Even 50 years after The Godfather changed cinema forever, the film’s behind-the-scenes drama continues to fascinate movie lovers. With director Francis Ford Coppola bringing together an iconic ensemble, including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan, the production was steeped in controversy, as the credits could have looked entirely different if one actor hadn’t quit the film in protest.

As an exploration of Italian-American underground crime circuits, The Godfather depicted the mafia as it had never been seen on screen before. With plenty of connections to real-life figures, it’s not surprising that Coppola ruffled a few feathers with his film and that some actors had to second-guess whether accepting a role would be a wise idea.

Why Vic Damone Turned Down Johnny Fontane In The Godfather

The big band singer Vic Damone, who had major hits throughout the 1940s and 1950s, was offered the role of Johnny Fontane in The Godfather. Like Damone himself, Fontane was a famous singer, although he later found himself indebted to the Corleone family after he asked for Don Vito’s help in securing him a film role and superstardom in Hollywood.

According to a 1971 New York Times article, Damone turned down the part because it “was not in the best interests of Italian‐Americans” and he did not want to be ᴀssociated with a character who only finds success because of his mob ties. As a role that leaned into stereotypes of Italians’ ᴀssociation with the criminal underworld, Damone rejected Coppola’s offer.

Later reports also state that salary disputes, as well as screen time issues, played a role in Damone’s decision to decline The Godfather. With Johnny Fontane as a relatively minor character in Coppola’s Mario Puzo adaptation, different reports imply that Damone was not interested in playing such a small part.

Francis Ford Coppola Gives Another Reason Vic Damone Declined The Godfather

The official story of Damone’s exit from The Godfather rattles off the typical excuses that actors give when they wish to distance themselves from a production. While Damone’s account mentions not wanting to lean into stereotypes, salary issues, and screen time disputes, several other theories about his decision to reject the role make for a far more compelling story.

In a 2016 interview with NPR, Francis Ford Coppola discussed Damone’s involvement with The Godfather and said the musician was worried about upsetting the wrong people by taking the role. This was because the character of Johnny Fontane was actually based on the singer Frank Sinatra, with whom Damone was well ᴀssociated.

When Coppola was asked if Damone was “afraid of retribution from Sinatra or from people Sinatra was connected with,” the director candidly replied, “All of the above.” This implies that Damone’s absence in The Godfather had more to do with fear of the repercussions of playing such a role than anything to do with stereotypes or salaries.

While Sinatra is known as one of the most successful singers of all time, rumors of his ties to the Italian mafia have been swirling around for decades, and it’s no secret that Fontane’s character owed a lot to the musician. With these criminal ᴀssociations in mind, it’s understandable that Damone would have had doubts about taking the role.

Frank Sinatra’s Strange Connection With The Godfather Explained

Frank Sinatra’s ᴀssociation with The Godfather dates back to Mario Puzo’s original novel, where Johnny Fontane first appeared. The similarities between the real singer and the character were immediately noticeable, although Sinatra always dismissed any professional connections to the mob, despite being regularly pH๏τographed (via Den of Geek) with known gangsters.

An article in USA Today states that Sinatra loathed Puzo’s novel, and he even confronted the author at the Hollywood eatery Chasen’s, where he told him, “Go ahead and choke.” This spat even found its way into the 2022 miniseries The Offer, which cataloged the development and production of The Godfather.

However, despite the issues Sinatra had with Fontane in The Godfather, he wasn’t entirely opposed to the production and was even interested in playing the role of Don Corleone. While Sinatra excelled in more lighthearted movie roles with the Rat Pack, such as Ocean’s 11, Coppola opted instead to cast the more revered Marlon Brando in the part.

Sinatra got another chance to appear in a Godfather movie in 1990 when he was approached to play the aging gangster Don Altobello in The Godfather Part III. This role ultimately went to Eli Wallach, but the fact that he was considered highlights that the bad blood between Sinatra and The Godfather had eased over the intervening decades.

Why Al Martino Was Perfect For Johnny Fontane

From Eddie Fisher to Vic Damone, several actors were considered for the role of Johnny Fontane in The Godfather, but Al Martino ultimately won the part. While these other actors make for a great what-if story, things probably panned out for the best, as Martino was genuinely terrific in his role.

As an Italian-American singer with a lifetime of experience of organized crime connections within the entertainment industry, Martino had the credentials to back up the role. While the character of Fontane was heavily inspired by Sinatra, The Godfather Legacy revealed that the character was also partly inspired by a genuine story of Martino getting beaten up over a contract dispute.

It’s a testament to the enduring legacy of The Godfather that even the smallest supporting characters have such fascinating backgrounds, and it highlights the depth of Puzo’s writing that there are numerous real-world connections to be made. While we will never know what Damone’s or Sinatra’s contributions to the film could have been, The Godfather remains an undeniable cinematic masterpiece.

Sources: New York Times, NPR, Den of Geek, USA Today