The Poster Memorabilia blog

A Night in New York with the Corleone family

Radio City, 2017 — the family together one last time, and a poster waiting by the exit.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Many people might be tired of hearing this, but I love living in New York City. There's so much I get to see and do, and most excitingly, so many new people to meet. That goes with famous people, too. It's common to bump into celebrities here, and you can also meet them at many high-profile events in the city.

My favorite celebrity encounter was seeing the cast of The Godfather Part II at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Yes, you read that right! I actually got to meet this legendary cast of one of the best movies ever made. I don't even think “legends” is a good enough term to describe them.

Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, James Caan, Talia Shire, and Robert Duvall were all there at Radio City Music Hall. Complete with director Francis Ford Coppola, the reunion was the major highlight of the entire film festival. I don't even remember the new films that premiered that year. This was all I looked forward to, and all I was focused on.

“I don't even think ‘legends’ is a good enough term to describe them.”

Now that I think about it, it was lucky that they were all still alive by then. We've since lost James Caan, Diane Keaton, and Robert Duvall, so I'm grateful I got to see them while they were still with us.

Would it have been incredible if Marlon Brando and John Cazale were also there? Yes, it would have. But I can't complain with this group of legends. I still can't believe they managed to gather all of them in one room, much less that I actually met them that night, too.

I planned to get their autographs on my Godfather Part II movie poster, and I wasn't gonna leave empty-handed. As much as I enjoyed seeing them together on stage and hearing their stories about making the first and second films, all I could focus on was how to approach them.

Do I just go straight to each actor and risk getting stopped by security? Believe me, I actually considered it. Now, however, I'd advise you not to have that mentality if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

✦ ✦ ✦

I luckily didn't have to do anything that drastic. When the night was over, and the cast started to leave the hall, I scored a nice spot near the exit and asked them to sign my poster there. Not everyone noticed me, but a good many did, and for me, that was more than enough.

It wasn't that the others who didn't sign my poster refused. They were just too busy with the press, their security, and the overall hoopla of ending the event to notice me. But you know who did notice me and gave me their autograph? Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire. Not bad, right?

I'm still sad I missed James Caan and Robert Duvall—two of the three cast members we've lost since—but I can't help feeling excited about who I actually met.

A year later, a colleague who knew Dominic Chianese personally told me he could get the actor to sign the same poster. So I gave it to him, and two weeks later, he returned it with the new autograph. For those who might not remember, Chianese played Johnny Ola in the sequel, one of the best characters in that movie.

As far as exciting nights in New York City go, that time with The Godfather Part II cast at Radio City Music Hall takes the cake. I always mention it whenever someone asks me what the best part of living in the Big Apple is.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

Guaranteed authentic for life • 90-day returns, any reason