Benito Stefanelli
Benito Stefanelli | |
---|---|
![]() Stefanelli in Day of Anger (1967) | |
Born | 2 September 1928 |
Died | 18 December 1999 (age 71) |
Occupation(s) | Actor, Stuntman |
Benito Stefanelli (2 September 1928 – 18 December 1999) was an Italian film actor, stuntman and weapons master who made over 60 appearances in film between 1955 and 1991.
Biography and career
[edit]Stefanelli is best known in world cinema for his roles as henchmen in several of Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films A Fistful of Dollars (1964),[1] For a Few Dollars More (1965),[2] and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).[3] He played the town drunk in Wanted (1967) starring Giuliano Gemma and Serge Marquand.[4]
In his career, Stefanelli appeared in countless other western films and he worked simultaneously as a stunt coordinator (particularly during the 1960s and early 1970s) on the films that he performed in including those of Sergio Leone. A fluent English speaker, he also reportedly served as Clint Eastwood's interpreter together with Bill Thompkins on the set of A Fistful of Dollars.[5][6]
Selected filmography
[edit]- Ulysses (1954) – Elatos (uncredited)
- Il terrore della maschera rossa (1960)
- Messalina (1960)
- La strada dei giganti (1960)
- La sceriffa (1960)
- L'ultimo dei vichinghi (1961) – Lorig, amico di Guntar (uncredited)
- Capitani di ventura (1961)
- The Trojan Horse (1961)
- Romolo e Remo (1961) – Soldato con Amulio
- The Slave (1962) – Nordic blond slave
- The Avenger (1962) – Nisius, Euryalus' Friend
- A Queen for Caesar (1962) – Commerciante #2 (uncredited)
- Revenge of the Musketeers (1963)
- Zorro and the Three Musketeers (1963)
- Rocambole (1963) – Fritz
- L'ultima carica (1964)
- Grand Canyon Massacre (1964) – Gunman
- Castle of Blood (1964) – William
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – Rubio
- Per un dollaro a Tucson si muore (1964) – Charlie
- Revenge of The Gladiators (1964) – Ardenzio, gladiatore
- Blood for a Silver Dollar (1965) – James
- For a Few Dollars More (1965) – Luke 'Hughie' (Indio's Gang)
- Secret Agent Super Dragon (1966) - Kirk
- The Upper Hand (1966)
- 100.000 dollari per Lassiter (1966) – Donovan, Foreman
- Ypotron – Final Countdown (1966) – Il sicario Dwan
- For a Few Extra Dollars (1966) – Juko
- The Big Gundown (1966) – Jess, Widow's Ranchero
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) – Member of Angel Eyes' Gang #1
- The Hellbenders (1967) – Slim the Gambler
- Wanted (1967) – Billy Baker
- Gentleman Jo... uccidi (1967) – Larry
- Kill the Wicked! (1967)
- Day of Anger (1967) – Owen White, Killer
- Gunman Sent by God (1968)
- A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (1968) – Rick (uncredited)
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) – Frank's Lieutenant (uncredited)
- Cemetery Without Crosses (1969) – Ben Caine (uncredited)
- The Price of Power (1969) – Sheriff Jefferson
- La notte dei serpenti (1969) – Pancho
- Er Più – storia d'amore e di coltello (1971) – Alfredo Di Lorenzo
- W Django! (1971) – Ibanez
- Trinity Is Still My Name (1971) – Stingary Smith
- Duck, You Sucker! (1971) – Soldier torturing Dr. Villega (deleted scene)
- So Sweet, So Dead (1972) – Lilly's Husband
- A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972) – Samuel Pickett un ex condannato
- Le Amazzoni – Donne d'amore e di guerra (1973) – Erno
- My Name Is Nobody (1973) – Porteley
- War Goddess (1973) – Commander
- Charleston (1974) – Niccolo Cappocello (uncredited)
- White Fang to the Rescue (1974) – Jackson
- Violent Rome (1975) – Grocery Store Robber (uncredited)
- A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975) – Mortimer
- The Cop in Blue Jeans (1976) – Shelley's Henchman
- Crimebusters (1976) – Rapist (uncredited)
- Hit Squad (1976) – Gorniani, Attorney-at-Law
- El Macho (1977) – Sheriff
- The Payoff (1978) – Improta
- The Pumaman (1980) – Rankin, Kobras' Lieutenant
- La guerra del ferro – Ironmaster (1983) – Iskay
- White Fire (1985) – Barbossa (uncredited)
- Ladyhawke (1985) – Bishop's Guard (uncredited)
- Warbus (1986) – Debrard (uncredited)
- The Barbarians (1987) – Greyshaft (uncredited)
- Cobra Verde (1987) – Captain Pedro Vicente
- Un maledetto soldato (1988) – Andrew Teitelman (uncredited)
- Phantom of Death (1988) – Man in Restroom (uncredited)
- Transformations (1988) – Vapes
- The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) – Executioner (final film role)
References
[edit]- ^ Lupi, Gordiano (22 August 2018). "Per un pugno di dollari (Film, 1964)". Futuro Europa (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ "Stasera in tv su Rai 3 alle 20,30 Per qualche dollaro in più di Sergio Leone, con Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef e Gian Maria Volonté". Taxidrivers.it (in Italian). 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ Ferraro, Pietro (18 August 2018). "Stasera in tv: "Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo" su Rai 3". Cineblog (in Italian). Triboo Media S.r.l. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ Forsley, Christopher (28 May 2015). "'Wanted' Is a Spaghetti Western That Will Leave You Wanting". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ Armour, Philip (1 June 2011). 100 Greatest Western Movies of All Time: Including Five You've Never Heard Of. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 66. ISBN 9780762769377.
- ^ Cox, Alex (7 August 2008). "Lucky man". New Statesman. Retrieved 10 March 2019.