When Johnny Fontane appeared in the garden, Kay Adams recognized him

immediately. She was truly surprised. "You never told me your family knew

Johnny Fontane," she said. "Now I'm sure I'll marry you."

2 "Do you want to meet him?" Michael asked.

3 "Not now," Kay said. She sighed. "I was in love with him for three years. I used

To come down to New York whenever he sang at the Capitol and scream my head

off. He was so wonderful."

4 "We'll meet him later," Michael said.

When Johnny finished singing and vanished into the house with Don Corleone,

Kay said archly to Michael, "Don't tell me a big movie star like Johnny Fontane

has to ask your father for a favor?"

6 "He's my father's godson," Michael said. "And if it wasn't for my father he

might not be a big movie star today."

7 Kay Adams laughed with delight. "That sounds like another great story."

8 Michael shook his head. "I can't tell that one," he said.

9 "Trust me," she said.

He told her. He told her without being funny. He told it without pride. He told it

Without any sort of explanation except that eight years before his father had been

More impetuous, and because the matter concerned his godson, the Don

Considered it an affair of personal honor.

The story was quickly told. Eight years ago Johnny Fontane had made an

Extraordinary success singing with a popular dance band. He had become a top

Radio attraction. Unfortunately the band leader, a well-known show business

Personality named Les Halley, had signed Johnny to a five-year personal services

Contract. It was a common show business practice. Les Halley could now loan

Johnny out and pocket most of the money.

Don Corleone entered the negotiations personally. He offered Les Halley

Twenty thousand dollars to release Johnny Fontane from the personal services

Contract. Halley offered to take only fifty percent of Johnny's earnings. Don

Corleone was amused. He dropped his offer from twenty thousand dollars to ten

Thousand dollars. The band leader, obviously not a man of the world outside his

Beloved show business, completely missed the significance of this lower offer.

He refused.

The next day Don Corleone went to see the band leader personally. He

Brought with him his two best friends, Genco Abbandando, who was his

 

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Consigliori, and Luca Brasi. With no other witnesses Don Corleone persuaded

Les Halley to sign a document giving up all rights to all services from Johnny

Fontane upon payment of a certified check to the amount of ten thousand dollars.

Don Corleone did this by putting a pistol to the forehead of the band leader and

Assuring him with the utmost seriousness that either his signature or his brains

Would rest on that document in exactly one minute. Les Halley signed. Don

Corleone pocketed his pistol and handed over the certified check.

The rest was history. Johnny Fontane went on to become the greatest

Singing sensation in the country. He made Hollywood musicals that earned a

Fortune for his studio. His records made millions of dollars. Then he divorced his

Childhood-sweetheart wife and left his two children, to marry the most glamorous

blond star in motion pictures. He soon learned that she was a "whore." He drank,

He gambled, he chased other women. He lost his singing voice. His records

Stopped selling. The studio did not renew his contract. And so now he had come

Back to his Godfather.

15 Kay said thoughtfully, "Are you sure you're not jealous of your father?

Everything you've told me about him shows him doing something for other

people. He must be good-hearted." She smiled wryly. "Of course his methods are

not exactly constitutional."

16 Michael sighed. "I guess that's the way it sounds, but let me tell you this. You