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- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Paul Henreid was born Paul Georg Julius Freiherr von Hernreid Ritter von Wasel-Waldingau in Trieste, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the son of Marie Luise Heilig (Lendecke) and Baron Karl Alphons Hernreid. His father was an aristocratic banker, who was born to a Jewish family whose surname was changed from Hirsch to Hernreid.
Paul grew up in Vienna and studied at the prestigious Maria Theresa Academy (graduating in 1927) and the Institute of Graphic Arts. For four years, he worked as translator and book designer for a publishing outfit run by Otto Preminger, while training to be an actor at night. Preminger was also a protégé (and managing director) of Max Reinhardt. After attending one of Henreid's acting school performances, Preminger introduced him to the famous stage director and this led to a contract. In 1933, Paul made his debut at the Reinhardt Theatre in "Faust". He subsequently had several leading roles on the stage and appeared in a couple of Austrian films. Paul, like his character Victor Laszlo in Casablanca (1942), was avidly anti-fascist. He accordingly left continental Europe and went to London in 1935, first appearing on stage as Prince Albert in "Victoria the Great" two years later.
Henreid made his English-speaking motion picture debut in the popular drama Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), as the sympathetic German master Max Staefel, who proves to be Chipping's truest friend and ally. After that, however, he became incongruously typecast as Nazi henchmen in Mad Men of Europe (1940) and Night Train to Munich (1940). That year, he moved to the United States (becoming a citizen the following year) and quickly established himself on Broadway with "Flight to the West", as a Ribbentrop-type Nazi consul. His powerful performance led to radio work in the serial "Joyce Jordan-Girl Interne" and a film contract with RKO in 1941.
This marked a turning point in Paul Henreid's career. He finally escaped the stereotypical Teutonic image and began to play heroic or romantic leads, his first being Joan of Paris (1942), opposite Michèle Morgan, as French RAF pilot Paul Lavallier. Significantly, his next film, Now, Voyager (1942), defined his new screen persona: debonnaire, cultured and genteel, lighting two cigarettes simultaneously, then passing one to Bette Davis. According to Henreid, this legendary (and later often lampooned) scene was almost cut from the film because the director, Irving Rapper, had concerns about it. Next came "Casablanca", where Henreid played the idealistic, sensitive patriot Victor Laszlo; the poorly received Bronte sisters biopic Devotion (1946), as an Irish priest; and a stalwart performance as a Polish count and Ida Lupino's love interest, In Our Time (1944).
After several dull romantic leads, Henreid reinvented himself yet again. He played a memorably athletic and lively Dutch pirate, the 'Barracuda', in RKO's colourful swashbuckler The Spanish Main (1945). Another of his best later performances was as a sadistic South African commandant in the underrated film noir Rope of Sand (1949), which re-united him with his former "Casablanca" co-stars Peter Lorre and Claude Rains. After the Arabian Technicolor adventure, Thief of Damascus (1952), Henreid's star began to fade. His last noteworthy appearance during the fifties was as an itinerant magician in the oriental extravaganza Siren of Bagdad (1953) . The most memorable of several in-jokes, had Henreid lighting two hookahs (water pipes) for one of his harem girls, spoofing his famous scene from "Now, Voyager".
Outspoken in his opposition to McCarthyism and adhering to his rights under the First Amendment, he was subsequently blacklisted as a "communist sympathizer" by the House Committee on Un- American Activities. In spite of the damage this did to his career, he re-emerged as a director of second features and television episodes for Screen Gems, Desilu and other companies. In 1957, Alfred Hitchcock (in defiance of the blacklist) hired him to direct several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). Towards the end of his career, Paul Henreid directed his former "Now, Voyager" co-star Bette Davis in the camp melodrama Dead Ringer (1963) and toured with Agnes Moorehead on stage in a short-lived revival of "Don Juan in Hell"(1972- 73). Henreid died of pneumonia in a Santa Monica hospital in April 1992, after having suffered a stroke. He has the distinction of having not just one but two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for his films, and one for his television work.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
Dante Spinotti was born in Tolmezzo, Udine, in the northeastern Italian Region of Friuli. He began his career at RAI (Italian TV), before that he spent lot of time in Kenia as cinematographer for his uncle. In 1985, producer Dino De Laurentiis offered him a chance to work in USA for the first time with Michael Mann for the feature Manhunter (1986). From that experience, Spinotti became one of the most appreciated cinematographer in Hollywood. His particular vision gives a movie a great sense of reality. Among his works are: The Last of the Mohicans (1992) (Academy Nomination), Heat (1995), L.A. Confidential (1997) (Academy Nomination), The Insider (1999) (Academy Nomination), and Wonder Boys (2000). He married his wife Marcella, and they live in Los Angeles, Rome, and Tolmezzo.- Dalila Di Lazzaro was born on 29 January 1953 in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is an actress, known for Phenomena (1985), Jealous Eyes (1989) and Killer contro killers (1985).
- Carla Gravina was born on 5 August 1941 in Gemona del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is an actress, known for Il lungo silenzio (1993), Esterina (1959) and La terrazza (1980).
- Composer
- Music Department
Oscar De Mejo was born on 22 August 1911 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was a composer, known for L'ippocampo (1945), Rent Control (1981) and Tutta la città canta (1945). He was married to Alida Valli and Dorothy. He died on 28 January 1992 in Manhattan, New York, USA.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Damiano Damiani was born on 23 July 1922 in Pasiano di Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for Mafia (1968), The Reunion (1963) and Confessions of a Police Captain (1971). He died on 7 March 2013 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Versatile production executive with a proven background in production finance, international media deals and business affairs. Experienced with global matrixed organizations, entrepreneurial startups and charities, Max is a Media Producer for the World Bank in Washington D.C. and consultant of other private companies in Europe, CEO and founder of MaXaM Productions. He was the Chief Producer for the World Bank of the historic projection mapping event "Fiat Lux" held in Vatican City on December 8th during the official opening of the Jubilee of Mercy. The event, which consisted of projecting images and videos from the best photographers and videographers in the world on St. Peter's Basilica's facade and dome, was co-produced by Paul Allen's Vulcan Productions, Obscura Digital, Li Ka Shing Foundation and Okeanos Foundation and broadcast worldwide live by 5 satellites. "Fiat Lux" was covered by the media in all industrialized countries, translated in 20 languages and had an outreach of 4.4 billion people in 47 countries.
In 2015 Max produced and directed "The Secret of Joy" a $500K project made of a short film, a book and a song to raise awareness and funds for the cause of pediatric cancer. In 2009 Mr. Bartoli co-wrote, produced and directed the sci-fI feature "Atlantis Down", starring Michael Rooker and X-Files star Dean Haglund. The film was premiered at the Chinese Mann Theater in Hollywood and at Apollo Cinema in Piccadilly Circus (London) and has been picked up for worldwide distribution by Hollywood-based Entertainment 7.
Mr. Bartoli also directed, produced and edited the 8-episode TV series entitled "Atlantis Rising: The Making of Atlantis Down" which has was aired by Cox 11 in Virginia from February until December 2010.
In 2008, Max was also a recipient of the prestigious Cisterna d'Argento, an award of the Italian Government to honor outstanding achievement in the arts, peace, economics, and science. Previous honorees include: Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, and the former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Ignotus was viewed in a special screening in Rome by Pope Benedictus XVI, the former Italian Prime Ministers Romano Prodi and Silvio Berlusconi, among others, and from each Mr. Bartoli received personal praise for the film.
In 2006 Mr. Bartoli produced and directed the short film, "Ignotus", which won 25 awards at International Film Festivals in 18 months. Among them are: Best International Short Film at the New York International Film Festival, Best Foreign Language Short at the San Fernando Valley International Film Fest in Hollywood, and two Silver Pelican Awards at the Taormina Film Festival.
In 2004 for MaXaM Productions, Max wrote, produced and directed two documentaries: "Postcards From The Past" and "Time Travelers". From 2002 to 2004, he was a director/producer for the advertising company, Rotella and Partners for which he directed several videos and two documentaries one entitled "Coliseum", that won Italy's 'Media Star Award', the other: "Tunisia the Jewel of the Mediterranean Sea".
Since 1998, Max has worked as a director and producer for various advertising agencies in Italy and England, directing and producing corporate and institutional videos, as well as TV commercials. In 1997 he co-wrote with Francesco Licata "Metropolis" a TV program which was broadcast nationwide in Italy by Italia 1, a Mediaset station, as part of the Benefit TV gala Trenta Ore Per la Vita.
Born in Italy, and having earned a degree in Media Law, Max Bartoli has spent many years working in England and the US, where he lives. He is also the author of two books published in 1989 and 1991, which won him the title of 'Youngest European Fiction Writer' in 1989.
From 1998 until 2005 Max has worked as a director and producer for various advertising agencies in Italy and England, directing and producing sports videos, corporate and institutional videos, as well as TV commercials.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Anna Bonaiuto was born on 28 January 1950 in Latisana, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is an actress and writer, known for L'amore molesto (1995), The Postman (1994) and Il Divo (2008).- George Dolenz was born in Italy in 1908 to a large family. He left Italy in the 1920s to start a new life and it seemed that he didn't want to look back on his old one. He arrived in Los Angeles in the 1940s and it was there that he somehow met up with Howard Hughes. Hughes signed him up as a leading man at RKO Pictures--which he owned--but, under Hughes' contract, George only starred in one film, Vendetta (1950), with Faith Domergue. He became a master of several dialects, and could play urbane Continental roles such as "Baron Sergei" in In Society (1944), with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Latin-American types such as the mysterious "Cortega" in Scared Stiff (1953), with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and even Roman-era royalty such as "Emperor Theodosius" in Sign of the Pagan (1954). When his contract with Hughes ran out, George appeared in many films for other studios throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and starred in the TV series The Count of Monte Cristo (1956). George was the father of actor Micky Dolenz of The Monkees (1965), husband of actress Janelle Johnson Dolenz and the grandfather of actress Ami Dolenz.
- Loredana Nusciak was born on 3 May 1942 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for Django (1966), No Way Out (1973) and Gladiators 7 (1962). She was married to Gianni Medici. She died on 12 July 2006 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.
- Ivan Rassimov and his younger sister, Rada, decided to pursue a career in acting. Ivan studied acting at the University at Trieste. After attending military service in Italy, he then settled in Rome to pursue his acting career. A series of small roles began his career, one of them being from the legendary director Mario Bava with Planet of Vampires.
With his strong, piercing eyes and striking look, Rassimov was often cast as villains, from Nazi soldiers, to tough guys, to murder suspects. Rassimov also occasionally played good guys and saw it as a novelty item from his bad guy roles. From playing a police detective, an archaeologist, and even a psychiatrist in Mario Bava's last theatrical movie, Shock (1977). He was most often seen as a male stalwart of the Italian cannibal films in acting alongside Me Me Lai in three of them, most notably being _Jungle Holocaust (1977)_.
By 1987, Rassimov more or less retired from acting and lived in a villa north of Rome with his wife and teenage daughter. He worked as the director of a publishing house for comic books and novels until his death in 2003. - He turned to boxing in his early youth and initially had an amateur career. Carnera had his first professional fight in September 1928: He defeated Leon Sebilo by knockout. in the second round. Carnera also won the following five fights, only to lose to Franz Diener in Leipzig due to a disqualification. Further victories followed, including against Young Stribling. In the 1930s, Carnera took part in several fights in the USA. He won his first 17 encounters with American boxing by knockout victory. In February 1933, Carnera took on Ernie Schaaf in New York, whom he knocked out in the 13th round. defeated. His opponent died two days later as a result of his battle injuries.
In June 1933, Carnera won against Jack Sharkey in New York, becoming the world heavyweight boxing champion. The new world champion was able to successfully defend his title twice, against Paulino Uzcudun and Tommy Loughran, and was exploited as an Italian national hero by Benito Mussolini's fascist regime. Carnera then lost the world title in June 1934 to Max Baer, who knocked him out in the 11th round. defeated. A year later he also suffered a defeat against the future boxing world champion Joe Louis. Because of a kidney removal in 1938, the diabetic was forced to stay away from boxing for several years.
During this time he was able to celebrate some success as a boxing actor in Hollywood. Carnera attempted a comeback in professional boxing in 1945, which initially started well with two victories. However, after three consecutive defeats against Luigi Mussina, he finally retired from active boxing. The former boxer then began a second sports career as a wrestler in 1946, which he continued successfully into the 1960s. In 1947, Budd Schulberg wrote the novel "The Harder They Fall", about a boxer whose fights were arranged, and which was made into a Hollywood film in 1956.
Since Carnera had always been said to have contacts with the underworld, he was immediately identified with the leading role in "The Harder They Fall". The former boxer sued the film company that made the novel, but without success. Carnera married Giuseppina Kovacic in 1953, with whom he obtained American citizenship, settled in Los Angeles and had two children. - Actor
- Stunts
Romano Puppo was born on 25 March 1933 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was an actor, known for Robowar (1988), Escape from the Bronx (1983) and Tough Guys (1974). He died on 11 May 1994 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Giuseppe Battiston was born on 22 July 1968 in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is an actor and writer, known for Perfect Strangers (2016), Pinocchio (2022) and Bread and Tulips (2000).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Omero Antonutti (born 3 August 1935) is an Italian actor and dubber, appearing regularly in films and theatre performances. He was born at Basiliano, Friuli. Antonutti's most notable performance to date was in the Taviani brothers' acclaimed film "Padre Padrone". He is also regularly employed in the dubbing of foreign films into Italian, and has provided Italian-language dubs for many of Christopher Lee's parts. In Spain, he has worked with Víctor Erice in "El Sur", and Carlos Saura in "El Dorado". He also played Noah in "Genesis: The Creation and the Flood". He has served as voice actor for Christopher Lee in films such as "Tale of the Mummy", "Sleepy Hollow", "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith", "Season of the Witch", "Dark Shadows", "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies".- Actor
- Casting Department
- Additional Crew
Alessandro Bressanello is known for his work on The Hand of God (2021) as Aldo, Veneciafrenia(2021) as Colonna, Tolo Tolo (2020), Pop Black Posta (2019) as Lorenzo, Mozart in the Jungle (2016) as Lionel, Spectre (2015) as the Priest, Antonio him smeckt's nicht( 2016) as Antonio,Sole a catinelle (2013)as doctor Surace, Vacanze di Natale a Cortina (2011) as Bepi, Romanzo di una strage ( 2012) as Mariano Rumor, Casanova (2005), Come Dio comanda (2008) as Marchetta, La Masseria delle allodole (2007), Carlo Goldoni: Venezia, gran teatro del mondo (2007) as Carlo Goldoni. He began working as a musician in the '60s and then devote himself to study theater. Opened in 1976 the Tag Teatro in Venice. From 1980 to 1990 he was president of the cooperative Tag Theatre, where he worked as an actor and a director, producing numerous shows that have travelled all over the world. Since 1995 he opened his own company, Produzioni Teatrali Veneziane, with whom he still works, producing numerous shows, while also working in other fields such as the Carnival of Venice and the organization of major street-events, as well as the production of large-scale events in different countries of Europe. Alessandro Bressanello specializes in the theater of the Commedia dell'Arte and held numerous master classes in Italy and abroad about it, but he also dealt with stagings of baroque operas and contemporary theater. As an actor, director and producer has worked in Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Austria, Yugoslavia, Russia, Greece, Turkey, England, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Malta, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Ile de la Reunion. In addition to theater, he starred in over 70 films, working also as casting and assistant director, with Italian, French, German, British, Spanish, Japanese, Russian and U.S. productions.- Nora Gregor was an operetta diva, stage and film actress. She made her debut in Graz, Austria, and from there went to the Volksbühne an das Raimund-Theater in Vienna. She also worked at the Reinhardt Bühne in Berlin. From 1930 to 1933 she lived in Hollywood and also in Berlin. She made her first silent movie in 1921 and her first talkie in 1930 (Olympia (1930)). In 1937 she worked at the Burgtheater in Vienna and emigrated to Switzerland, France and Chile, where she died in Vina del Mar.
- Actress
Edy Vessel was born on 23 October 1940 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is an actress, known for 8½ (1963), The Trojan Horse (1961) and Rocambole (1963). She is married to Pierluigi Vitalini. She was previously married to Camillo Crociani.- Rosita Torosh was born on 10 November 1945 in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), The Red Nights of the Gestapo (1977) and Almost Human (1974). She died on 10 December 1995 in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.
- Rodolfo Ranni was born on 21 October 1937 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is an actor, known for Los machos (1994), El puntero (2011) and Las esclavas (1987).
- Her parents were Riccardo Orfei - the clown Bigolon - and Violetta Arata - a Circus star, so Miranda Orfei's entire life was lived in a circus. A simple, yet charismatic girl, full of energy, she started working in one herself: horse rider, trapeze artist, and acrobat. Since 1962, she started her own circus, and her popularity remains unabated to the present date (2002), in part helped by her numerous appearances on television shows. After a car accident prevented her from further acrobacies and arena shows with pigeos, horses and elephants, she kept her presence with her faithful public.
- Samira Lui was born on 6 March 1998 in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Matteo Oleotto was born on 16 March 1977 in Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot (2013), Volevo fare la rockstar (2019) and Stanza 21 (2004).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laura Samani was born on 9 October 1989 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Laura is a director and writer, known for Small Body (2021), The Sleeping Saint (2016) and Rosso liquido (2013).- Lyla Rocco was born on 18 January 1933 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for Le avventure di Nicola Nickleby (1958), Ça va barder (1955) and One Step to Eternity (1954). She was married to Alberto Lupo and Steve Barclay. She died on 17 January 2015 in Rome, Italy.