Vito Corleone
Vito Corleone is the fictional head of one of the five big New York Mafia families in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and its 1972 movie adaptation. He was played by Marlon Brando as an older man in The Godfather and by Robert De Niro as a younger man in The Godfather, Part II. He is depicted as an ambitious Italian immigrant to Little Italy who builds a mafia empire, yet still loves his family. His youngest son, Michael Corleone becomes the Don upon his death. His other sons are Sonny Corleone and Fredo Corleone.
Born Vito Andolini in 1887 in Corleone, Sicily, his family was murdered by the local don when he was 14 years old (a crime he would avenge years later when he himself was don) and he fled to New York. He was accidentally listed on Ellis Island as Vito Corleone because he was given a name tag with his hometown and couldn't speak the English necessary to correct the mistake. He later took the name as a point of pride.
He soon learned to survive and prosper through petty crime and performing favors in return for loyalty. He committed his first murder, killing the neighborhood don, in 1919.
As a young man, he started an olive oil business with his lifelong friend and "consigliere" (advisor) Genco Abbandando, and over the years used it both to amass a fortune and as a legal front for his organized crime syndicate.
While he oversaw a business founded on gambling, prostitution, bootlegging and murder, he was known as a kind, generous man who lived by a strict moral code of loyalty to friends and, above all, family.
In 1946, a rival tried to have Vito assassinated when he refused to have his underlings sell drugs, sparking a chain of events that resulted in Sonny's murder and Michael's eventual ascension to the head of the family, which he never wanted for his favorite son.
He died of a heart attack in 1955, while playing with his grandson, Anthony. Vito Corleone's character was clearly based on Frank Costello.
Family
- Santino 'Sonny' Corleone — Eldest son; played by James Caan
- Constanzia 'Connie' Corleone-Rizzi — Daughter; played by Talia Shire
- Fredo Corleone — Middle son; played by John Cazale
- Michael Corleone — Youngest son; played by Al Pacino
- Mary Corleone — Granddaughter; played by Sofia Coppola
- Mama Corleone
- Vincent 'Vinnie' Mancini-Corleone — Grandson; played by Andy Garcia.