The Tragic Death of John Cazale ('The Godfather'): 4 Decades Later

Photo bytcm.com

It's been over 45 years since the tragic death of actor John Cazale, who only appeared in five movies, all of which were Oscar-nominated for Best Picture. Those include The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.

How He Died

A trained stage performer, Cazale died from lung cancer on March 13, 1978, in New York City. At the time, was dating Meryl Streep, who remained by his side through his horrific final days.

He and Streep had met during a Shakespeare in the Park production of Measure for Measure.

Cazale, who was August 12, 1935, in Boston, MA, was dying of cancer while filming The Deer Hunter (1978) and ultimately passed before that movie's premiere.

Years Later

Years after his death, John Cazale appeared in a sixth feature film, The Godfather Part III (1990) in archive footage. That movie, as with all of the films in which he appeared, was also Oscar-nominated for Best Picture.

Lasting Impression

Close friend and frequent co-star, Al Pacino, once referred to John Cazale as his "acting partner." Pacino said he could have acted with him always.