Gianni Russo is best known for his role as Carlo Rizzi in the 1972 film The Godfather. He reprising the Rizzi character in a brief flashback scene at the end of The Godfather Part II, He has appeared in more than 46 films, including Goodnight, My Love (1972), Lepke (1975, as Albert Anastasia), Laserblast (1978), Chances Are (1989), The Freshman (1990), Side Out (1990), Another You (1991), Super Mario Bros. (1993), Any Given Sunday (1999) and Seabiscuit (2003).
T2C talked with this author about his newest novel The 6th Family.
In 2019, he published his memoir, Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob. He then was offered a deal to write four novels for Amazon. The first is the The 6th Family available on Amazon as of November 2022.
The premise is about the alleged daughter of Marilyn Monroe who asks for help, Gianni Russo becomes entangled in a web of lies and violence in the search for the late actress’s diary. His quest to solve the mystery involves a presidential candidate, a disgruntled Mafia capo, a retired NYPD detective, and the secret past of Mafia boss Frank Costello. Russo must race against the clock to stop a hostile reorganization of the American Mafia, all while trying to stay one step ahead of a faceless hired killer.
In real life Gianni dated the screen goddess.
Russo started off as an errand boy and mob associate for Frank Costello and has never denied that fact.
Russo is also a singer. In 2004, he released a CD called Reflections that pays homage to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
Russo owns a wine brand, Gianni Russo Wines, which debuted in 2009.
Video by Magda Katz
