The Hollywood Godfather Podcast · GRI Entertainment

S18 E334 - A Night with Engelbert & The Power of Resilience

September 24, 2025·37 min·2 clips

Gianni Russo reveals Frank Sinatra trained him to sing by submerging him in his pool to develop diaphragm control — a method Sinatra himself learned from the Tommy Dorsey band.

1. The Hollywood Godfather Podcast features Gianni Russo and co-host Jeannie Raymond in a conversational episode about an Engelbert Humperdinck concert, resilience, and Russo's upcoming book and events. 2. Gianni Russo is a 82-year-old actor, author, and entrepreneur best known for playing Carlo Rizzi in 'The Godfather'; Jeannie Raymond is the show's co-host based in Utah. 3. The episode centers on a theme of resilience and staying active in later life, framed by Humperdinck's performance at 89 and Russo's own packed schedule through January. 4. Jeannie attended Engelbert Humperdinck's two-hour concert, noting he performed without lip-syncing at age 89, with the audience rushing the stage and Jeannie going backstage to tell Humperdinck that Russo sent his regards. 5. Humperdinck's manager Alan Margulies had sent Jeannie a package including CDs, vinyl, and a T-shirt; her 89-year-old mother wore the Engelbert shirt to dinner at her assisted living facility. 6. Jeannie's mother was then in a serious car accident the Monday after the concert, sustaining seven broken ribs; her first call from the ambulance was to announce she 'gets to go car shopping.' 7. The episode links these events to a theme about aging and resilience: Russo connects Humperdinck's longevity to Clint Eastwood's advice to Toby Keith — 'don't let the old man in' — and Humperdinck sang Keith's song that evening. 8. Russo notes that Eastwood and his wife Maggie were friends with one of his friends during the Rawhide era, and he used to look after Eastwood's Las Vegas house on weekends. 9. Russo announces his new book 'Celebrities and Gangsters,' co-written with Michael Benson and published by Kensington, is now being distributed by Random House and pre-selling on Amazon and Barnes and Noble at 25% off before its November 18 release date. 10. He explains that achieving sufficient pre-sales before a publication date can cause a book to debut on the New York Times bestseller list, which is why the publisher is encouraging early purchases. 11. Russo is personally narrating the audiobook, recording six hours daily in a five-by-five studio, saying he refused to have someone else read 'his life'; the recording engineer called him 'an amazing storyteller.' 12. He previously sold more than 100,000 units of his first book 'The Hollywood Godfather' and says he and the publisher don't yet know what will happen with the new one. 13. Russo reveals that Frank Sinatra was his singing teacher and trained him using underwater breath-holding exercises that Sinatra attributed to learning from the Dorsey Brothers — developing control of the lower and upper diaphragm to sustain notes. 14. Marlon Brando was Russo's acting teacher, and Russo credits having both as mentors as leaving him no excuse to fail at either craft. 15. Jeannie and Russo discuss entitlement versus resilience: Russo describes a grandchild who called expecting a car, and argues that earning things makes them more meaningful; Jeannie says she learned to be resilient because the alternative is 'sitting in a puddle.' 16. Russo's foundation 'Gianni Believes You Can' is attracting contributors, and he announces plans for a deal with a university to continue a charitable practice Frank Sinatra had maintained — giving the money in Sinatra's name to keep his memory alive. 17. Upcoming appearances include Fanboy Expo in Orlando September 26-28, with William Shatner, Sting, Lee Majors, and Lindsay Wagner also attending. 18. At Resorts World Catskills on Columbus Day weekend, Russo is hosting an 80-minute dinner show with a four-course Italian meal and book signing; each attending couple receives a bottle of his vodka and a copy of the new book. 19. Fans of old Hollywood, the Rat Pack era, or personal resilience stories will find the episode's anecdote-driven tone engaging. 20. Listeners expecting a focused single-guest interview or new information will find the episode primarily promotional and conversational.

As heard by us

A loose, warm conversation that turns Engelbert concert glow into a plain case for gratitude.

This episode starts with Engelbert's concert, then turns into a loose, thoughtful talk about memory, hardship, and gratitude. Jeannie Raymond and Gianni Russo move easily from concert excitement to a Nicholas Cage aside, then into childhood hardship, the polio ward, and the way…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a warm, old-Hollywood-flavored chat with personality and heart.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Hollywood Godfather Podcast