Who plays Johnny Fontaine in the Godfather?

Johnny Fontaine from the movie Godfather was played by Al Martino.

The Godfather is a 1972 classic American gangster movie which was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is part of a saga with three movies. The movie is set after the 2nd World War in America where the Corleone crime family starts rising into power. The head of the table Vito is the patriarch of the Corleone family and is titled as the Godfather who rose to power and influence through factors like loyalty, fear, and calculated strategy.

While Vito governed his area with his power, the story is set around his youngest son, Michael Corleone who is a war hero and was initially distanced from the family’s criminal operations. Things changed for Michael after an attempted assassination of Vito shocked his entire family, forcing him to take his father’s position in the family business. With these, we witness the main storyline of the movie showcasing Michael’s transformation from an idealistic outsider to a ruthless mafia boss.

Who plays Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather?

The role of Johnny Fontaine in Godfather was played by Al Martino, who was a famous American traditional pop and jazz singer, quite prominent during the early 1950s and mid-1970s when he was considered to be one of the greatest Italian American pop crooners of the era. Earlier when the movie was about to be produced, the singer was informed by his friend about Johnny Fontaine’s role in the movie. The singer then contacted the producer of the movie, Albert S. Ruddy, who gave him the part.

While initially the role was Martino’s to begin with, he was stripped of his role after Francis Ford Coppola became the director and then awarded the role to singer Vic Damone. After this, the singer went to his godfather and crime boss Russell Bufalino, who then set a strategy of revealing a publication claiming that Fontaine’s role was already given to Martino by Ruddy, and Coppola was unaware of it. Eventually, Damone gave up the role and Martino was finalized for the character.

Also read: Cast of the Godfather

Who was Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather?

In The Godfather, the character of Johnny Fontaine was depicted as a mob-associated singer and was Vito Corleone’s godson. Johnny seeks assistance from Vito to secure a job for him in a specific movie. In doing so, Vito dispatches his consigliere, Tom Hagen, to Los Angeles to persuade studio head Jack Woltz. After getting rejected on his proposal, Hagen wakes up the next day receiving the severed head of his prized stallion. While Johnny’s part in the movie was short-lived, it was enough to portray Vito’s power and determination to fulfill his family's wishes.

Al Martino’s Career

Al Martino was one of the most famed musicians and artists from the 1950s era. While the actor was seen only in 2 movies, The Godfather and its sequel, he was majorly known for his music and records in the industry. The singer’s first single Here in My Heart was released in 1952. Apart from this, the singer had also worked on other projects like Wanted (1954), I Can't Get You Out of My Heart (1959), and I Love You More and More Every Day (1964), among many others. For his work in the music industry, Martino was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame, back in 2009. Martino also holds the Guinness Book of Records for being the first No. 1 record in the U.K.