Episode #188 | 07.30.24

Al Pacino: Good and Evil, Attempted Robbery, and the Role of a Lifetime

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In this episode

The death of a neighborhood friend, an attempted robbery that almost went horribly wrong, good vs. evil, and the road not taken: this is the Al Pacino origin story. It all culminates in the role of a lifetime. Not Michael Corleone. Not a role on stage or screen. The most important role of Al Pacino’s young life played out in front of a couple of detectives and a district attorney.

Sources

Al Pacino: A Life on the Wire, by Andrew Yule

Al Pacino: In Conversation with Lawrence Grobel, by Lawrence Grobel

Take the Gun, Leave the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather, by Mark Seal

When 20-Year-Old Al Pacino Spent 3 Days In Jail As He Failed To Pay $2000 In Bail After Getting Arrested Over Possession Of A Concealed Weapon (Koimoi)

Al Pacino Looks Back at His Breakthrough Role in ‘The Godfather’ (NY Times)

Credits

Hosted by Jake Brennan.

Written by Patrick Coman.

Additional writing by Zeth Lundy.

Copy edited by James Sullivan.

Scored and mixed by Matt Beaudoin.

Additional music and score elements by Ryan Spraker.

DISGRACELAND theme song, “Crenshaw Space Boogie,” written and produced by Jake Brennan. Performed by Jake Brennan, Bryce Kanzer, Jay Cannava, and Evan Kenney. Mixed and engineered by Adam Taylor.

*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak