Mario Puzo was born in Hell's Kitchen on Manhattan's West Side and following military service in World War II, attended New York's New School for Social Research and Columbia University. His best-known novel, The Godfather, was preceded by two critically acclaimed novels published in the early sixties, The Fortunate Pilgrim and The Dark Arena; in 1978 he published Fools Die, in 1984 The Sicilian, and in 1992 The Fourth K. Mario Puzo also wrote ten screenplays, including Superman and Superman II. For both of his screen adaptations of The Godfather he won Academy Awards. He died in 1999 at his home in Long Island.