---
name: "Michael V. Gazzo"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-v-gazzo"
fi1m_id: "michael-v-gazzo"
imdb_id: "nm0311155"
tmdb_id: 3172
wikidata_id: "Q218605"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "5 April 1923"
died: "14 February 1995"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 60
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-07T11:50:40.672957+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael V. Gazzo

## Identity

Michael V. Gazzo

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-v-gazzo
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-v-gazzo
- **IMDb ID:** nm0311155
- **TMDB ID:** 3172
- **Wikidata ID:** Q218605
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_V._Gazzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q218605, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0311155/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3172

Actor. Born 5 April 1923 in Hillside, New Jersey, USA. Died 14 February 1995.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 5 April 1923, Hillside, New Jersey, USA
- **Died:** 14 February 1995
- **Active:** 1974–1993
- **Also known as:** Michael Gazzo
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 other
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 60, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 89 (1), 1970s 92 (1), 1980s 42 (2), 1990s 62 (1)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 2, Comedy 2, Drama 2, Crime 1, Fantasy 1, Sport 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $296m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_V._Gazzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q218605, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0311155/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3172

## Streaming the US now

- **Paramount+:** [*The Godfather Part II*](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-ii.md) (92)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Michael V. Gazzo was an American playwright and actor. Born in Hillside, New Jersey, he served in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War and trained at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School and the Actors Studio.

Gazzo achieved success as a playwright with the Broadway drama *A Hatful of Rain* (1955), which ran for nearly 400 performances and was later adapted for film. He also wrote the screenplay for the Elvis Presley film *King Creole* (1958).

He later turned to acting in film and television, appearing in an uncredited role in *On the Waterfront* (1954) and gaining wider recognition as Frank Pentangeli in *The Godfather Part II* (1974), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Gazzo continued working until his death in Los Angeles in 1995.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Last Action Hero* (1993), Fi1m 62, as Torelli — [page](https://film.one/film/last-action-hero.md)
- *Cannonball Run II* (1984), Fi1m 35, as Sonny — [page](https://film.one/film/cannonball-run-ii.md)
- *Body and Soul* (1981), Fi1m 49, as Frankie — [page](https://film.one/film/body-and-soul.md)
- *The Godfather Part II* (1974), Fi1m 92, as Frank Pentangeli — [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-ii.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *On the Waterfront* (1954), Fi1m 89, as Bit (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)

## Complete filmography (62)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959* (2016), as Frank Pentangeli
- *Nothing to Lose* (1994), as Joe
- *Last Action Hero* (1993), as Torelli — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/last-action-hero.md)
- *Ring of the Musketeers* (1992), series, as Papa
- *The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980* (1992), as Frankie Pentangeli
- *Cookie* (1989), as Carmine
- *Jake and the Fatman* (1987), series, as Joseph DaSilva
- *Blood Ties* (1986), as Joseph Salina
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Roscoe Zambini
- *1st & Ten* (1984), series, as Sal Arcola
- *Fear City* (1984), as Mike
- *Cannonball Run II* (1984), as Sonny — Fi1m 35, [page](https://film.one/film/cannonball-run-ii.md)
- *The Winter of Our Discontent* (1983), as Marullo
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, as Dino Lampella — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Sizzle* (1981), as Nick Tripoli
- *Darkroom* (1981), series, as Nino
- *The Fall Guy* (1981), series, as Ricco
- *Body and Soul* (1981), as Frankie — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/body-and-soul.md)
- *Back Roads* (1981), as Tazio
- *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Victor DiGorgio
- *Alligator* (1980), as Chief Clark
- *Hoodlums* (1980), as Gus Azziello
- *The Border* (1980), as Chico Suarez
- *Cuba Crossing* (1980), as Rossellini (as Michael Gazzo)
- *B.A.D. Cats* (1980), series, as Junkyard George Karosky
- *Beggarman, Thief* (1979), series, as Sartene
- *The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh* (1979), as Harry the Trainer
- *Beach Patrol* (1979), as Banker
- *Love and Bullets* (1979), as Lobo
- *Supertrain* (1979), series, as Henry Menkton
- *King of the Gypsies* (1978), as Spiro Giorgio
- *Vega$* (1978), series, as Cruger Hallow
- *Taxi* (1978), series, as Vince — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/taxi.md)
- *Fingers* (1978), as Ben
- *Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television* (1977), series, as Frankie Pentangeli
- *Lucan* (1977), series, Actor
- *Black Sunday* (1977), as Muzi
- *Alice* (1976), series, as Gino Tarantella
- *Brinks: The Great Robbery* (1976), as Mario Russo
- *Ellery Queen* (1975), series, as Benny Franks
- *Starsky & Hutch* (1975), series, as Joe Durniak
- *Welcome Back, Kotter* (1975), series, as Angelo DeMora
- *Switch* (1975), series, as Tony
- *Baretta* (1975), series, as Rico Giove
- *The Godfather Part II* (1974), as Frank Pentangeli — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-ii.md)
- *Crazy Joe* (1974), Actor
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Joel Adrian — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Klobouk plný deště* (1973), Theatre Play
- *Barnaby Jones* (1973), series, as Mr. Farinelli
- *The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight* (1971), as A Black Suit
- *Columbo* (1971), series, as Vittorio Rossi — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *Alta comedia* (1970), series, Writer
- *Medical Center* (1969), series, as Leo Gardena
- *A Hatful of Rain* (1968), Screenplay, Teleplay
- *A Man Called Adam* (1966), as Minor Role (uncredited)
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Schultz
- *King Creole* (1958), Screenplay
- *A Hatful of Rain* (1957), Theatre Play, Screenplay
- *On the Waterfront* (1954), as Bit (uncredited) — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Marullo
- *Robert Montgomery Presents* (1950), series, Actor
- *Suspense* (1949), series, as Handler

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1975: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Godfather Part II*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-v-gazzo