The Godfather: Lenny Montana the man behind Luca Brasi worked for a real crime family

Luca Brasi made an impact on fans

One of the most iconic characters in The Godfather is Don Vito Corleone's (Marlon Brando) hit man, Luca Brasi (Played by Lenny Montana in the film). In Francis Ford Coppola's book by the same name, he writes that the Don was intimidated by his enforcer because he could not be controlled.

On his daughter Connie's (Talia Shire) wedding day, he did not want to deal with Luca personally but thought it best that he did. The Don stood nervously as Brasi presented him with money for Connie's wedding purse.

Kay Adams Corleone (Diane Keaton) asked Michael Corleone (AL Pacino) about the scary man talking to himself. In real life, the actor was just as intimidating as his character.

Why was Luca so feared?

Why was even the tough Itallian Don afraid of Luca Brasi? That answer is found in the book and was not in the film. Luca murdered his girlfriend and forced a midwife to toss their newborn child into a blazing furance.

When Don Corleone was told about this he decided that Luca would be his man. Brasi worshipped his new boss and would do anything for him. The Don, however, did not trust his enforcer, and kept him at arms length.

Lenny Montana Pro Wrestler

Long before he ever stepped onto the set of the blockbuster film, Montana would walk into rooms where men would fall silent. He was born Leonardo Passafaro in 1926 on Long Island. By the time he was a young man, he was 6'6", 320 lbs., towering over others and built like a mountain,.

His hands so large that people joked he could crush a watermelon by closing his fist. He was said to be strong with a queit danger which reminded me of professional wrestler Andre the Giant. Ironically, in the 1950s and 60s, Montana became a pro wrestler.

Using stage names Lenny Montana and Chief Chickasaw, he quickly became a fan favorite. He looked like the kind of man who could win every bar fight and it is said most times he did.

The Mafia Years

Unfortunately, wrestling did not pay the kind of money Lenny needed to support his family, so he began working for the Colombo crime family.

Initially, he was hired as protection at small clubs, bars, and gambling rooms. Montana's talent, however, was as a fire starter. He became the go-to person to call when you needed a building to burn without hurting anyone, and without evidence left behind.

He was jailed in Reiker's Island but upon his release Montana was trusted to protect the higher-ups, collected money, and keep the peace when things got out of hand. It was said that he never flinched, did nto brag, and was reliable. He also never talked to the police. So how did the role of Luca come about.

Luca Brasi is born

In 1971 Lenny was a bodyguard for a member of the mob on the Paramount lot during the filming The Godfather in New York. Mafia men were present on many shoots, to ensure accuracy and to make certain there was no disrespect.

Frank Sinatra and members of the Columbo family protested the film but ame to an agreement with studioa heads. Montana was not supposed to be seen or heard but Francis Ford Coppola noticed him as soon as he entered the room and he whispered to his assistant, “That’s Luca Brasi.”

Lenny Montana was Luca Brasi

Lenny was given the script pages for the role on the spot, although he had never acted a day in his life. He was terrified and it showed when he begn sweating, shaking, and stammering.

When Luca becomes nervous trying to congratulate his Don it was not scripted, it was real, and Coppola loved it. The larger-than-life bodyguard is intimidated by Don Corleone. The footage was used without any retakes. When Brasi was killed with a garrot, his eyes bulged, and his tongue hung out, and fans loved it.

Lenny Montana became an overnight sensation as Luca Brasi in The Godfather. Adoring fans were always asking for his autograph. He was said to have been a gentle and soft-spoken man despite his earlier career and playing Luca. He lived in Manhattan with his family and was never in any scandals and did not make headlines. He died from a heart attack on May 12, 1992. He was 66 years old.