Castellano was born in the Queens borough of New York City on September 4, 1933. His parents, Mariantonia Angello and Filippo Castellano, were Italian immigrants from Castrofilippo, Sicily.[2] His middle name, Salvatore, was in honor of his oldest brother who had died two years before he was born.[3]
After his death, Castellano's widow Ardell Sheridan, who had played his character Peter Clemenza's wife in The Godfather,[4][5] claimed that he was the nephew of Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano;[6] however Richard's own sister dismissed this claim as false: "we're not related to Paul".[7]
Career
Castellano gained worldwide fame for his role in Lovers and Other Strangers (1970), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He achieved further stardom in 1972 for playing the part of Peter Clemenza, in The Godfather. The Godfather became the highest-grossing film up to that time. Castellano, along with several other cast members, became widely known from the popular film. He spoke one of the film's most famous lines, "Leave the gun; take the cannoli," which he partially ad-libbed.[8]
Castellano also appeared on television, playing the lead role of Joe Girelli in the television situation comedyThe Super (10 episodes in 1972). His real-life daughter Margaret Castellano portrayed his character's daughter Joanne. He also portrayed the lead Joe Vitale in Joe and Sons (1975–1976).[citation needed]
Castellano did not reprise his role as Clemenza in The Godfather Part II (1974). Bruno Kirby portrayed Clemenza as a young man in The Godfather Part II. He had played the son of Castellano's character in The Super.
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