 Carmine Caridi (qv) was Francis Ford Coppola (qv)s first choice  for the role of Sonny. Robert Evans (I) (qv) insisted he cast  James Caan (qv) instead because Al Pacino (qv) (who was  relatively unknown) had been cast as Michael. Evans wanted at least  one "name" actor to play one of the brothers. Caridi was later given  a small part in _Godfather: Part II, The (1974)_ (qv).