Robert Duvall

Marlon Brando and Al Pacino weren’t the only Godfather actors steeped in Lee Strasberg’s Method. Robert Duvall, who’s latest flick, Get Low, opened Friday to rave reviews, also drew inspiration for his character in the mob trilogy—Tom Hagen—from real life. The Oscar winner reveals that, while prepping for that role, a pal from New York City’s East Harlem told him about someone who worked for infamous Mafia boss Carmine “Cigar” Galante. “He said there was a guy who was a high-paid gofer that followed [Carmine] around, and lit his cigarette, and pulled his chair out—a position that couldn’t be demeaned by others, Robert tells hosts Jamey DuVall and Jerry Dennis. “Kind of like someone following around a president. That was a key for me.” Robert also discusses how The Godfather Part II differed from Part 1. “The first one was much more fun than the second one, because Jimmy Caan…” (To read the full story, click here.)