Mario Puzo, 'The Godfather,' Dies At 78
Writer Died Of Apparent Heart Failure
BAY SHORE, New York, Updated 4:51 p.m. July 2, 1999 -- The man behind the Corleone family -- author Mario Puzo -- is dead.
He wrote the best-selling book The Godfather, which was turned into three movies that became American cinematic classics.
Puzo won two Oscars for his screen adaptations.
According to his literary agent, Puzo died of apparent heart failure today at his home on Long Island, New York. He was 78 years old.
Puzo had just finished work on his latest book, "Omerta," which is due out next year.
He wrote more than a half-dozen other novels besides The Godfather.
Puzo was born in New York, the son of illiterate Italian immigrants. His first novel, The Dark Arena, appeared in 1955.
But it wasn't until he wrote about the fictional Corleone family that he reached millions of readers. "The Godfather" was about a family of Italians who came to the United States and plunged into the world of organized crime.
The film versions featured Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.
