Paulie Gatto (The Godfather)

Paulie Gatto is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel, The Godfather. He is also a character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by John Martino.

Gatto is a mobster working for the Corleone family.

In The Godfather Peter Clemenza is ordered by Don Corleone, via consigliere Tom Hagen, to handle the beating of two teenage boys who assaulted the daughter of undertaker Amerigo Bonasera, Mrs. Corleone's god-daughter, and escaped punishment for it. Clemenza then assigns his "button man" Paulie Gatto to the job, who then recruits two former professional boxers turned Corleone Family loan enforcers to assist. A deleted scene from the film depicts Gatto giving the beating.

When the family finds out that Gatto helped Virgil Sollozzo and the Tattaglia Family set up Vito to be assassinated, Sonny orders Clemenza to kill him. Clemenza considers Gatto's actions to be a personal insult, having personally groomed him, and is pleased by the prospect of his assassination. According to the novel, Sonny Corleone initially suspects Clemenza of being a part of the conspiracy, but Clemenza is eventually cleared. He decides to use Lampone, then an associate, on the hit to give him a chance to "make his bones." In order to lull Gatto into a false sense of security, Clemenza and Lampone drive around in a car with him for at least two days (backing out of the drive, Clemenza asks Gatto to "mind the kids"—it is not specified whether or not these are Clemenza's children) looking for good sites where Corleone men can hide out on mattresses in the imminent war. After Lampone kills Gatto, Clemenza—who has left the car to relieve himself—utters (to Lampone) his most famous line in the film, "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."