 After his suggestions of Warren Beatty (qv), Alain Delon (qv)  and Burt Reynolds (I) (qv) were rejected by  Francis Ford Coppola (qv), Paramount production chief  Robert Evans (I) (qv) suggested Robert Redford (I) (qv). When  director Francis Ford Coppola (qv) demurred, preferring his first  choice of Al Pacino (qv), Evans explained that Redford could fit  the role as he could be perceived as "northern Italian". Evans  eventually lost the struggle over the actor he derided as "The  Midget".