Benito Stefanelli (2 September 1928 – 18 December 1999) was an Italian film actor,

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

and

weapons master The weapons master, sometimes credited as the armorer, weapons specialist, weapons handler, weapons wrangler, or weapons coordinator, is a film crew specialist that works with the property master, director, actors, stunt coordinator and script s ...

who made over 60 appearances in film between 1955 and 1991.

Biography and career

Stefanelli is best known in world cinema for his roles as henchmen in several of

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone ( ; ; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian filmmaker, credited as the pioneer of the spaghetti Western genre. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. Leone's film-making style ...

Spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films ''

A Fistful of Dollars ''A Fistful of Dollars'' (, (''For a Fistful of Dollars'')) is a 1964 spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role, alongside Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Si ...

'' (1964), ''

For a Few Dollars More ''For a Few Dollars More'' () is a 1965 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone. It stars Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters and Gian Maria Volonté as the primary villain. Klaus Kinski plays a supporting role as a se ...

'' (1965), and ''

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (, literally "''The good, the ugly, the bad''") is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as "the Good", Lee Van Cleef as "the Bad", and Eli Wallach a ...

'' (1966). He played the town drunk in '' Wanted'' (1967) starring

Giuliano Gemma Giuliano Gemma (; 2 September 1938 – 1 October 2013) was an Italian actor. He is best known internationally for his work in Spaghetti Westerns, particularly for his performances as the title character in Duccio Tessari's '' A Pistol for Ringo'' ...

and Serge Marquand. 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

. A fluent English speaker, he also reportedly served as

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...

's interpreter together with Bill Thompkins on the set of ''A Fistful of Dollars''.

Selected filmography

* '' Ulysses'' (1954) – Elatos (uncredited) * ''Il terrore della maschera rossa'' (1960) * '' Messalina'' (1960) * ''La strada dei giganti'' (1960) * ''

La sceriffa ''La sceriffa'' (''The Sheriff'') is a 1959 Italian Western comedy in black-and-white, directed by Roberto Bianchi Montero. It stars Italian comedy star Ugo Tognazzi. It was released on 16 August 1959. The film starred several comedians and spawne ...

'' (1960) * ''L'ultimo dei vichinghi'' (1961) – Lorig, amico di Guntar (uncredited) * ''Capitani di ventura'' (1961) * '' The Trojan Horse'' (1961) * ''

Duel of the Titans ''Duel of the Titans'' () is a 1961 Italian / French film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, and Virna Lisi. The film is about twin brothers revolt against tyranny in pre-Roman Italy and then come to a parting of ...

'' (1961) – Soldato con Amulio * '' The Slave'' (1962) – Nordic blond slave * '' The Avenger'' (1962) – Nisius, Euryalus' Friend * ''

A Queen for Caesar ''A Queen for Caesar'' (, ) is a 1962 Italian-French historical drama film directed by Piero Pierotti and Victor Tourjansky and starring Pascale Petit, George Ardisson and Rik Battaglia. It is set in Egypt in 48 BC. Unlike other films about Cae ...

'' (1962) – Commerciante #2 (uncredited) * '' Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1963) * ''

Zorro and the Three Musketeers ''Zorro and the Three Musketeers'' (, also known as ''Mask of the Musketeers'' and ''Zorro vs. the Three Musketeers'') is a 1963 Italian comedy-adventure film directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Gordon Scott. Plot In the 17th century, Zorro j ...

'' (1963) * ' (1963) – Fritz * ''L'ultima carica'' (1964) * ''

Grand Canyon Massacre ''Grand Canyon Massacre'' (Italian: ''Massacro al Grande Canyon'', lit. "Massacre at Grand Canyon") is a 1964 Italian Spaghetti Western filmed in Croatia starring James Mitchum, Milla Sannoner, and George Ardisson. It was directed by Sergio Co ...

'' (1964) – Gunman * ''

Castle of Blood ''Castle of Blood'' () is a 1964 gothic horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti and starring Barbara Steele, Georges Rivière, Margarete Robsahm, Arturo Dominici, Silvano Tranquilli and Umberto Raho. It was an Italian-French co-production ...

'' (1964) – William * ''

'' (1964) – Rubio * ''Per un dollaro a Tucson si muore'' (1964) – Charlie * '' Revenge of The Gladiators'' (1964) – Ardenzio, gladiatore * ''

Blood for a Silver Dollar ''Blood for a Silver Dollar'' () is a 1965 spaghetti Western film directed by Calvin Jackson Padget, written by George Finley and Padget, and starring Montgomery Wood and Evelyn Stewart. Plot synopsis Gary O'Hara, a Confederate Lieutenant, ...

'' (1965) – James * ''

'' (1965) – Luke 'Hughie' (Indio's Gang) * ''

Secret Agent Super Dragon ''Secret Agent Super Dragon'' () is a 1966 internationally co-produced Eurospy film directed by Giorgio Ferroni, and starring Ray Danton as the titular secret agent. Plot The plot centers on a secret agent and an evil organization that is dr ...

'' (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 ''The Big Gundown'' () is a 1967 spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Sollima, and starring Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian. It was followed by Run, Man, Run in 1968. Plot Possessing a reputation for bringing criminals to justice, ready-to- ...

'' (1966) – Jess, Widow's Ranchero * ''

'' (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 ''Day of Anger'' ( , lit. "The Days of Wrath") is a 1967 Spaghetti Western film directed and co-written by Tonino Valerii and starring Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma, and features a musical score by Riz Ortolani. The film credits the novel ' ...

'' (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 * '' Night of the Serpent'' (1969) – Pancho * '' Er Più – storia d'amore e di coltello'' (1971) – Alfredo Di Lorenzo * '' W Django!'' (1971) – Ibanez * ''

Trinity Is Still My Name ''Trinity Is Still My Name'' (, lit. "...They Kept Calling Him Trinity") is a 1971 Italian Spaghetti Western comedy film directed by Enzo Barboni. Starring the film duo of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, it is a direct sequel to '' They Call M ...

'' (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 The Hit Squad is an American hip hop collective of East Coast hip hop artists. Originally formed in the 1990s by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of the rap group EPMD, the group included rap artists such as K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Top ...

'' (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 ''Cobra Verde'' (also known as ''Slave Coast'') is a 1987 German drama film directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski, in their fifth and final collaboration. Based upon Bruce Chatwin's 1980 novel '' The Viceroy of Ouidah'', the film d ...

'' (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) – Lobo the Executioner (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stefanelli, Benito 1929 births 1999 deaths 20th-century Italian male actors Italian male film actors Italian stunt performers Male Spaghetti Western actors Male actors from Rome People of Lazian descent