'The Godfather' Corleone Family Tree Explained
The Big Picture
- The Godfather series, including novels and movies, has a large and dedicated fanbase due to its complex characters and their relationships.
- The Corleone family tree is intricately woven, with characters like Vito, his wife Carmela, and their children playing central roles.
- The series explores themes of revenge, loyalty, and power as the Corleone family navigates the world of organized crime.
The Godfather, its sequels, source material, and subsequent sequel novels all detail the intricately crafted world of Mario Puzo's iconic characters. The success and enormous following of one of the most famous fictional families is in no small part due to the 1972 adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola, which went on to earn Academy Awards and critical acclaim. Part of the reason fans repeatedly return to these books and movies is due to its rich landscape of supporting characters and their interpersonal relationships, but what does the Corleone family tree really look like?
Vito Corleone
Played by Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and Oreste Baldini
CloseVito Andolini (played by Oreste Baldini, then later Robert De Niro, and Marlon Brando) was born on April 29, 1887, according to his tombstone in The Godfather (or December 7, 1891, according to The Godfather Part II). He came from the small Sicilian village of Corleone where his father, Antonio Andolini, was murdered by the Sicilian Mafia boss Don Ciccio (Giuseppe Sillato) in 1901. Vito's older brother, Paolo, swore revenge but was killed during his father's funeral. Vito's mother (Maria Carta) took Vito to Don Ciccio to beg for Vito's life to be spared, but when he refused, she held a knife to Don's throat, giving Vito the chance to flee. Sympathetic neighbors smuggled Vito to America where, on Ellis Island in 1901, he was renamed Vito Corleone. After building an Olive Oil empire and an organized crime family, Don Vito Corleone seized his revenge on Don Ciccio and later died on July 29, 1955.
Carmela Corleone
Played by Morgana King and Francesca De Sapio
Carmela (Francesca De Sapio and Morgana King) was born to a Sicilian family in 1897 and immigrated to New York as a child. She married Vito Corleone at the age of 16. While living in the Bronx, they were neighbors to Peter Clemenza (Bruno Kirby and Richard S. Castellano) and Anita Colombo (Saveria Mazzola). The former would go on to join Vito's crime syndicate. Carmela would provide Vito with four children despite multiple issues with miscarriage between their first and second children. Carmela was always aware of her husband's business, and would pray for him, but would never intervene. She died in April 1959, during the events of The Godfather Part II.
Santino "Sonny" Corleone
Played by James Caan
Sonny (James Caan) was the oldest child of Vito and Carmela, born in 1916, according to the 1991 documentary The Godfather Supplements. His short temper would often give way to wild rage, and although he intended to follow in his quiet father's footsteps, Sonny struggled with not having his way. His marriage to Sandra Corleone (Julie Gregg) provided him with four children of his own; Kathryn, Francesca, Frank, and Santino Jr. Sonny died of multiple gunshot wounds during gang disputes in 1945. This was the result of beating up his brother-in-law, Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo), who was abusing Sonny's sister Connie (Talia Shire) but was protected by the Barzini Crime Family.
Sandra Corleone
Played by Julie Gregg
Sandra's grandmother was Vito and Carmela's neighbor and friend, Anita Colombo. Their families would remain close for generations in the Bronx. Sandra's parents were said to have returned to Sicily to give birth to Sandra so that she would be a true Sicilian, despite later growing up in New York. According to the book The Family Corleone, Sandra was apprehensive about starting a courtship with Sonny Corleone due to his reputation. "What reputation? I'm an angel, I swear. Ask my mother!" "It was your mother who warned me about you!" Sandra and Sonny married in 1935 and had four children, but Sandra's intelligence proved double-edged, as she was well aware of Sonny's affair with Lucy Mancini (Jeannie Linero).
Lucy Mancini
Played by Jeannie Linero
Much like the Colombos and the Clemenzas, the Mancini family were close associates of the Corleones during their early days in the Bronx. Lucy Mancini became particularly close with two of the Corleone children; she was maid of honor at Connie's wedding and was the frequent mistress of Sonny. In fact, practically a third of the focus of the original novel is given to Lucy Mancini, when it isn't focused on the Corleones or Johnny Fontane (Al Martino). It details her move to Las Vegas, her eventual romance with a doctor, and (strangely) her unique vaginal issues! Lucy and Sonny are a perfect fit for each other (book readers will know what I mean!) but, "It was love of the coarsest nature." Their lustful trysts would eventually lead to the birth of their illegitimate child, Vincent (Andy García).
Vincent Mancini
Played by Andy García
Vincent Mancini was born in 1948 (according to The Godfather Supplements). The illegitimate son of Lucy Mancini and Sonny Corleone, Vincent worked as a nightclub owner. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who took over the family after Vito's death, saw a lot of himself in his nephew Vincent, and as such urged him not to suffer the same pitfalls as he had. Eventually, after Vincent saved Michael, his inclusion into the family business ensued, but he was forbidden from pursuing any romantic aspirations he had with Michael's daughter (and Vincent's cousin) Mary (Sofia Coppola). Vincent eventually took over the family business and was seen as exemplifying an amalgamation of Vito's cunning nature, Michael's ruthlessness, Fredo's sensitivity, Sonny's temper, and Tom Hagen's loyalty.
Frederico "Fredo" Corleone
Played by John Cazale
Fredo (John Cazale) was the second child of Vito and Carmela, born on October 18, 1915, according to the novel, or 1919, according to the film. He was a sickly child with pneumonia. In the book The Godfather Returns, it is implied that Fredo was molested by his parish priest as a child, and he is portrayed as having secret sexual relationships with men. Fredo had a more sensitive nature, which led to him being "passed over" in the family business by his younger brother Michael. Fredo later moved to Las Vegas to work with Moe Greene (Alex Rocco). After betraying Michael, Fredo became a target for assassination, but as per Connie's request, Michael agreed not to force his mother to grieve her most coddled son. After her death in April 1959, Fredo was assassinated by Al Neri (Richard Bright).
Deanna Dunn-Corleone
Played by Marianna Hill
Deanna Dunn (Marianna Hill) was a famous Hollywood celebrity, having won an Academy Award for Best Actress. In the novel, she is featured only as a close friend of Vito's movie star godson, Johnny Fontane. In 1955, she met Fredo Corleone and the two married. While drunk at Lake Tahoe, Deanna made fun of her husband's insecurities regarding his younger brother, Michael, and had to be dragged away by Rocco Lampone (Tom Rosqui). Things escalated when the promiscuous Deanna slept with her costar Matt Marshall in front of Fredo. The two divorced soon after.
Michael Corleone
Played by Al Pacino
Michael is the third child of Vito and Carmela and is often considered Vito's favorite. This was due, in part, to Michael's insistence on not getting involved in the family's crime syndicate. Michael is a decorated war hero, but after his father was shot, he surpassed his brother Fredo in taking over operations after Sonny's death. During his stay in Sicily, Michael married a local girl named Apollonia Vitelli (Simonetta Stefanelli) and, after her death, he returned to America where he married Kay Adams (Diane Keaton). He and Kay went on to have two children, Anthony (Anthony Gounaris, James Gounaris, and Franc D'Ambrosio) and Mary.
RelatedMarlon Brando Refused to Learn His Lines on 'The Godfather'
He made them an offer that he couldn't remember.
Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone
Played by Simonetta Stefanelli
Apollonia Vitelli was born in the Corleone-adjacent hills of Sicily. The daughter of an extremely protective Greek mother and a Sicilian father, Apollonia also had two older brothers. During Michael's stay in Sicily, he fell in love with Apollonia despite their language barrier. The two married, but Michael was betrayed by his bodyguard when Apollonia died in a bomb-rigged car explosion that was intended for him. In the novel, Apollonia was pregnant at the time of her murder. Apollonia’s death was the final trigger in Michael’s crime-lord transformation, and although he remarried, he could never love Kay the way he loved Apollonia.
Katherine "Kay" Michelson
Played by Diane Keaton
Kay Adams was the daughter of Baptist reverend Thornton Adams and his wife, Agnes. She hails from New Hampshire, where she attended Dartmouth College and subsequently met fellow student Michael Corleone in 1945. When Micheal was forced to hide in Sicily, Kay asked Michael's adopted brother, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), to send Michael a letter from her, but he refused in case it would incriminate Kay. Eventually, Kay graduated and became a school teacher but married a very different Michael after his return from Sicily. After providing Michael with two children, Kay became pregnant with a third, which gave her the incentive to leave her crime boss husband for good. She has an abortion, which angers Michael to the point of hitting Kay, and the two divorce soon after. She later marries lawyer Douglas Michelson (Brett Halsey).
Anthony Corleone
Played by Anthony Gounaris ('The Godfather'), James Gounaris ('The Godfather Part II'), Franc D'Ambrosio ('The Godfather Part III')
As an infant, Anthony was the only person present at the death of his grandfather, Vito. He is praised by his father, Michael, as being a smart boy, and his passion for opera stemmed from listening to Puccini with his maternal grandfather, Thornton Adams. Anthony quit law school for a career in opera, having decided against both a career in law and a life involved in his father's business. The latter was reinforced by the fact that Anthony was used by his father to kill his Uncle Fredo. "I'll always be your son, but I want nothing to do with your business."
Mary Corleone
Played by Sofia Coppola
Mary was born in 1953 and is portrayed by The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola's daughter, Sofia Coppola (who went on to enjoy an illustrious directing career herself). In 1979, Mary fell in love with her cousin Vincent, her father's protégé and heir to the family business. When Vincent was appointed as Michael's successor in 1980, he agreed to end his relationship with Mary to protect her, as per her father's request. This triggered Mary's resentment towards her father. Ironically, it was Mary's proximity to Michael, not Vincent, that got her killed. She was accidentally shot in the chest by the Mosca of Montelepre (Mario Donatone), who was trying to kill Michael.
Constanzia "Connie" Corleone
Played by Talia Shire
Yet another of Coppola's direct relatives, Talia Shire is the real-life sister of director Francis Ford Coppola. She plays Connie in all three films, the youngest child and only daughter of Vito and Carmela. Connie's marriage to Carlo Rizzi opens The Godfather and serves as a stage to introduce its various characters. Connie's abusive relationship with Carlo leads her to tell Sonny of her husband's cruelty, which inadvertently gets Sonny killed. Connie and Carlo have two children, Victor and Michael Francis, the latter named after Connie's brother and the baby's godfather. Michael later has Carlo killed, which leads Connie to hate Michael. Connie then spiraled into a string of affairs, engagements to both Ed Federici and Merle Johnson (Troy Donahue), and eventually became consigliere to Michael.
Carlo Rizzi
Played by Gianni Russo
Half northern Italian, half Sicilian, Carlo migrated to New York from Nevada while on the run from the law. His friendship with Sonny Corleone led to Carlo meeting Sonny's sister Connie at Vito's surprise birthday party in 1941. The two were married in August 1945, but Carlo soon became violent with his wife in light of his transparent extramarital affairs. After hurting Connie, Sonny made a fool of Carlo by beating him up in public. In retaliation, Carlo devised a plan to kill Sonny, in collaboration with the Corleone's rivals, the Barzini family. This worked, but when Michael eventually became head of the family, he sought revenge on his brother-in-law and arranged for Carlo to be killed.
Tom Hagen
Played by Robert Duvall
The last of the Corleone children is technically the oldest, having been born six years before Sonny. Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) is not a blood relative, hailing from German-Irish roots, but was adopted by Vito and Carmela after befriending Sonny. His father was an abusive alcoholic and his mother died after contracting a venereal disease. As a boy, Tom lived on the streets, but after being taken in by the Corleones, enjoyed a wealthy upbringing and a full education, including law school. Tom served as a lawyer to the family and consigliere to both Vito and Michael. Tom and his wife, Theresa (Tere Livrano), had two sons, Frank and Andrew, and two daughters, Gianna and Christina.
The Godfather (1972)
RDon Vito Corleone, head of a mafia family, decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son, Michael. However, his decision unintentionally puts the lives of his loved ones in grave danger.
Release Date March 14, 1972 Director Francis Ford Coppola Cast Marlon Brando , Al Pacino , James Caan , Richard S. Castellano , Robert Duvall , Sterling Hayden Runtime 175 minutes Main Genre Crime Writers Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola ExpandThe Godfather is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kwamxjKCmnZ6RqbWmvoycpquklaS7pnnFmqSipKliwbOxxGg%3D