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Michael V. Gazzo

Highest Rated: 96% King Creole (1958)

Lowest Rated: 13% Cookie (1989)

Birthday: Apr 5, 1923

Birthplace: Hillside, New Jersey, USA

A broad-playing, gravel-voiced character player best known as Frankie Pentangeli, capo of the old neighborhood, in "The Godfather, Part II" (1974), Gazzo was also a renowned acting teacher and award-winning playwright. He began working simultaneously as a stage director and actor at the Great Neck (NY) Playhouse. From 1946-49, while studying at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research, he directed several shows and acted in numerous productions, including "The Little Foxes" and "Juno and the Paycock." After graduating, Gazzo began a life-long association with the Actors Studio out of which developed his acclaimed play "A Hatful of Rain" (1955), a portrait of a lower-middle-class man attempting to break his addiction to drugs. It was filmed in 1957, co-written by Gazzo, with a cast that included Don Murray as the addict, Eva Marie Saint as his pregnant wife and Anthony Franciosa (repeating his stage role) as his brother. His second play, "Night Circus," was produced in New York in 1958, with less stellar results. That same year he also wrote "King Creole," a movie starring Elvis Presley.

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Highest rated movies

96% 83% King Creole
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96% 97% The Godfather, Part II Watchlist
87% 49% Alligator
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85% 68% Fingers
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75% 65% Black Sunday
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69% 33% Fear City
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63% 62% King of the Gypsies
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42% 48% Last Action Hero
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40% 47% Back Roads
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13% 38% Cookie
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 60% Nothing to Lose Joe (Character) - 1994
42% 48% Last Action Hero Torelli (Character) - 1993
13% 38% Cookie Carmine (Character) $1.4M 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Blood Ties Joseph Salina (Character) - 1986
69% 33% Fear City Mike (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Winter of Our Discontent Marullo (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 50% Body and Soul Frankie (Character) - 1981
40% 47% Back Roads Tazio (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 0% Cuba Crossing Rossellini (Character) - 1980
87% 49% Alligator Chief Clark (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 33% Blood Barrier Chico Suarez (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 36% Love and Bullets Lobo (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beach Patrol Banker (Character) - 1979
85% 68% Fingers Ben (Character) - 1978
63% 62% King of the Gypsies Spiro Giorgio (Character) - 1978
75% 65% Black Sunday Muzi (Character) - 1977
96% 97% The Godfather, Part II Frankie Pentangeli (Character) - 1974
96% 83% King Creole Screenwriter - 1958
No Score Yet 74% A Hatful of Rain Screenwriter - 1957

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jake and the Fatman Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet 1st & Ten Sal Arcola (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1984-1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Partners in Crime Mr. Kapp (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fall Guy Unknown (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet 95% Magnum, P.I. Victor DiGorgio (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet 71% Taxi Vince (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet 80% Columbo Vittorio Rossi (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alice Unknown (Guest Star) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Barnaby Jones Unknown (Guest Star) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Starsky and Hutch Unknown (Guest Star) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Welcome Back, Kotter Unknown (Guest Star) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak Joel Adrian (Guest Star) 1975