THE MAN BEHIND THE STORIES
Gianni Russo
Follow Gianni beyond the microphone.
GIANNI’S LIFE & LEGENDS
A life with
no ordinary chapters.
New York nights. Las Vegas tables. A place in cinema history.
Explore the people and places behind the voice.
NEW YORK · 1972
The GodfatherThe role that changed everything.
In Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Gianni played Carlo Rizzi, Connie Corleone’s husband. Released in 1972, the film became the defining credit of his acting career. The podcast returns to the production, the cast, and Gianni’s memories of stepping into a film that would become part of cinema history.
Career history: Gianni’s official biography ↗THE WORLD BEFORE. THE LIFE THAT FOLLOWED.
Step back.
Stay for the stories.
Places, music, and screen stories through the decades.
A visual journey into the world behind Gianni’s stories.
1950sTHE NEW YORK SUPPER-CLUB ERA
A room full of music.
The singers, orchestras, and late-night rooms that form the musical backdrop to his stories.
THE MUSIC & THE MOOD
1970sHOLLYWOOD & LAS VEGAS
The screen. The showrooms.
The Godfather arrived in 1972. Film sets and the world of live entertainment became lasting chapters.
A LIFE IN ENTERTAINMENT
1980sLAS VEGAS · STATE STREET
After hours at State Street.
Gianni recalls building his State Street restaurant into a Las Vegas gathering place. Hear the story of its beginnings and the nightlife around it.
HEAR THE STATE STREET STORY
1990sFILM SETS & TELEVISION
Beyond Carlo. Behind the scenes.
From The Freshman and Super Mario Bros. to Striptease and Any Given Sunday, Gianni revisits his screen roles and the people and craft behind the productions.
HEAR THE FILM & TV STORIES
2000sHOLLYWOOD · FILM & TELEVISION
Another call. Another set.
The Family Man, Red Dragon, Seabiscuit and Prison Break carried his screen career into a new decade. Start with his memories of Seabiscuit and the world behind the film.
HEAR THE SEABISCUIT CONVERSATION
2010sTHE MEMOIR & THE MICROPHONE
A lifetime becomes a story.
Hollywood Godfather was published in 2019, and the podcast began that year. Revisit the introduction that brought Gianni’s stories to a new listening audience.
HEAR THE ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION
2020sGIANNI, JEANIE & THEIR GUESTS
The conversation keeps going.
New guests, listener mailbags and fresh conversations keep the stories moving. Join Gianni and Jeanie with filmmaker Miles Stephenson to explore cinema and the making of a documentary.
HEAR THE FILMMAKER CONVERSATIONOriginal period-inspired illustrations. Explore the decades with related stories. Life details: Gianni’s official biography ↗
THE PEOPLE IN THE STORIES
Familiar faces.
Extraordinary company.
PLACES. PEOPLE. A LIFE LESS ORDINARY.
Every chapter.
Another world.
From the Copa to the Corleones.
Follow the stories that made Gianni.
01 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Copacabana
New York nights, great performers, and the world behind the velvet curtain.
Step into the story →
02 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Cal Neva
Pine trees, a state line, and the resort at the center of so many stories.
Step into the story →
03 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
State St.
Dinner, music, and the after-hours world of Gianni Russo’s State St.
Step into the story →04 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Marilyn Monroe
Gianni’s memories of Marilyn, told in his own voice.
Step into the story →
05 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Carlo Gambino
Gianni’s recollections of Carlo Gambino, their New York connection, and life before Hollywood.
Step into the story →06 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
The Godfather
Carlo Rizzi. A first film role. A lifetime of stories beyond the screen.
Step into the story →07 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Marlon Brando
Gianni remembers the actor behind Vito Corleone.
Step into the story →08 / GIANNI’S CHAPTERS
Frank Sinatra
The songs, the showrooms, and Gianni’s memories of Sinatra.
Step into the story →Historical context meets Gianni’s own recollections. Personal accounts and archive photographs are identified in each chapter. Scene artwork is illustrative.
BEYOND THE EPISODE
Stay in good company.
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
The Hollywood Godfather Podcast
Follow the show for clips and updates.
PULL UP A CHAIR · TAKE THE SHOW WITH YOU
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FOR YOUR EARS
Listen to the audio show.
The weekly conversation, wherever you listen.
PULL UP A SCREEN
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See Gianni, Jeanie, and their guests on screen.
STAY RIGHT HERE
One player. Your whole collection.
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KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
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Subscribe, like & comment on YouTube ↗Follow, rate & discuss on Spotify ↗Join us on Instagram ↗Join us on Facebook ↗Ask Gianni & Jeanie a question →
Likes, comments and notifications use your chosen platform’s account and available features. Questions for the mailbag go to the show through Ask Gianni.