Luca Brasi swims with the fishes, acts with the blackening makeup

Here are five interesting things I have learned from watching "The Godfather" with Francis Ford Coppola's audio commentary:
1) Coppola discovered Abe Vigoda through an open casting call. Vigoda had only made a handful of television appearances before landing the role of Salvatore "Sally" Tessio. He later lasting gained fame, of course, as Fish on television's "Barney Miller."
2) Some scenes of Michael (Al Pacino) and Kay (Diane Keaton) talking at the opening wedding (including: "That's my family, Kay, that's not me.") were shot at night because of the tight shooting schedule. The scenes were heavily lit, posing a burdensome challenge to cinematographer Gordon Willis.
3) Makeup artists applied a special powder to the face of Lenny Montana, so when spraying a fine mist his face would blacken during the scene where his character Luca Brasi was choked to death (pictured).
4) Future director/producer/icon George Lucas shot inserts of newspaper headlines for the scene where Michael learns of the attempt on his father's life.
Here's a parallel I love:
Lucas also helped his mentor Coppola shoot a montage scene of gangland warfare following Sollozzo's murder, then went on to make the "Star Wars" films.
Ishiro Honda helped his mentor Akira Kurosawa shoot the montage scenes in "Nora Inu (Stray Dog)," then went on to make the "Gojira (Godzilla)" films.
5) Coppola held a two-week rehearsal period prior to filming, so the cast could get to know one another. The period was characterized by Marlon Brando's practical jokes and Robert Duvall's Marlon Brando impressions.