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Michael V. Gazzo's first significant theatrical success was as a playwright; he was responsible for the penetrating drug-abuse drama A Hatful of Rain, which was committed to film in 1957. One year later, Gazzo wrote the screenplay for the Elvis Presley vehicle, King Creole (1958). He then disappeared from Hollywood in favor of stage work in New York. In 1974, Gazzo re-emerged as a character actor, winning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Frankie Pentageli in The Godfather II. Michael V. Gazzo remained in front of the cameras until his death in 1995, with prominent appearances in such TV movies and miniseries as Beggarman Thief (1979), The Winter of Our Discontent (1981) and Blood Feud (1983).