most notable. Sinatra also famously had ties to the mafia, and it has long been suggested that Sinatra’s mob connections earned him his part inFrom Here to Eternity(viaDenOfGeek). Despite the similarities,Puzo has long maintained Johnny was a composite character, not based on one person.
Frank Sinatra Allegedly Confronted Mario Puzo At A Restaurant
Whatever Puzo maintained, Sinatra allegedly took the characterization of Johnny Fontane as an affront. Apparently, many people had assumed Johnny was based on Sinatra, and before the book was even published, Sinatra ran into Puzo at an LA restaurant, Chasen. Allegedly, Sinatra refused a mutual acquaintance’s introduction to Puzo, which upset the acquaintance. Puzo responded, “It’s not my fault,” which Sinatra took as Puzo admitting he had based Johnny Fontane on Sinatra, leading to the lounge singer hurling insults at the author before leaving in a huff. It could have been a scene right out ofThe Godfather.
The Godfather
Cast
The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.
