Honor Thy Father

(CBS, 3/1/1973, 120 mins). The success of “The Godfather” encouraged this adaptation of Gay Talese’s 1971 bestselling novel about life inside the Mafia, a fact based drama revolving around the collapse of the Joseph Bonanno family. The real-life Bonanno was kidnapped in 1964 and was not heard from for over 18 months.

Production Companies Halcyon Productions, Metromedia Producers Corp. Director Paul Wendkos. Executive Producer Charles Fries. Producer Harold Cohen. Teleplay Lewis John Carlino. Based on a Book by Gay Talese. Photography Arthur J. Ornitz, Howard R. Schwartz. Music George Duning. Editor Richard Halsey. Art Director Rodger Maus.

Cast Joseph Bologna (Salvatore “Bill” Bonnano), Brenda Vaccaro (Rosalie Bonnano), Raf Vallone (Joe “Bananas” Bonnano), Richard Castellano (Father Labruzzo), Joe DeSantis (Joseph Magliocco), Gilbert Green (Gaspare di Gregorio), Marc Lawrence (Stefano Magaddino), Louis Zorich (Joe Notario), Felice Orlandi (Perrone), James Sloyan (Pete Notario), Roger DeKoven (William P. Maloney), Robert Burr (Kreiger), Antonia Rey (Mrs. Profaci), Carmine Caridi (Nick), Joseph Campanella (Narrator), Henry Farentino, Frank Albanese, Anthony Charnota, Leonard Cimino, Sam Coppola.