Acclaimed Godfather writer Mario Puzo’s literary archive is being sold by Boston auctioneers RR Auction.
The 45-box collection is being sold as one set and is full of cool Godfather-related items. The pre-sale estimate is $400,000, reports Hollywood Reporter.
Among the gems are a March 7, 1970, letter from Puzo to Marlon Brando broaching the idea of him starring in a movie version of the novel, which would not be published for another three weeks. The note demonstrated that Brando’s name was bandied about much earlier than most recognize.
Also included are nine partial in-progress copies of the original Godfather script that are full of Puzo’s (and director Francis Ford Coppola’s) hand-written annotations, such as variations on the “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse” lines.
There is also a 774-page draft of the novel (original title: Mafia) and work on other screenplays, including 1974’s ‘Earthquake’ and 1978’s ‘Superman’ (he was brought in at Brando’s insistence).
The decision by RR and the Puzo heirs, who own the collection, to sell it in one piece is great. The most value is in the whole and not in having the few prize pieces cherry picked out. The collection will likely attract a lot of attention from institutions - universities and museums - as well as private collectors.
Online bidding for the auction begins on February 11 and will end on Feb. 18.
Mario Puzo (1920-1999) was an American author, screenwriter and journalist. He is known for his novels about the Mafia, most notably The Godfather (1969), which he later co-adapted into a three-part film saga directed by Coppola.
He received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the first film in 1972 and Part II in 1974. Puzo also wrote the original screenplay for the 1978 Superman film. His last novel, ‘The Family’, was released posthumously in 2001.
