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American actor
Tony Russel
Born Anthony Russo
(1925-11-23 ) November 23, 1925Died March 18, 2017(2017-03-18) (aged 91) Occupation(s)
Film ,
television
actor Years active 1952–1992 Spouse(s) Jodean Lawrence (1951–1974) (divorced) (1 child)
[1] Renee Russo (1985–2017) (his death)
[2]
Tony Russel (born Antonio Pietro Russo , and sometimes credited as Tony Russo or Tony Russell ; November 23, 1925 – March 18, 2017) was an American film, stage, and television
actor . He was noted for having worked extensively in the
Italian film industry in the mid-1960s, and for his work as a
voice actor where he was the founder and president of the English Language
Dubbers Association (ELDA) in Italy. He was one of several American actors who turned down the lead of
A Fistful of Dollars .
[3]
Biography
Born in
Kenosha, Wisconsin , from Italian immigrants, Russo served in the
United States Army Air Forces during
World War II . Russel then studied at
University of Wisconsin–Madison .
After making
Burt Topper 's
War is Hell (1963), he went to Italy first appearing in the title role of La leggenda di
Fra Diavolo . He then appeared in several
sword and sandal and
Eurospy films, including
Secret of the Sphinx (1964) and
Gladiators Seven (1964). Russel played
Zorro in
Behind the Mask of Zorro (1965); he had originally tested for the role of
Walt Disney 's
Zorro but lost out to
Guy Williams .
[4] Among Russel's
starring roles are parts in the
sci-fi epics
Wild, Wild Planet (1965) and its
sequel ,
War of the Planets filmed concurrently.
He left Italy for America in 1967, and later appeared in such films as
The Hard Ride (1971) and
Soul Hustler (1973).
He died on March 18, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, aged 91.
[5]
Selected filmography
Hiawatha (1952, dir. Kurt Neumann) (uncredited)
The Silver Chalice (1954, dir. Victor Saville) as Sicarii (uncredited)
Jump Into Hell (1955, dir. David Butler) as Radio Operator (uncredited)
Highway Patrol (1955) as Patrolman
Anything Goes (1958, dir. Robert Lewis) as French Sailor (uncredited)
King Creole (1958, dir. Michael Curtiz) as Chico (uncredited)
Don't Give Up the Ship (1959, dir. Norman Taurog) as Lieutenant, s.g. (uncredited)
Last Train from Gun Hill (1959, dir. John Sturges) as Pinto (uncredited)
War Is Hell (1961, dir.
Burt Topper ) as Sgt. Keefer
La leggenda di Fra Diavolo (1962, dir.
Leopoldo Savona ) as Fra Diavolo
Il terrore dei mantelli rossi (1963, dir.
Mario Costa ) as Paolo
Gli invincibili sette [
it ] (1963, dir.
Alberto De Martino ) as Leslio
The Thief of Damascus (1964, dir.
Mario Amendola ) as Jesen
L'ultima carica (1964, dir.
Leopoldo Savona ) as Rocco Vardarelli
Gladiators Seven (1964, dir.
Alberto De Martino ) as Keros
Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964, dir. Giacomo Gentilomo) as Tirteo (English version, voice)
Secret of the Sphinx (1964, dir.
Duccio Tessari ) as Thomas
Behind the Mask of Zorro (1965, dir.
Ricardo Blasco ) as Patriciao / Alfonso / Zorro
Three Weeks of Love (1965, dir.
William E. Brusseau ) as Bud
Wild, Wild Planet (1966, dir.
Antonio Margheriti ) as Cmdr. Mike Halstead
War of the Planets (1966, dir.
Antonio Margheriti ) as Cmdr. Mike Halstead
Target Goldseven (1966, dir.
Alberto Leonardi ) as Alan Milner
Honeymoon, Italian Style (1966, dir.
Mario Amendola ) as Barone Frescobaldi
The Hard Ride (1971, dir.
Burt Topper ) as Big Red
Un ufficiale non si arrende mai nemmeno di fronte all'evidenza, firmato Colonnello Buttiglione (1973, dir. Mino Guerrini)
Soul Hustler (1973, dir.
Burt Topper ) as Evin Calder
The Vegas Strip War (1984, TV Movie, dir.
George Englund ) as Morgan Steinman
References
External links
International National Artists Other