Al Lettieri

Al Lettieri (born Alfred Lettieri, February 24, 1928 – October 18, 1975) was an Italian American actor, best known for his portrayal of Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo in The Godfather.

Lettieri projected an aura of menace and ruthlessness in his film roles, which he attributed to his acquaintance with real-life gangsters, including Joey Gallo. At the age of 36, he made his screen debut in the TV film The Hanged Man. Lettieri played the villain against some of Hollywood's biggest screen names including chasing Steve McQueen in The Getaway, Charles Bronson in Mr. Majestyk, and John Wayne in McQ.

Lettieri is the only actor credited as "starring" in The Godfather who is not on the movie poster.

Lettieri died of a heart attack in 1975, at the age of 47, coincidentally the age at which his character in The Godfather, Sollozzo, died. Lettieri left two children. His daughter, Hala Lettieri, is a theologian in New York City and his son, Antony is a Homicide detective in Las Vegas.

Filmography

• The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 (1992) (V) .... Virgil 'The Turk' Sollozzo
• Dublin Murders (1985)
• Bordella (House of Pleasure for Women) (1976) .... Eddie Mordace
• Vai Gorilla (Go Gorilla Go) (1976) .... Ciro Musante
• Winner Take All (Time Lock) (1975/I) (TV) .... Man at Track
• Piedone a Hong Kong (aka Flatfoot Goes East, Flatfoot in Hong Kong) (1975) .... Frank Barella
• Mr. Majestyk (1974) .... Frank Renda
• McQ (1974) .... Manny Santiago
• The Deadly Trackers (1973) .... Gutierrez, Mexican Policeman
• The Don Is Dead (Beautiful But Deadly, The Deadly Kiss) (1973) .... Vince
• The Getaway (1972) .... Rudy Butler
• Footsteps (Foosteps: Nice Guys Finish Last, Nice Guys Finish Last) (1972) (TV) .... Zimmerman
• Pulp (1972) .... Miller
• The Godfather (1972) .... Virgil 'The Turk' Sollozzo
• A Town Called Hell (A Town Called Bastard, Una Ciudad llamada Bastarda) (1971) .... La Bomba
• The Night of the Following Day (1968) (as Al Lettier) .... Pilot aka Al
• The Bobo (1967) .... Eugenio Gomez
• Dark Intruder (Black Cloak) (1965) (as Anthony Lettier) .... 2nd Sergeant
• Wild Seed (Fargo) (1965) (as Anthony Lettier) .... Bartender
• The Hanged Man .... Al

External links

• Al Lettieri at the Internet Movie Database