Quick Facts
Biography
Alfredo Lettieri (February 24, 1928 – October 18, 1975) was an Italian-American actor and screenwriter. During his career he acted with some of Hollywood's biggest screen stars, including Steve McQueen in The Getaway, Charles Bronson in Mr. Majestyk, John Wayne in McQ, Richard Harris in The Deadly Trackers, Michael Caine and Mickey Rooney in Pulp, and Marlon Brando and Al Pacino in The Godfather. In most of those roles he was cast as a villain and was sometimes credited as Anthony Lettieri.
Background
Lettieri was an Italian American who spoke Italian fluently. His brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas Eboli. Married and divorced once, Lettieri died of a heart attack in 1975, at the age of 47, leaving behind two children.
Career
1950s to 1960s
Lettieri had a role in the 1958 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse" as Arthur Strome. At the age of 36, he had a role in the television film The Hanged Man (1964).
1970s
Lettieri is best known for his role as Sicilian heroin trafficker Virgil Sollozzo in the 1972 American crime film The Godfather. This was his second film where he and Marlon Brando had worked together in, the first being The Night of the Following Day (1969).
He wrote the film adaptation that became the screenplay for the 1971 gangster movie Villain, which starred Richard Burton and Ian McShane. Lettieri played the menacing hit-man Frank Renda in the 1974 Charles Bronson film, Mr. Majestyk. He played the part of Ciro Musantein the Tonino Valerii directed 1976 film, Go Gorilla Go.
