Jasper Cini (October 7, 1927 – October 13, 2009), known professionally as Al Martino, was an American Jazz and traditional pop and standards singer. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid-1970s, being described as "one of the great Italian American pop crooners", and became known as an actor, particularly for his role as singer Johnny Fontane in The Godfather.
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Early life
Jasper Cini was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Gasparino (also anglicised as "Jasper"; 1905–1958) and Carmela M. Cini (née Grilli; 1905–1998), one of five siblings. His father and maternal grandfather were immigrants from Nereto in the Italian region of Abruzzo. He aspired to become a singer, emulating artists such as Al Jolson and Perry Como, and seeing the success of a family friend, Alfredo Cocozza, who had changed his name to Mario Lanza.
Career
After serving with the U.S. Navy in World War II, during which he took part and was wounded in the Iwo Jima invasion, Cini began his singing career. Encouraged by Lanza, he adopted the stage name Al Martino, based on the name of his good friend Lorraine Losavio's husband Alfred Martin Cianfrani, and began singing in local nightclubs; coincidentally Martin of Tours is also the patron saint of Martino's ancestral hometown of Nereto in Italy. In 1948, he moved to New York City, and in 1951 his first release was issued by the Jubilee label, "Heaven Help Me (I'm in Love)", coupled with "Hurry Home to Me". The following year, he won first place on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts television program with a performance of Como's hit "If".
As a result, he won a recording contract with the Philadelphia-based independent record label BBS, where he recorded "Here in My Heart". Lanza's label, RCA Victor, had asked Lanza to record the song, but Martino called Lanza and pleaded with him to let Martino's version have a clear chance. The song spent three weeks at No. 1 on the US pop chart in June 1952, earning Martino a gold disc, and later in the year, it was number one in the first UK Singles Chart, published by the New Musical Express on November 14, 1952, putting him into the Guinness Book of World Records. "Here in My Heart" remained in the top position for nine weeks in the UK.
The record's success led to a deal with Capitol Records, and he released three more singles: "Take My Heart", "Rachel", and "When You're Mine" through 1953, all of which hit the U.S. top 40. However, his success also attracted the attention of the Mafia, which bought out Martino's management contract and ordered him to pay $75,000 as a safeguard for their investment. After making a down-payment to appease them, he moved to Britain. His popularity allowed him to continue to perform and record successfully in the UK, headlining at the London Palladium and having six further British chart hits in the period up to 1955, including "Now" and "Wanted". However, his work received no exposure back in the US.
In 1958, after the intervention of a family friend, Martino was allowed to return to the U.S. and resume his recording career, but he faced difficulties in re-establishing himself, especially with the arrival of rock and roll. In 1959, Martino signed with 20th Century Fox Records; his deal scored him two albums, and four singles released, none of which was a major hit. The success of his 1962 album The Exciting Voice of Al Martino secured him a new contract with Capitol, and was followed by a mostly Italian-language album, The Italian Voice of Al Martino, which featured his version of the then internationally popular song "Al di là". He also made several high-profile television appearances, helping to re-establish his visibility.
Acting
Apart from singing, Martino played the role of Johnny Fontane in the 1972 film The Godfather, as well as singing the film's theme, "Speak Softly Love". Martino had been told about the character by a friend who had read the eponymous novel and felt Martino represented the character of Johnny Fontane. Martino contacted producer Albert S. Ruddy, who initially gave him the part. Martino was stripped of the part, however, after Francis Ford Coppola came on board as director and awarded the role to singer Vic Damone. Martino, in turn, went to Russell Bufalino, his godfather and a crime boss, who then orchestrated the publication of various news articles that claimed Coppola had been unaware of Ruddy having given Martino the part.
Damone eventually dropped the role because he did not want to provoke the Bufalino crime family (in addition, Damone felt he was being paid too little for the role). Ultimately, the part of Johnny Fontane was given to Martino. He played the same role in The Godfather Part III and The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980 (the television miniseries that combines The Godfather and The Godfather Part II into one film).
Martino later returned to acting, playing aging crooner Sal Stevens in the short film Cutout, which appeared in film festivals around the world in 2006.
Personal life
Martino was married first to Jenny Furini; then to Gwendolyn Wenzel; and, finally, to Judi Stilwell, to whom he was married at the time of his death. He had three children, including television producer Alison Martino.
Death
Martino died from a heart attack on October 13, 2009, at his home in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, six days after his 82nd birthday. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Awards and honors
2009 – inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Guinness Book of Records for first No. 1 record in the U.K.
Discography
Studio albums
Album list: Chart positions:
1959: Al Martino (20th Century Fox)
1960: Swing Along With Al Martino (20th Century Fox)
1962: The Exciting Voice of Al Martino (U.S. No. 109) Capitol Records
1962: The Italian Voice of Al Martino (U.S. No. 57)
1963: When Your Love Has Gone (20th Century Fox)
1963: I Love You Because (U.S. No. 7)
1963: Painted, Tainted Rose (U.S. No. 9)
1963: Love Notes
1963: Sings Great Italian Love Songs
1964: A Merry Christmas (U.S. Christmas No. 8)
1964: I Love You More and More Every Day/Tears and Roses (U.S. No. 31)
1964: Living a Lie (U.S. No. 13)
1965: My Cherie (U.S. No. 19)
1965: Somebody Else is Taking My Place (U.S. No. 42)
1965: We Could (U.S. No. 41)
1966: Spanish Eyes (U.S. No. 8)
1966: Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep (U.S. No. 116)
1966: This is Love (U.S. No. 57)
Compilations
196?: Romantic World of Al Martino (Capitol)
1965: That Old Feeling (MovieTone)
1966: Don't Go to Strangers (Pickwick)
1968: Al Martino (Guest Star)
1968: The Best of Al Martino (U.S. No. 108)
1970: Here in My Heart/Yesterday
1971: I Wish You Love/Losing You
1971: Al Martino (3 LP Set)
1978: Time After Time (Springboard)
1990: Greatest Hits (Curb)
1992: Capitol Collectors Series
1996: 20 Great Love songs (Disky)
1998: Touch of Class (Disky)
1999: The Legendary Al Martino (Metro)
1999: The Al Martino Collection: I Love You Because (Razor & Tie)
1999: I Love You Because/My Cherie
2000: Hits of Al Martino
2004: Essential Al Martino (Fuel 2000)
2005: Ultimate Al Martino
2006: We Could/Think I'll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself to Sleep
2006: Very Best of Al Martino
Singles
A "Spanish Eyes" reached No. 5 in the UK on re-issue in 1973.
B "I Started Loving You Again" also peaked at No. 69 on Hot Country Songs.