Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

angry_old_dude t1_j0xq7zy wrote

Reply to comment by doctor-rumack in TIL Frank Sinatra was convinced that Johnny Fontane, a singer with mob associations, in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather was based on his life leading Sinatra to shout abuse and threaten physical violence when he met Puzo at a restaurant. by trifletruffles

> Everyone assumed Johnny Fontaine was based on him, because Sinatra was well known to associate with mobsters throughout his career, especially in the 60's when the novel was written.

There's also a story that a mobster held a gun to Tommy Dorsey's head and threatened to blow his brains out if he didn't let Sinatra out of his contract. In the first film, when Michael and Kay are talking about Fontane during the wedding, Michael explains something about a contract and what "making an offer he can't refuse" is really about. The Sinatra story is doubtful, but it definitely informed that scene.

8

doctor-rumack t1_j0xrskh wrote

Jack Woltz (the studio head who owns Johnny’s contract) also alludes to that in the dinner scene with Tom Hagen - "And if that goombah tries any rough stuff, you tell him i ain’t no bandleader. Yeah, I heard that story."

4

drrockso20 t1_j11whez wrote

Which is also brought up in the book, mind you the book version of Woltz is also an outright pedophile

1