The archive of Godfather author Mario Puzo sold for $625,000 at RR Auction on February 18.
 The archive features letters sent from Mario Puzo to Marlon Brando |
The lot contains materials relating to Puzo's entire career, including manuscripts for all of his books and screenplays, his typewriter and decades of correspondence.
The big draw for collectors, however, was the exhaustive documentation relating to the making of the Godfather trilogy.
Included is a series of letters between Puzo and Marlon Brando.
Puzo wrote to Brando in January 1970, explaining the actor was his first choice to play Don Corleone.
However, as the correspondence shows, the studio was nervous due to the actor's reputation as being demanding and difficult to work with.
Puzo writes: "They are very cool, seem to have other ideas.
"So unless you have read the book and want to use your muscle I guess thats it. [sic] I'm sorry I wasted your time.
"I still think it was a good idea. And thanks for taking the trouble to call and talk to me."
As things panned out, Brando eventually was offered the role and gave a legendary performance.
As Robert Livingstone of RR Auctions explained to the Wall Street Journal: "It's not often that you get somebody's entire archive.
"These things usually end up in institutions."
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