[3][4] He aspired to become a singer, emulating artists such as Al Jolson and Perry Como, and seeing the success of a family friend, Alfredo Cocozza, who had changed his name to Mario Lanza.

[1] After serving with the U.S. Navy in World War II, during which he took part in the Iwo Jima invasion, in which he was wounded, Cini began his singing career.

[5] Encouraged by Lanza, he adopted the stage name Al Martino, based on the name of his good friend Lorraine Losavio's husband Alfred Martin Cianfrani, and began singing in local nightclubs; coincidentally Martin of Tours is also the patron saint of Martino's ancestral hometown of Nereto in Italy.

[4] In 1948, he moved to New York City, and in 1951 his first release was issued by the Jubilee label, "Heaven Help Me (I'm in Love)", coupled with "Hurry Home to Me".

[6][7] The following year, he won first place on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts television program with a performance of Como's hit "If".

[1] However, his success also attracted the attention of the Mafia, which bought out Martino's management contract and ordered him to pay $75,000 as a safeguard for their investment.

His popularity allowed him to continue to perform and record successfully in the UK, headlining at the London Palladium and having six further British chart hits in the period up to 1955, including "Now" and "Wanted".

[1] In 1958, after the intervention of a family friend, Martino was allowed to return to the U.S. and resume his recording career, but he faced difficulties in re-establishing himself, especially with the arrival of rock and roll.

In 1959, Martino signed with 20th Century Fox Records;[12] his deal scored him two albums,[13] and four singles released, none of which was a major hit.

[17] Martino was stripped of the part, however, after Francis Ford Coppola came on board as director and awarded the role to singer Vic Damone.