Openings credits include title cards which read: “This film is based on a true story,” “New York, 1970,” and, “East New York, Brooklyn. 1955.” The film concludes with the following epilogue: “Henry Hill is still in the Witness Protection Program. In 1987 he was arrested in Seattle, Washington for narcotics conspiracy and he received 5 years probation. Since 1987 he has been clean. In 1989, Henry and Karen Hill separated after 25 years of marriage. Paul Cicero died in 1988 in Fort Worth Federal Prison of respiratory illness. He was 73. Jimmy Conway is currently serving a 20-years-to life sentence for murder in a New York State prison. He will not be eligible for parole until 2004 when he will be 78 years old.”
       End credits contain a “Special Thanks” to the Mayor’s Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, and the New York City Police Department’s Film Unit. Filmmaker Vincent Gallo, who played one of “Henry’s 70s crew,” was credited as “Vinnie Gallo.”
       The film was originally titled Wiseguy after the book by Nicholas Pileggi, upon which it is based. The title was changed to Wise Guys, and ultimately Goodfellas, to avoid confusion with the CBS-TV’s police drama Wiseguy (CBS, 16 Sep 1987--8 Dec 1990), as stated in an 11 May 1989 LAHExam brief.
       After its 1985 release, an excerpt from Pileggi’s book was printed in New York magazine, according to a 2 Feb 1986 LAT brief, helping to boost its popularity. Production notes in AMPAS library files stated that writer-director Martin Scorsese read the book while in Chicago, IL, making The Color of Money (1986, see entry), and telephoned Pileggi to express interest in adapting it. Meanwhile, producer Irwin Winkler, with whom Scorsese had collaborated on the 1977 film New York, New York and 1980’s Raging Bull (see entries), also wanted to make the film and, upon learning of Scorsese’s interest, suggested they re-team. Before selling the rights to Winkler, Pileggi’s literary agent, Sterling Lord, reportedly turned down an offer of $500,000 for film rights, and had received two “better-than-respectable” offers.
       In a 16 Sep 1990 NYT article, Scorsese claimed he and Pileggi finished a script by the end of 1986. The project marked Pileggi’s screenwriting debut, as stated in the 21 Jan 1987 Var. Although Italian production company Cecchi Gori Pictures was named as a co-producer in the 22 Apr 1989 Screen International, the company did not receive onscreen credit.
       Ray Liotta, whose half-Italian and half Scottish-Irish heritage closely resembled Henry Hill’s, vied for the leading role, according to numerous contemporary sources including an interview with the actor in the 16 Sep 1990 LAT. Robert De Niro, who considered himself too old for the part of “Henry Hill,” had reminded Scorsese of Liotta’s performance in Something Wild (1986, see entry) when the filmmaker began his search for a leading man. Val Kilmer, Nicolas Cage, and Alec Baldwin also pursued the role, while Tom Cruise reportedly received “first right of refusal.” Liotta first met with Scorsese about a year before he was officially cast. A month after their initial meeting, Liotta ran into Scorsese in Venice, Italy, where Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ and Liotta’s Dominick and Eugene (1988, see entries) were playing at the Venice Film Festival. Liotta approached Scorsese, whose bodyguards held off the actor until Scorsese recognized him. Another chance encounter occurred when Liotta saw producer Irwin Winkler at the 72 Market Street restaurant in Santa Monica, CA. Winkler, who was not convinced Liotta was right for the role, changed his mind after speaking with the actor.
       In the Oct 2010 issue of GQ magazine, executive producer Barbara De Fina recalled that Madonna was considered for the role of “Karen Hill.” Also considered was Melanie Griffith, who, according to a 4 Apr 1989 LAHExam item, stood to receive a $3 million offer for the part if she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in Working Girl (1988, see entry); however, she did not, and the role ultimately went to Lorraine Bracco. John Malkovich was discussed for the part of “James Conway,” before Robert De Niro, Scorsese’s confidant and longtime collaborator, recommended himself for the supporting role despite his status as a leading man. Real-life gangsters were cast as Mafia members and extras, and corrupt New York City police detective Louis Eppolito, who was later found guilty of Mafia-related crimes, including murder, played “Fat Andy.”
       Prop master Robert J. Griffon, Jr. recalled in GQ that Robert De Niro was the only actor to use real money on set. De Niro also hand-selected the watches worn by his character at a vintage watch dealer’s shop on Madison Avenue. The actor remained distant with Ray Liotta, despite Liotta’s attempts at forging a friendship, presumably for the sake of their performances, as Liotta noted in his 16 Sep 1990 LAT interview.
       Johnny “Cha Cha” Ciarcia, who played “Batts’ crew #1,” stated in GQ that he recruited his neighbors as extras for the Copacabana scene, at a rate of ten dollars per day. In exchange, Ciarcia requested a casting credit and $4,000 salary. Extras casting director Sylvia Fay eventually agreed to the rate but refused him the credit.
       Robbie Vinton, son of singer Bobby Vinton, made his feature film acting debut portraying his father in a scene at the Copacabana, as noted in an 11 May 1989 DV brief. The film also marked the acting debut of Frank DiLeo, a former music manager who had recently been fired by Michael Jackson, as stated in a 3 Jul 1989 People item.
       The 11 May 1989 LAHExam reported that filming was underway in New York City. Locations included Astoria, Queens, where young Henry’s Brooklyn neighborhood and the Airline Diner were shot. Cargo buildings at the John F. Kennedy Airport stood in as the site of the Air France and Lufthansa heists, and in Manhattan, the Hawaii Kai restaurant on Broadway doubled as Sonny Bunz’s “Bamboo Lounge.” For the three-minute tracking shot which introduces the Copacabana nightclub on 60th Street, the site was slightly altered, with a makeshift wall that was added and removed within the same shot, allowing for a more convoluted pathway through the back of the nightclub. New Jersey locations included the Palisades Parkway and Fort Lee. Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, Prospect Park, the city of New Rochelle, and the Catalina Beach Club at Atlantic Beach were also filmed. The completion of principal photography was announced in the 10 Aug 1989 HR.
       As noted in GQ, Ray Liotta’s mother died during the shoot. During post-production, editor Thelma Schoonmaker’s husband, British director Michael Powell, also died. Scorsese, a tremendous fan of Powell’s who had helped restore many of his films, shut down editing for two months until Schoonmaker could return.
       Excessive violence, including the scene showing “Tommy DeVito’s” execution, initially earned the film an “X” rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Actor Frank DiLeo, who played “Tuddy Cicero,” recalled in GQ that DeVito’s forehead was blown off during the scene, which had to be edited down. Bob Daly, then chairman of Warner Bros., advocated for the film with the ratings board, and the rating was eventually reduced to an “R.” Viewers reacted to the violence at a test screening in Orange County, CA, at which seventy people walked out. Based on early reactions, Warner Bros. changed its initial strategy of opening the film in 2,000 theaters, reducing the release to about 1,000 theaters.
       Pirated videocassettes of Goodfellas were sold in New York City in advance of the release, as stated in a 21 Sep 1990 LAT “Morning Report” column. Warner Bros. brought a civil lawsuit against video store owner Pedro Camacho for distributing the pirated tape, according to a 20 Sep 1990 HR.
       Despite the controversy over its violent content, Goodfellas was extremely well received by critics. The 7 Sep 1990 HR review called it a “masterly achievement in intense observation,” while the 19 Sep 1990 LAT described Scorsese as “an artist working at the peak of his power” and likened the virtuosity of Goodfellas to "Raging Bull squared.” Ray Liotta, who had studied hours of tape-recorded conversations between Nicholas Pileggi and Henry Hill in preparation for his role, received a congratulatory call from Hill, as stated in the 16 Sep 1990 LAT, who said his performance was spot-on and arranged to meet the actor in secret. According to a 1 Oct 1990 HR item, Hill appeared in disguise on the syndicated newsmagazine program Inside Edition (1989--present), and stated that Goodfellas was “99% accurate.” Hill, who continued to commit crimes while in the Witness Protection Program, was arrested in 1987, and again in 2005, on narcotics-related charges, as stated in the 20 Mar 2005 LAT. An article in the 24 Oct 2010 The Sunday Times (London) reported that Hill was still capitalizing on the film, making paid appearances, and painting and selling Goodfellas inspired artwork from his home in California.
       A 1 Oct 1990 People magazine item listed the budget as $25 million. According to the 31 Dec 1990 Var, the picture had grossed $40 million to that time. At its peak in Sep 1990, it showed in 1,328 theaters. Despite competition from the Christmas-day opening of Francis Ford Coppola’s Mafia picture, Godfather III (1990, see entry), Goodfellas was still showing in sixty-two theaters in early Jan 1991. After numerous “Best Picture” accolades from critics, including Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, the release was set to expand to an additional 300 theaters in mid-Jan 1991, as noted in a 5 Mar 1991 LAT item. The film ultimately took in $46.8 million in box-office receipts, according to a 31 Dec 1991 Orange County Register article, which listed it as Scorsese’s “third highest box-office performer” after Cape Fear (1991, see entry) and The Color of Money.
       Goodfellas was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2000. Joe Pesci won an Academy Award for Supporting Actor, and the film received the following Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium), Film Editing, Direction, and Actress in a Leading Role (Lorraine Bracco). It won BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Screenplay - Adapted, and Best Costume Design, and received a host of awards from various critics’ associations, as well as a Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. Golden Globe Award nominations included Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Lorraine Bracco), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Joe Pesci), Best Director – Motion Picture, and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture.
       Although the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) initially acquired broadcast rights, the network never aired Goodfellas, most likely due to its violent content, as noted in a 24 Aug 1998 HR. On 13 Sep 1998, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) aired the film for the first time on television, opposite the Emmy Awards on National Broadcasting Company (NBC). CBS expected to draw an audience of young male viewers “less likely to watch trophy shows.” Scorsese prepared an edit for the broadcast and filmed an introduction, which explained to viewers why so much of the violence was maintained in the television edit.
       A 20 Feb 1991 HR article reported that Nicholas Pileggi’s book inspired a lawsuit, brought by Pileggi’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, against the state of New York. In the suit, Simon and Schuster alleged that a New York state statute, commonly referred to as the “Son of Sam Law,” denied citizens’ freedom of speech. The statute in question, which was created after serial killer David Berkowitz (aka the “Son of Sam” killer) received offers of large sums of money for the rights to his life story, allowed for the confiscation of royalties paid to “alleged and convicted criminals.” Simon & Schuster had already paid Henry Hill $96,250 as part of his deal with Nicholas Pileggi on Wiseguy, and was holding another $27,958 due him. Although the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the statute, Simon & Schuster appealed and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. In 1991, the Supreme Court struck down the Son of Sam Law, deeming it inconsistent with the First Amendment.
       Goodfellas is credited as a major influence on the gangster genre. Famously, David Chase, the creator of the long-running Home Box Office (HBO) television series The Sopranos (Jan 1999--Jun 2007), called the film his “Koran,” as noted in the 24 Oct 2010 Sunday Times. Actor Michael Imperioli, who played “Spider,” claimed in the Oct 2010 GQ article that The Sopranos would never have existed without Goodfellas. Imperioli and other Goodfellas actors including Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, Frank Pellegrino, and Tony Lip, went on to star in the series.
       An 11 Jan 2012 Chicago Tribune brief announced that AMC (American Movie Classics) was developing a television program based on Goodfellas, with Nicholas Pileggi set to write the pilot episode. No further information on the project could be found as of the writing of this note (Mar 2014).
       Goodfellas was ranked #92 on AFI's 2007 100 Years…100 Movies--10th Anniversary Edition list of the greatest American films, up from the 94th position it held on AFI's 1997 list. In 2008, AFI listed Goodfellas as #2 in the “10 Top 10” gangster films.