>Before being cast as Michael, Al Pacino was committed to
>starring in Bang the Drum Slowly (1973). Coppola pulled some
>strings and managed to get Pacino released. Pacino was
>replaced on Bang the Drum Slowly by Robert De Niro, who had
>to give up the small role he'd had in The Godfather: that of
>Paulie ("won't see him no more") Gatto. This, in turn,
>cleared the way for De Niro to star as a young Vito in the
>sequel.

Robert Evans cleared him up. Coppola had nothing to do with it. Evans called his good buddy Sidney Korshak, and he took care of it. Also, it wasn't Bang the Drum Slowly, it was The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. Not sure where you got your info from, but it ain't right. Thought I'd clear this up.