was the line danny aiello said in godfather two improvised? the line they're talking about, michael corleone says, now, frank pentangeli was sitting at a bar. i walked behind him. i put a garrot around his neck. i say, michael corleone, drag him into a phone book and fail to kill him. we were rehearsing. francis was there. >> charlie: the director. yes. i was so intimidated by the man knowing the things he had done and here i am a neo-fite actor. there was no fine there. when i was coming from behind with the garrot to choke him, there was no line whatsoever. he said, let's rehearse, action. i come behind him. and i said, michael corleone says hello. i had no idea why i said it. he said, what did you say? i thought i was in trouble. i said, well, i think i said, "michael corleone says hello." he said, good. keep it in. it was an improvised line. and there's a history behind it. people are asking questions about it. i didn't think it was that interesting. >> charlie: after reading a spike lee script, you said all i'm seeing in the character, yo

. ♪ >> danny aiello is here. he is an academy award-nominated actor.areer includes more than 35 years. he is here with his first memoir. it is called "i only know what i am when i am somebody else." i'm pleased to have him back at this table. welcome. you have been here many times. why a memoir now? >> it took me a long time to do it. about three years now, they've been asking me to do a book. i felt i had to be telling total truth. if i told total truth about parts of my life, i might be hurting people. that is not my intent. i met this young lady, jennifer, who turned out to be my literary agent. she was smart enough to talk me into doing it. i felt there were memories i had to bring back and pass on to my grandchildren. >> they tell me that once you start down that road and remember one thing that you hadn't thought about in a long time, you remember the next and the next. >> the book starts at the age of six. why i chose six, i don't know. one thing popped into my head at the age of six, eczema. i was hospitalized as a result of it twice. it really

was the line that danny aiello said in "the godfather" an improvised line?ine they are talking about, -- frank who says was played by michael gazza was sitting at a bar. i walk behind him. i say, michael says hello, and i drag him into a phone booth. in any event, we are rehearsing the scene. italian restaurant, mulberry street, francis is there. i was somewhat intimidated. >> francis ford coppola? >> yes, i'm sorry. i was so intimidated by the man. the line, there was no line. i was coming behind him to choke him. there was no line whatsoever. he said, let's rehearse. i come behind him, and i suddenly say, michael says hello. i have no idea why i said it. he said, cut. what did you say? i thought i was in trouble with the director. said, michaeli says hello. he said, good, keep it in. it was an improvised line. there is a history behind it. i didn't think it was that interesting. >> after reading a spike lee script, you said, all i'm seeing in the part you want me to play is a guy that tosses pizza in the air. >> that is exactly what i said to him. he laugh

>> that was a very brief glimpse of danny aiello's incredible 40 year film career, thes on near nominated his memoir "i only know who i am when i'm someone else." >> danny, i love the title. talk about it. i only know who i am when i'm playing somebody else. >> that's true. playing a character you know exactly what you're going to say at any given moment. you know who the character is, where he comes from because it's built up in your mind but life itself changes in so many different ways. >> amazing the life you had before. >> as a kid i was a very cyclic kid and i think that sort of molded me throughout. i had eczema throughout the child. i sat at the beginning of the class in front where the teacher would be and i was ripping myself apart and other kids were looking at me. i would say things like let me sit in the back and start crying. i did that for a long period of time. the only freedom i had in life when i was able to go outside and play sports. i forgot about eczema. >> you were doing great at sports that in your first film with die neniro you can't throw ball. i would say to him