Michael V. Gazzo

Who was Michael V. Gazzo?

Michael Vincenzo Gazzo was an American playwright who later in life became a film and television actor.

Gazzo was a member of the Actors Studio and would later go on to train such actors as Debra Winger, Henry Silva and Tony Sirico. He authored the Broadway play A Hatful of Rain, which ran for 389 performances in 1955 and 1956. It starred Ben Gazzara and Shelley Winters in the two lead roles, and subsequently adapted it as a film in 1957, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. A 1968 made-for-television version starred Peter Falk, Sandy Dennis and Michael Parks.

As an actor, Gazzo was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Frank Pentangeli in The Godfather Part II. He lost to Robert De Niro, who acted in the same film.