Adolfo Celi (; 27 July 1922 – 19 February 1986) was an Italian film actor and director. Born in Curcuraci,

Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 in ...

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, Celi appeared in nearly 100 films, specialising in international villains. Although a prominent actor in Italian cinema and famed for many roles, he is best remembered internationally for his portrayal of

Emilio Largo Emilio Largo is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the 1961 James Bond novel '' Thunderball''. He appears in the 1965 film adaptation, again as the main antagonist, with Italian actor Adolfo Celi filling the role. Largo is also ...

in the

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 19 ...

film '' Thunderball''. Celi later spoofed his ''Thunderball'' role in the film '' OK Connery'' (aka ''Operation Double 007'') opposite

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...

's brother, Neil Connery.

Life and career

Celi became a film actor in post-war Italy. He left the Italian film industry when he emigrated to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

where he co-founded the

Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia is a theatre in São Paulo, Brazil. References Theatres in São Paulo {{Brazil-theat-struct-stub ...

along with the Brazilian stage greats Paulo Autran and

Tônia Carrero Maria Antonieta Portocarrero Thedim (née de Farias; 23 August 1922 – 3 March 2018), known professionally as Tônia Carrero, was a Brazilian actress. Early life Carrero was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Career She made her th ...

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

He was successful as a stage actor in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

and

. He directed three films in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

in the 1950s, including the Brazilian hit '' Tico-Tico no Fubá'' in 1952. Celi began a new popular career when he played the villain in

Philippe de Broca Philippe de Broca (; 15 March 1933 – 26 November 2004) was a French movie director. He directed 30 full-length feature films, including the highly successful '' That Man from Rio (''L'Homme de Rio'')'', '' The Man from Acapulco (Le Magnifique) ...

's '' That Man from Rio'', selected by de Broca on location in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of the same name, Brazil's List of Brazilian states by population, third-most populous state, and the List of largest citi ...

. The popularity of the film led him to be cast as camp commandant Battaglia opposite Frank Sinatra and

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage, film, and television actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved star status with his role in the film ''Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by '' ...

's Allied POWs in the 1965

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

escape drama ''

Von Ryan's Express ''Von Ryan's Express'' is a 1965 World War II adventure film starring Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, and Raffaella Carrà, and directed by Mark Robson. Produced in CinemaScope, the film depicts a group of Allied prisoners of war ( POWs) who c ...

''. This led him to his most well known role as Largo in ''Thunderball''. He is also known to international audiences as Ralph Valmont, one of the villains in the

Mario Bava Mario Bava (31 July 1914 – 27 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter, frequently referred to as the "Master of Italian Horror" and the "Master of the M ...

action thriller '' Danger: Diabolik'' and the celebrated Fernando Di Leo's poliziottesco film '' Hired to Kill'' (La mala ordina, 1972) as Don Vito Tressoldi. Celi appeared as a protagonist in some Italian comedies including '' Amici Miei'' and ''

Brancaleone alle Crociate ''Brancaleone at the Crusades'' ( it, Brancaleone alle Crociate) is an Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and released in 1970, the sequel to ''L'armata Brancaleone''. Plot The film starts where ''L'armata Brancaleone'' has ended. ...

'' and did some television work, notably in mini-series ''Petrosino'' (1972), portraying the legendary Italian-American cop, and as the ruthless aristocrat, the Baron of Carini in another very popular mini-series, ''La Baronessa di Carini'' (1975). In addition to his native languages Sicilian and Italian, Celi was fluent in several languages, including

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

, French,

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

and Portuguese. Despite his proficiency in English, his thick Sicilian accent meant that he was usually dubbed when he appeared in

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to t ...

films; however, he was not dubbed in the 1981

BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

serial '' The Borgias'', in which Celi played Rodrigo Borgia, with his thickly-accented English difficult for certain TV critics and viewers to understand.

Personal life and death

Celi was married three times. He died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which m ...

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...

in 1986. His daughter Alessandra Celi, is an actress.

Filmography

* '' A Yank in Rome'' (''Un americano in vacanza'', 1946) as Tom * '' Christmas at Camp 119'' (''Natale al campo 119'', 1947) as John, il sergent americano * '' Hey Boy'' (''Proibito rubare'', 1948) * ''

Immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, ...

'' (''Emigrantes'', 1948) as Il professore * '' Caiçara'' (1950) as Genovés * '' Tico-Tico no Fubá'' (1952) (uncredited) * '' Sandokan the Great'' (''Sandokan, la tigre di Mompracem'', 1963) as

James Brooke Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak (29 April 1803 – 11 June 1868), was a British soldier and adventurer who founded the Raj of Sarawak in Borneo. He ruled as the first White Rajah of Sarawak from 1841 until his death in 1868. Brooke was ...

* '' That Man from Rio'' (''L'homme de Rio'', 1964) as Mário de Castro * ''

Three Nights of Love ''Three Nights of Love'' ( it, Tre notti d'amore) is a 1964 omnibus comedy film in three segments directed by Renato Castellani, Luigi Comencini and Franco Rossi and starring Catherine Spaak, Enrico Maria Salerno and Adolfo Celi. Cast * Ad ...

'' (''Tre notti d'amore'', 1964) * '' Male Companion'' (''Un monsieur de compagnie'', 1964) as Benvenuto * '' Beautiful Families'' (1964) (segment "Amare è un po' morire") as Professore Della Porta * '' Crime on a Summer Morning'' (''Par un beau matin d'été'', 1965) as Van Willie * ''

'' (1965) as Major Battaglia * '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'' (1965) as Giovanni de' Medici * '' Slalom'' (1965) as Riccardo * '' A Man Named John'' (''E venne un uomo'', 1965) as Msgr. Radini Tedeschi * '' Thunderball'' (1965) as

* ''

El Greco Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El ...

'' (1966) as Don Miguel de Las Cuervas * ''

Yankee The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...

'' (1966) as Grande Concho * '' Target for Killing'' (''Das Geheimnis der gelben Mönche'', 1966) as Henry Perkins * ''

Pleasant Nights ''Pleasant Nights'' ( it, Le piacevoli notti) is a 1966 Italian comedy film directed by Armando Crispino and Luciano Lucignani and starring Vittorio Gassman and Gina Lollobrigida. Plot Three comedic tales set in the Middle Ages. Cast * V ...

'' (''Le piacevoli notti'', 1966) as Bernadozzo * ''

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

'' (1966) as Agostini Manetta * '' King of Hearts'' (''Le roi de coeur'', 1966) as Colonel Alexander MacBibenbrook * '' Dirty Heroes'' (''Dalle Ardenne all'inferno'', 1967) as Luc Rollman * '' Master Stroke'' (''Colpo maestro al servizio di Sua Maestà britannica'', 1967) as Mr. Bernard * ''

The Honey Pot ''The Honey Pot'', also known as ''The Honeypot'', is a 1967 American crime comedy-drama film written for the screen and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It stars Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Capucine, Edie Adams, and Maggie ...

'' (1967) as Inspector Rizzi * '' OK Connery'' (1967) as Mr. Thai - 'Beta' * ''

The Bobo ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' (1967) as Francisco Carbonell * '' Grand Slam'' (''Ad ogni costo'', 1967) as Mark Milfford * '' Fantabulous Inc.'' (''La Donna, il sesso e il superuomo'', 1967) as Karl Maria van Beethoven * ''

Death Sentence Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...

'' (''Sentenza di morte'', 1968) as Friar Baldwin * ''

Seven Times Seven ''Seven Times Seven'' ( it, Sette volte sette) is a 1968 Italian crime comedy caper directed by Michele Lupo and starring Gastone Moschin. Plot A gang of prison inmates escape and rob the UK's Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kin ...

'' (''Sette volte sette'', 1968) as Warden * ''

Diabolik ''Diabolik'' ( or ) is an Italian comic series created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani. One of the most popular series in the history of Italian comics, ''Diabolik'' was created in 1962 and consists of more than 900 volumes, and has led ...

'' (1968) as Ralph Valmount * '' It's Your Move'' (''Uno scacco tutto matto'', 1969) as Bayon / Guinet * ''

Alibi An alibi (from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person, who is a possible perpetrator of a crime, of where they were at the time a particular offence was committed, which is somewhere other than where the crim ...

'' (''L'alibi'', 1969) as Adolfo * '' Midas Run'' (1969) as General Ferranti * ''

Detective Belli ''Detective Belli'' ( it, Un Detective) is a 1969 Italian '' poliziotteschi'' directed by Romolo Guerrieri and starring Franco Nero. It is based on the novel ''Macchie di belletto'' by Ludovico Dentice. Plot The rude Commissioner Belli (Franc ...

'' (''Un Detective'', 1969) as Avvocato Fontana * ''

A Man for Emmanuelle ''A Man for Emmanuelle'' ( it, Io, Emmanuelle) is an Italian drama film directed by Cesare Canevari and starring Erika Blanc. Cast * Erika Blanc as Emmanuelle * Adolfo Celi as Sandro * Paolo Ferrari as Raffaello * Milla Sannoner as Lesbi ...

'' (''Io, Emmanuelle'', 1969) as Sandri * ''

The Archangel ''The Archangel'' ( it, L'arcangelo) is a 1969 Italian comedy film directed by Giorgio Capitani and starring Vittorio Gassman. Cast * Vittorio Gassman as Fulvio Bertuccia * Pamela Tiffin as Gloria Bianchi * Irina Demick as Sig.ra Tarocchi Roda * ...

'' (''L'arcangelo'', 1969) as Marco Tarrochi Roda * '' In Search of Gregory'' (1969) as Max * '' Death Knocks Twice'' (''Blonde Köder für den Mörder'', 1969) as Professor Max Spigler * '' Rendezvous with Dishonour'' (''Appuntamento col disonore'', 1970) as Hermes * '' Fragment of Fear'' (1970) as Signor Bardoni * '' The Cop'' (''Un condé'', 1970) as Le Commissaire principal / Chief of police * '' Brancaleone at the Crusades'' (''Brancaleone alle crociate'', 1970) as Re Boemondo * ''Finale di partita'' (''Alla ricerca di Gregory'', 1970) * '' They Have Changed Their Face'' (''Hanno cambiato faccia'', 1971) as Giovanni Nosferatu * ''

Una chica casi decente ''Una chica casi decente'' is a 1971 Spanish comedy film directed by Germán Lorente and starring Rocío Jurado. Cast * Rocío Jurado - Silvia * Adolfo Celi - El Duque * Máximo Valverde - Daniel * Mirta Miller * Manuel Gómez Bur * Luis S� ...

'' (1971) as César Martín de Valdés 'Duque' * ''

Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in '' Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. August ...

'' (1971) as Inspector Vidocq * '' 1931: Once Upon a Time in New York'' (''Piazza pulita'', 1972) as The Pole * ''

Brother Sun, Sister Moon ''Brother Sun, Sister Moon'' ( it, Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna) is a 1972 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring Graham Faulkner and Judi Bowker. The film is an examination of the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. Plot Francesco, the s ...

'' (''Fratello sole, sorella luna'', 1972) as Consul * '' Eye in the Labyrinth'' (''L'occhio nel labirinto'', 1972) as Frank * '' Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why?'' (''Terza ipotesi su un caso di perfetta strategia criminale'', 1972) as Inspector Vezzi * ''

Who Saw Her Die? ''Who Saw Her Die?'' ( it, Chi l'ha vista morire?) is an Italian ''giallo'' film directed by Aldo Lado and Vittorio De Sisti, starring Anita Strindberg and George Lazenby. Lazenby and Strindberg play the parents of a murdered girl, who pursue h ...

'' (''Chi l'ha vista morire?'', 1972) as Serafian * ''

Naked Girl Killed in the Park ''Naked Girl Killed in the Park'' ( it, Ragazza tutta nuda assassinata nel parco, es, Joven de buena familia sospechosa de asesinato) is a 1972 giallo film directed by Alfonso Brescia, co-written by Gianni Martucci and starring Robert Hoffman ...

'' (''Ragazza tutta nuda assassinata nel parco'', 1972) as Inspector Huber * ''

Long Arm of the Godfather ''Long Arm of the Godfather'' ( it, La mano lunga del padrino) is a 1972 Italian crime film directed by Nardo Bonomi and starring Adolfo Celi. Cast * Adolfo Celi - Don Carmelo * Peter Lee Lawrence - Vincenzo * Erika Blanc - Sabina * Kim Dimon * ...

'' (''La mano lunga del padrino'', 1972) as Don Carmelo * '' Hired to Kill'' (''La mala ordina'', 1972) as Vito * '' Hitler: The Last Ten Days'' (1973) as Gen. Krebs * ''

Le Mataf ''Le mataf'' ( it, Tre per una grande rapina) is a 1973 drama film directed by Serge Leroy and starring Michel Constantin. Plot Three bank robbers, "Le Mataf", Basilio and Franck, are preparing to conduct a hold-up when they witness a young wom ...

'' (''Tre per una grande rapina'', 1973) as Me Desbordes * '' Black Holiday'' (''La villeggiatura'', 1973) as Commissioner Rizzuto * '' The Devil Is a Woman'' (''Il sorriso del grande tentatore'', 1974) as Father Borrelli * '' The Phantom of Liberty'' (''Le Fantôme de la liberté'', 1974) as Le docteur de Legendre / Doctor Pasolini * ''

And Then There Were None ''And Then There Were None'' is a mystery fiction, mystery novel by the English writer Agatha Christie, described by her as the most difficult of her books to write. It was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 N ...

'' (''Ein unbekannter rechnet ab'', 1974) as Gen. André Salvé * '' The Balloon Vendor'' (''Il venditore di palloncini'', 1974) as Dr. Monforte * '' Libera, My Love'' (''Libera, amore mio...'', 1975) as Felice Valente – Libera's father * '' My Friends'' (''Amici miei'', 1975) as Professor Sassaroli * ''L'amaro caso della baronessa di Carini'' (1975) as Don Mariano D'Agrò * '' Sandokan'' (1976) as James Brooke * ''

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man ''Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man'' ( it, Uomini si nasce poliziotti si muore) is a 1976 Italian poliziotteschi crime film, directed by Ruggero Deodato and starring Marc Porel and Ray Lovelock. Cast * Marc Porel as Fred * Ray Lovelock as T ...

'' (''Uomini si nasce poliziotti si muore'', 1976) as Captain * '' Pure as a Lily'' (''Come una rosa al naso'', 1976) as L'onorevole * '' Confessions of a Frustrated Housewife'' (''La moglie di mio padre'', 1976) as Antonio Lenzini * '' Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen'' (''Signore e signori, buonanotte'', 1976) as Vladimiro Palese * ''

The Next Man ''The Next Man'' (also known as ''The Arab Conspiracy'' or ''Double Hit'') is a 1976 American political action thriller film starring Sean Connery, Adolfo Celi, Cornelia Sharpe, and Charles Cioffi. Critical reaction at its opening was not posit ...

'' (1976) as Al Sharif * '' The Big Operator'' (''Le Grand escogriffe'', 1976) as Rifai * '' Merciless Man'' (''Genova a mano armata'', 1976) as Commissario Lo Gallo * '' Febbre da cavallo'' (1976) as Judge * ''Che notte quella notte!'' (1977) * '' The Passengers'' (''Les Passagers'', 1977) as Boetani * '' Pane, burro e marmellata'' (1977) as Aristide Bertelli * '' Holocaust 2000'' (1977) as Dr. Kerouac * '' La tigre è ancora viva: Sandokan alla riscossa!'' (1977) as James Brooke * ''Man of Corleone'' (''L'uomo di Corleone'', 1977) * '' The Perfect Crime'' (''Indagine su un delitto perfetto'', 1978) as Sir Harold Boyd * '' Professor Kranz tedesco di Germania'' (1978) as Carcamano * '' Le braghe del padrone'' (1978) as Euginio – the president * ''

L'affittacamere ''L'affittacamere'' is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by Mariano Laurenti and starring Gloria Guida. Plot Giorgia and Angela Mainardi are two sisters: the first is very beautiful, and the second is fat and has problems with sleepwalking. ...

'' (1979) * '' Café Express'' (1980) as Ispettore capo Ministero * '' Car-napping'' (1980) as Head of police in Palermo * '' Madly in Love'' (''Innamorato pazzo'', 1981) as Gustavo VI di San Tulipe * ''Perdóname, amor'' (1982) as Ruggero Rivelli * ''

Monsignor Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...

'' (1982) as Cardinal Vinci * '' All My Friends Part 2'' (''Amici miei atto II'', 1982) as Professor Sassaroli * '' Cenerentola '80'' (1984) as Principe Goncalvo Gherardeschi * ''Passaporto segnalato'' (1985) as Avvocato Santi * '' All My Friends Part 3'' (''Amici miei atto III'', 1985) as Professor Sassaroli * ''Il giocatore invisibile'' (1985) * '' Due assi per un turbo'' (1987) as Il Caposcalo

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Celi, Adolfo 1922 births 1986 deaths Film people from the Province of Messina Italian male film actors Italian male stage actors Italian male television actors Italian film directors Italian film producers Actors from Messina Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico alumni 20th-century Italian male actors