- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Menacing looking Italian American actor who developed into the quintessential on-screen hoodlum via several strong roles in key crime films of the early 1970s. Lettieri played the villain against some of Hollywood's biggest screen names including chasing Steve McQueen in The Getaway (1972), intimidating Charles Bronson in Mr. Majestyk (1974), threatening 'John Wayne' in McQ (1974) and, arguably in his most well known role, as Virgil "The Turk" Sollozo trying to eliminate Marlon Brando in The Godfather (1972).
He was already 36 years old when he made his on screen debut in The Hanged Man (1964), and remarkably several years later was associate producer on the disturbing kidnapping drama The Night of the Following Day (1969) starring Marlon Brando. He really hit his strides in the early 1970s starring in many high profile films, before unfortunately succumbing to a heart attack at just 47 years of age. One of the most convincing "heavies" of modern cinema.- IMDb Mini Biography By: firehouse44
- SpouseCathryn(? - October 18, 1975) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenChild
- Frequently played characters who died from being shot.
- Only actor credited as "starring" in The Godfather (1972) who is not on the poster.
- In director Francis Ford Coppola's commentary for The Godfather, he said that Al Lettieri's performance helped bring out the incredible performance by then-newcomer Al Pacino, quoting the adage that a great villain helps make a great hero. Coppola also said that Lettieri being able to speak fluent Sicilian added to the character during the game-changing Italian restaurant scene.
- In his two most remembered roles, "The Godfather" and "The Getaway", he plays a villain to characters who are also "bad guys" (the mafia in "The Godfather" and bank robbers in "The Getaway").
- Name is recorded as "Alfredo Lettieri" on the Social Security Death Index.
- Francis Ford Coppola said that Al was the only actor besides John Wayne who was completely barrel-chested.
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