Vito Andolini Corleone (December 7, 1891 -- July 29, 1955) is a fictional character in Mario Puzo 's novel The Godfather and in the first two of Francis Ford Coppola 's three Godfather films, in which, in later life, he is portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and then, as a young man, by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II. He is an orphaned Sicilian immigrant who builds an American Mafia empire. Upon his death, Michael, his youngest son, succeeds him as the don of the Corleone crime family.
who played young vito corleone in godfather 2
Robert De Niro