Michael Vincente Gazzo was born on April 5, 1923, in Hillside, New Jersey. After serving in the US Army Air Force during World War II, he attended Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop at the New School on the GI Bill.
Gazzo's first major success was as a playwright, with his play "A Hatful of Rain" earning critical acclaim and running for 389 performances on Broadway in 1955 and 1956. The play won Tony award nominations for Ben Gazzara and Anthony Franciosa for Best Actor and Best Featured Actor, respectively.
However, Gazzo's second play, "The Night Circus," starring Gazzara, was a commercial failure, lasting only seven performances in 1958. Despite this, "A Hatful of Rain" was adapted into a successful film by Fred Zinnemann in 1957, with Franciosa earning an Oscar nomination for his performance.
Gazzo turned to screenwriting, penning the Elvis Presley film "King Creole" in 1958. He then returned to acting, utilizing his stocky physique and distinctive voice to become a respected character actor by the 1970s.
Gazzo's breakout role came when he replaced Richard S. Castellano in "The Godfather Part II" in 1974. He played Clemenza's successor in the Corleone crime family, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Gazzo continued to work in films and television, often playing Mafia bosses and criminals. However, he was able to break free from typecasting in his television appearances, playing both good and bad characters. He passed away on February 14, 1995, at the age of 71, due to a stroke.
