- "My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse."
"What, Michael?"
"Luca Brasi put a gun to his head, and my father assured him either his brains or his signature would be on the contract." - ―Michael Corleone and Kay Adams[src]
Les Halley was a band leader and the head of the Les Halley Orchestra.
Biography[]
Les Halley once employed Johnny Fontane for a service contract. When Fontane wanted out, he called his Godfather, Vito Corleone to settle the matter.
Halley refused to give up his star performer for $10,000, but was later strong-armed by Vito and Luca Brasi into signing Johnny off for $1,000. Without Johnny, the orchestra began to lose popularity, and many of its members joined Johnny's entourage instead.
Real life sources[]
Les Halley is believed to be based on Tommy Dorsey, who was Frank Sinatra's bandleader. Just like Johnny Fontane, Sinatra had tried to buy out his contract from Dorsey without success. However, Dorsey later conceded after he was allegedly visited by Sinatra's associate, gangster Willie Moretti, who made Dorsey an offer he couldn't refuse by sticking a gun in his mouth, just like Vito Corleone did with Les Halley.[1]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Fact and Fiction in The Godfather. truTV.com.