Joe Colombo and another guy are meeting in Little Italy about what the mob needs to move forward.

Bob Evans rolls into Paramount Studios and starts his day at the office, and his assistant Shiela gives him all the news of the day.

Al Ruddy is at work. His work was done the night before. He's making the others look bad.

Ruddy meets with a pal at The Chateau after woork. It's super groovy, and Robert Evans is there.

Mario Puzo had a book signing, but nobody went. It was Pilgrimage Story, which had about three paragraphs about the mafia, but the people were there got excited during them. Mario grew up in the midst of gangsters, and he worries if he writes what he knows, he'll get killed.

He runs into his bookies and can't pay, so he pays physically.

His wife, Erika, wonders how much they owe. He says she doesn't want to know and shares what Candida said about the mafia. She's not interested in him geing a hack.

It turns out that he owes five grand to two bookies, more to the bank and the brother.

She points him in the right direction, and it's golden.

Another night, another party. Al meets a woman named Francoise, and he tells her he programs computers for the Rand Corporation. She's impressed. That's defense work. He says it's secret, but not top.

Francoise owns the hotel. Sitting beside the guy who plays Gomez in Sergeant Bilko, Bernie Fein. Al talks about Bilko, My Favorite Martian, and McHale's Navy being the same show with the same characters with just enough differences to make it interesting.

Al impressed Francoise all the way to bed.

By now, Mario has the entire story figured out, mapping out the Don and his sons, and it's title -- The Godfather.

Bernie wants to write a pitch with Al. Al wants to write a comedy about war because there has never been one dropped during wartime.

Bernie turns it down, but Al's idea is Hogan's Heroes. In their pitch meeting for the other show, the two have a perfect pitch for Hogan's. It almost seems off the cuff.

Mario hopes that Paramount, who optioned his book early, casts Frank Sinatra. His agent just hopes the book is published.

Bob is chatting with Arthur Hiller about Love Story. Bob's must is that Ali McGraw plays the lead, and he's got her outside the office for a surprise entrance.

Two goons are chatting about Sinatra, who is talking up and down about The Godfather.

It's Joe Bonnano and Tommy Lucchese. They're waiting for Joe Colombo, who says he has an offer for a seat at the commission table. Lucchese says he's got to go.

Francoise and Al are at the theater. They watched Planet of the Apes, and Al is thrilled. He wants the excitement and spectacle of film, which he believes you cannot get on TV.

He needs to be in film.

Bob is encircled by three women at a restaurant when Barry Lapidus walks in angry because they had a meeting. Bob is drinking, and Barry orders him black coffee.

Al meets Bob on Paramount Studios, and Bob is surprised, but he knows that Al walked away from Hogan's Heroes. Bob wonders why Barry thinks he's got it. Al pushes, and Bob is having a good day. They'll talk about Al's future.

Bettye McCart is sent by Bernie to be Al's assistant, and she shows the gal he just hired the door. She's plucky, as Juno Tempo always is. Her first order of business is to show Al around the lot, sharing its secrets.

Al's contract is for a year, which throws Bettye. They'll have to find a script that has been overlooked.

The Godfather is a hit for Mario.

Al takes Little Fauss and Big Halsy to Bob, and Bob wants Redford. Since the film was made, he must get him.

Billy Magnussen as Robert Redford. Al promises to get him out of a legal skirmish, and Redford's in.

Bobby and Charles Bluhdorn are at Paramount, and Charlie is a lot more into Bob's deal than Bobby.

Jack Warner calls for Charlie while they're together. He wants The Godfather. He offers a million, but Charlie doesn't bite.Charles Bluhdorn

Barry thinks gangster movies are dead. Bob sells Charlie, and they decide to go for it.

Lucchese makes an accouncement that Joe Colombo is joining the commission.

Little Fausy bombs at the box office. Al knows it's the movie. Al's scared to lose this opportunity.

He didn't have to worry. He's got The Godfather, and now he's got to sell himself to Charlie.

While he's waiting, Al studies Charlie's office. First in the room is bad news Barry. By the time Barry arrives, he's got a pitch.

Al wants a fresh screenwriter, and he chooses Mario. Mario agrees.

Al takes Mario to Chasens, where he sees Frank Sinatra. Although warned not to play celebrity petting zoo, Mario walks right over to Sinatra. It doesn't go well since Sinatra says Johnny Fontaine was based on him. It's gets bad, and Sinatra acts like the mobster he hangs with.

Al thinks he's down and out because of the skirmish. Francoise doesn't agree. Al decides to stick it out.

Al finds Barry swimming with a casserole of pasta on his stomach. He's stymied and can't write.

Someone tosses out Francis Ford Coppola, but he'll want to direct, too. When Al arrives, Francis passes. He doesn't want to glorify Italian violence.

Al uses the same Ali McGraw trick on Bob with Francis by having him one booth over. Francis says that The Godfather is a metaphor for capitalism.

Sinatra sends Colombo a funeral wreath. Sinatra wants The Godfather shut down.

Mario, Al, Francis, and Bettye have dinner. Mario and Francis cook. On the way home, someone shoots out the window of Al's car with them inside. That's a heck of a message.