Mario Gianluigi Puzo (October 15, 1920 - July 2, 1999) was an American author known for his novels about the Mafia, especially The Godfather (1969). His most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. The book was later developed into a trilogy of films (The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III) directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather: Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II.
Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York.