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John Holland Cazale was born on August 12, 1935, in Revere, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. His namesake Italian-American father traveled around New England selling coal, while his Irish-American mother Cecilia raised John and his two siblings. Little is known of his childhood, but after moving away to attend high school at the Buxton School in...
Cazale began his acting career on stage in 1959 at the Charles Playhouse in Boston. After appearing in Hotel Paradiso and Our Town, he moved to New York but struggled to find stage work. Like many actors before and since, he was forced to do odd jobs, including driving a taxi and working as a photographer. In 1962, Cazale made his film debut, albei...
In 1971, Cazale reprised his role in a new production of the play Line, this time with a young Richard Dreyfuss. Producer Fred Roos was in New York casting The Godfatherfor director Francis Ford Coppola and upon seeing Cazale's performance, thought him perfect for the role of Fredo Corleone. Cazale's first feature role was small but memorable. He i...
After working with Cazale on The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola wrote a part specifically for him in his next picture, The Conversation, starring Gene Hackman. Though still clearly second fiddle, viewers got a glimpse of a different Cazale, playing a good-natured professional, the assistant Stan. Hackman later remembered, "John pushed me and manag...
The lines and scenes that most fans remember from Fredo Corleone are actually in The Godfather Part II. A sequel is always risky, and perhaps even riskier was making Fredo such a central character, as Cazale's role was greatly expanded. The movie's plot is divided between young Vito (Robert De Niro) and older Michael (Al Pacino), with much of Micha...
When director Sidney Lumet decided to make Dog Day Afternoon with Al Pacino, he wanted a young actor to play the part of Sal, just like the young man who took part in the real-life bank robberythat inspired the movie. But Pacino pushed for the 39-year-old Cazale to read for the part, and Lumet was convinced. Cazale brought intensity to the role but...
Despite his success on screen, Cazale continued his work in theatre. In 1975, he returned to where it all began, the Charles Playhouse, to appear in a play with Pacino. The following year they appeared together on stage for the third and final time at Joe Papp's Public Theater in New York City. "All I wanted to do was work with John for the rest of...
Despite his diagnosis, Cazale remained optimistic and wanted to keep working. He had been cast in The Deer Hunter with Robert De Niro, and as was only recently confirmed, De Niro personally paid for Cazale's insurance to ensure his participation. Streep accepted a role, so she could remain at Cazale's side. Director Michael Cimino adjusted the shoo...
John Cazale died in the early morning of March 13, 1978, at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital, nine months before The Deer Hunter was released. He was only 42 years old. Streep stayed at his side until the end. In his eulogy, collaborator Israel Horovitz called John Cazale "a small perfection." To this day, Al Pacino continues to praise Cazale, say...
Mar 19, 2019 · We also hear from big-name contemporaries who worked opposite Cazale onscreen. One is Al Pacino, a scene partner in two "Godfather" films who says "“I think I learned more about acting from John than anybody." Another is Meryl Streep, who was living with Cazale at the time of his death. Streep offers some of the film's most moving and ...
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John Holland Cazale ( / kəˈzæl /; August 12, 1935 – March 13, 1978) [2] : 8 was an American actor. He appeared in five films over seven years: The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978). Cazale started as a theater actor in New York City, ranging from ...
Mar 12, 2013 · Today marks the 35th anniversary of John Cazale’s death from lung cancer. We look at winning streaks as impressive accomplishments, whether in sports or Pixar’s streak of box-office hits. But ...
Mar 15, 2022 · March 15, 2022. Fredo Corleone (John Cazale) holds his brother Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) at a family funeral in The Godfather: Part II. John Springer Collection/Getty Images. He slaps Al Pacino ...
Aug 28, 2018 · In fact, he did not survive the filming. John Cazale died on the morning of March 12, 1978, with Streep next to his bedside. He was only 42 years old. He left behind a total of five films. But my, what a five. All of them were best picture nominees. Three of them won the award. All of them are classics.
