At 55, Richard S. Castellano died from a heart attack on December 10, 1988. #TheGodfather #TheGodfatherMovie #TheGodfatherTrilogy #FrancisFordCoppola #caporegime #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza #LeaveTheGunTakeTheCanoli

After his death, Castellano’s widow Ardell Sheridan, claimed that he was the nephew of the deceased Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano. Richard’s own sister dismissed this claim as false: “We’re not related to Paul.” #TheGodfather #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza #LeaveTheGunTakeTheCanoli

Ultimately in #TheGodfatherPartII, the character of #PeterClemenza was killed off. He was replaced by Michael V. Gazzo, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for portraying Frank Pentangeli. #TheGodfather #RichardCastellano
#TheGodfatherTrilogy
#LeaveTheGunTakeTheCanoli

According to director #FrancisFordCoppola Castellano was not in #TheGodfatherPartII because he wanted to have his wife Ardell Sheridan (who played Peter Clemenza’s wife in #TheGodfather) write his dialogue. #TheGodfatherTrilogy #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza #caporegime

After his strong showing as a formidable character in The Godfather (1972), he became somewhat typecast as a criminal and appeared in other films including Honor Thy Father (1973) and Gangster Wars (1981). #TheGodfather #TheGodfatherTrilogy #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza
#LeaveTheGunTakeTheCanoli

Castellano is famous for speaking one of the film’s most famous lines, “Leave the gun; take the cannoli,” which he partially ad-libbed, after the slaying of Paulie Gatto (portrayed by John Martino). #TheGodfather #FrancisFordCoppola #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza #LeaveTheGunTakeTheCanoli

This put Castellano on the radar of the casting agents for The Godfather (1972). He was cast for the part of Peter Clemenza in The Godfather. Due to his previous success he was the highest paid actor in the cast. #TheGodfather #FrancisFordCoppola #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza

Richard Salvatore Castellano was born in The Bronx, New York on September 4, 1933. His parents, Mariantonia Angello and Filippo Castellano, were Italian immigrants from Castrofilippo, Sicily.
#TheGodfather #TheGodfatherTrilogy #RichardCastellano #PeterClemenza #caporegime