The real mafia was more involved in ‘The Godfather’ than anyone knew
nypost.com“The Godfather” is regarded as a Hollywood classic, one of the highest grossing films of all time. But the making of this mafia movie got off to a rocky start, as author MATT BIRBECK describes in “The Life We Chose: William ‘Big Billy’ D’Elia and The Last Secrets of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Family” (William Morrow).
It required plenty of negotiations and hard bargains — with some real-life characters who knew quite a lot about the mob. William “Big Billy” D’Elia, head of the once powerful Bufalino crime family and protege of mob boss Russell Bufalino, saw the action behind the scenes.
It was the late winter of 1971 when the phone rang at ABS Contracting, one of the many cutting rooms Russell [Bufalino] owned in northeast Pennsylvania.
When Billy picked it up, he heard a familiar voice.“Hello, this is Marlon Brando calling for Mr. Bufalino.” Billy didn’t believe it.
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