<P> With his father at the end of his career and his brother too weak, Michael takes the family reins, promising his wife the business will be legitimate within five years . To that end, he insists Hagen relocate to Las Vegas and relinquish his role to Vito because Tom is not a "wartime consigliere"; Vito agrees Tom should "have no part in what will happen" in the coming battles with rival families . When Michael travels to Las Vegas to buy out Greene's stake in the family's casinos, their partner derides the Corleones for being run out of New York; Michael is dismayed to see that Fredo has fallen under Greene's sway . </P> <P> Vito suffers a fatal heart attack . At the funeral, Tessio, a Corleone capo, asks Michael to meet with Don Barzini, signalling the betrayal that Vito had forewarned . The meeting is set for the same day as the christening of Connie's baby . While Michael stands at the altar as the child's godfather, Corleone assassins murder the other New York dons and Moe Greene . Tessio is executed for his treachery and Michael extracts Carlo's confession to his complicity in setting up Sonny's murder for Barzini . A Corleone capo, Clemenza, garrotes Carlo with a wire . Connie accuses Michael of the murder, telling Kay that Michael ordered all the killings . Kay is relieved when Michael finally denies it, but, when the capos arrive, they address her husband as Don Corleone, and she watches as they close the door on her . </P> <Ul> <Li> Marlon Brando, in the title role, is Vito Corleone (born Vito Andolini), the Don of the Corleone crime family . A native Sicilian, he is married to Carmela Corleone and the father of Tom (adoptive), Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and Connie . </Li> <Li> Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, the Don's third son, recently returned from World War II . The only college - educated family member, he is initially steered from the family business . His progression from the family's last - born son to its ruthless boss is the main subject matter of the film . </Li> <Li> James Caan as Santino "Sonny" Corleone, Don Corleone's hot - headed eldest son . As underboss, he is the heir - apparent to succeed his father as head of the Corleone family . </Li> <Li> Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, Don Corleone's informally adopted son, he is the family lawyer and consigliere . Unlike the Corleones, he is of German - Irish descent, not Sicilian . </Li> <Li> Diane Keaton as Kay Adams - Corleone, Michael's non-Italian girlfriend and his second wife and mother of his two children . </Li> <Li> John Cazale as Frederico "Fredo" Corleone, the middle son of the Corleone family . Deeply insecure and not very bright, he is considered the weakest Corleone brother . </Li> <Li> Talia Shire as Constanzia "Connie" Corleone, the youngest child and only daughter of the Corleone family . Her wedding reception begins the film . </Li> <Li> Gianni Russo as Carlo Rizzi, Connie's abusive husband . Introduced to the Corleone family by Sonny, whom he ultimately betrays to the Barzini family . </Li> <Li> Richard S. Castellano as Peter Clemenza, a caporegime for the Corleone family . He is an old friend of Vito Corleone and Salvatore Tessio . </Li> <Li> Abe Vigoda as Salvatore Tessio, a caporegime for the Corleone family . He is an old friend of Vito Corleone and Peter Clemenza . </Li> <Li> Al Lettieri as Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo, a heroin dealer associated with the Tattaglia family . He seeks both financial investment and the protection of the Tattaglia family's narcotics business through Don Corleone's political connections . </Li> <Li> Sterling Hayden as Captain Mark McCluskey, a corrupt NYPD police captain on Sollozzo's payroll . </Li> <Li> Lenny Montana as Luca Brasi, Vito Corleone's enforcer . </Li> <Li> Richard Conte as Emilio Barzini, Don of the Barzini family . </Li> <Li> Al Martino as Johnny Fontane, a world - famous singer and Vito's godson . The character is loosely based on Frank Sinatra . </Li> <Li> John Marley as Jack Woltz, a powerful Hollywood producer . </Li> <Li> Alex Rocco as Moe Greene, a longtime associate of the Corleone family who owns a Las Vegas hotel . The character is based on Bugsy Siegel . </Li> <Li> Morgana King as Carmela Corleone, Vito's wife and mother of Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and Connie, and adoptive mother to Tom Hagen . </Li> <Li> Salvatore Corsitto as Amerigo Bonasera, a mortician who, in the opening scene, asks Don Corleone for revenge against two boys who severely beat and attempted to rape his daughter . </Li> <Li> Corrado Gaipa as Don Tommasino, an old friend of Vito Corleone, who shelters Michael during his exile in Sicily . </Li> <Li> Franco Citti as Calò, Michael's bodyguard in Sicily . </Li> <Li> Angelo Infanti as Fabrizio, Michael's bodyguard in Sicily . He helped set up the assassination attempt on Michael that kills Apollonia . </Li> <Li> Johnny Martino as Paulie Gatto, a soldier under Peter Clemenza and Vito's driver . He is executed for his part in the assassination attempt on Vito . </Li> <Li> Victor Rendina as Philip Tattaglia, Don of the Tattaglia family . </Li> <Li> Tony Giorgio as Bruno Tattaglia, Philip Tattaglia's son and underboss of the Tattaglia family . Sonny Corleone has him assassinated in retaliation for the shooting of Vito Corleone . </Li> <Li> Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia Vitelli - Corleone, a young woman Michael meets and marries while in Sicily . She is killed a few months later in an assassination attempt on Michael . </Li> <Li> Rudy Bond as Don Cuneo, head of the New York - based Cuneo family . </Li> <Li> Louis Guss as Don Zaluchi, Don of the Zaluchi family of Detroit . </Li> <Li> Tom Rosqui as Rocco Lampone, a soldier under Clemenza who eventually becomes a caporegime in the Corleone family . </Li> <Li> Joe Spinell as Willi Cicci, a soldier in the Corleone family . </Li> <Li> Richard Bright as Al Neri, Michael Corleone's personal bodyguard and hitman who eventually becomes a caporegime . </Li> <Li> Julie Gregg as Sandra Corleone, Sonny's wife and later widow, and the mother of their four children . </Li> <Li> Jeannie Linero as Lucy Mancini, Sonny's mistress . </Li> <Li> Sofia Coppola (uncredited) as infant Michael Francis Rizzi, the nephew and godson of Michael Corleone . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Marlon Brando, in the title role, is Vito Corleone (born Vito Andolini), the Don of the Corleone crime family . A native Sicilian, he is married to Carmela Corleone and the father of Tom (adoptive), Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and Connie . </Li>

Who played the godfather in the movie the godfather