Mario Puzo (1920-1999) was an American Author and screenwriter best known for his Mafia crime novels. He joined the Air force during World War II and worked as a public relations officer. He published his first book, The Dark Arena in 1955 but it wasn't until his fifth novel, The Godfather, published in 1969 that he achieved his success. The book was later adapted into a movie by Francis Ford Coppola in 1972. Puzo wrote the screenplay for all three Godfather movies, winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Godfather. Puzo's last two novels Omerta and The Family were published posthumously.