Osvaldo "Ozzie" Altobello is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the film The Godfather Part III

The Godfather Part III

The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...

. He also appears in the novels The Godfather Returns

The Godfather Returns

The Godfather Returns is a novel written by author Mark Winegardner, published in 2004. It is the sequel to Mario Puzo's The Godfather, which was originally published in 1969, and The Sicilian...

and The Godfather's Revenge

The Godfather's Revenge

The Godfather's Revenge, a 2006 novel written by author Mark Winegardner, is the sequel to The Godfather, The Sicilian, and The Godfather Returns. The story takes place from 1963–1964, and picks up the story from where The Godfather Returns left off...

. In the film, he is portrayed by Eli Wallach

Eli Wallach

Eli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...

.

He is an aging gangster and longstanding ally of the Corleone crime family

Corleone family

The Corleone family is a fictional Sicilian Mafia family settled in New York City. The family was created by Mario Puzo and appears in his 1969 novel The Godfather, as well as the acclaimed film trilogy of the same name directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The family was founded by Vito Corleone , who...

. He was the consigliere

Consigliere

Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...

of Rico Tattaglia

Rico Tattaglia

Rico Tattaglia is a fictional character in the novel The Godfather Returns. He is the Don of the Tattaglia Crime Family from 1955 to 1961....

 from 1955 to 1961, and becomes the don of the Tattaglia crime family

Tattaglia Crime Family

The Tattaglia family are fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and its 1972 film adaptation. In the universe of the series, they are one of New York City's Five Families.-Tattaglia family:...

 in 1962. By the time of Godfather III, he has become a close friend and ally of Michael Corleone

Michael Corleone

Michael Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. He is also the main character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his...

. Altobello even donates one million dollars so he could be a part of the Vito Corleone

Vito Corleone

Vito Andolini Corleone is a fictional character and the main character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy, where he was portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II. Premiere Magazine listed Vito...

 Foundation. Aside from being an associate of Michael's, Altobello is also Connie Corleone

Connie Corleone

Constanzia "Connie" Corleone , is a fictional character from The Godfather by Mario Puzo. In the films, Connie is portrayed by Talia Shire, the sister of director Francis Ford Coppola....

's godfather.

Michael becomes suspicious of Altobello's motives after Joey Zasa

Joey Zasa

Joey Zasa is a fictional character appearing in The Godfather Part III. He was portrayed by Joe Mantegna. He is based on a mix of three real Mafia members: Joseph Colombo, Joe Gallo and John Gotti.-Character overview:...

, a Corleone Family rival, orchestrates an assassination attempt on Michael and other family heads assembled for a Commission

The Commission

The Commission may refer to:*The Commission , the governing body of the Mafia in the United States*Sicilian Mafia Commission, governing body of the Mafia in Italy*European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union...

 meeting. Altobello leaves the conference room before the attack. Michael escapes without injury, but many of the others in the room are killed. Michael then instructs his nephew Vincent Mancini-Corleone

Vincent Mancini-Corleone

Vincent Santino Corleone is a fictional character in the 1990 feature film The Godfather Part III, in which he is portrayed by Andy García, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance...

 to go to Altobello and pledge his allegiance to him, without promising to betray Michael.

While in Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

, Altobello enlists the services of an assassin, Mosca, who conspires to kill Michael at the Teatro Massimo

Teatro Massimo

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II....

 opera house when Anthony Corleone

Anthony Corleone

Anthony "Tony" Vito Corleone is a fictional character in The Godfather trilogy of films directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He is portrayed by Anthony Gounaris in the first film, James Gounaris in the second, and singer Franc D'Ambrosio in the third...

 is set to debut in Cavalleria Rusticana

Cavalleria rusticana

Cavalleria rusticana is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from a play written by Giovanni Verga based on his short story. Considered one of the classic verismo operas, it premiered on May 17, 1890 at the Teatro...

. Before the performance, Connie presents him with a box of cannoli

Cannoli

Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo , meaning "little tube", with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine...

as a birthday gift. The cannoli turns out to be poisoned, however, and Altobello dies in his seat as Connie watches through her opera glasses.