José Calvo (March 3, 1916 – May 16, 1980) was a Spanish film actor best known for his roles in
western film
The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...
s and historical dramas.
He made around 150 appearances mostly in films between 1952 and his death in 1980. He entered film in 1952 and was prolific as an actor throughout the 1950s and 1960s. He made many appearances in crime dramas, often with a historical theme and appeared in a high number of western films.
In 1964 he starred as the innkeeper Silvanito in
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 ...
's
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 ...
production ''
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 ...
'' as one of
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 few "amigos" in the town of San Miguel.
He later appeared in westerns such as ''
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) opposite
Lee Van Cleef
Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American actor. He appeared in over 170 film and television roles in a career spanning nearly 40 years, but is best known as a star of spaghetti Westerns, particularly t ...
, ''
Anda muchacho, spara!'' (1971) and ''
Dust in the Sun'' (1973) etc.
However, after the Spaghetti Western era of the late 1960s, in the 1970s he returned to appearing in primarily Spanish films and in contrast to the roles which dominated much of his career did appear in several Spanish comedy films often with slapstick humor as that genre grew popular in Latin cinema during this period.
He died in
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria (, ; ), also Grand Canary Island, is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, a Spain, Spanish archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa. the island had a population of that constitut ...
on May 16, 1980, aged 64.
Selected filmography
* ''Dulce nombre'' (1952)
* ''La forastera'' (1952)
* ''
The Pelegrín System'' (1952) as Padre de Gelasio
* ''
Babes in Bagdad'' (1952) (Spanish version)
* ''Concierto mágico'' (1953)
* ''La danza de los deseos'' (1954) as Padre de Candela
* ''Elena'' (1954)
* ''
It Happened in Seville'' (1955) as Mayoral Manuel
* ''El indiano'' (1955) as Capataz
* ''La cruz de mayo'' (1955) as Fiscal
* ''El coyote'' (1955)
* ''Duelo de pasiones'' (1955)
* ''Un día perdido'' (1955) as Don Patricio
* ''El puente del diablo'' (1956) as Fiscal
* ''Ha pasado un hombre'' (1956) as García
* ''
Uncle Hyacynth'' (1956) as Almacenista
* ''
The Big Lie'' (1956) as Productor que habla con censor
* ''También hay cielo sobre el mar'' (1956)
* ''Todos somos necesarios'' (1956)
* ''
Andalusia Express'' (1956) as Arturo
* ''El fenómeno'' (1956)
* ''La mestiza'' (1956) as Secretario
* ''
Calle Mayor'' (1956) as Amigote #4 – Doctor
* ''Manolo guardia urbano'' (1956) as Conductor despistado
* ''
Miracle of the White Suit
''Miracle of the White Suit'' (Italian: ''Il grande giorno'', Spanish: ''Un traje blanco'') is a 1956 Italian-Spanish Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Miguel Gil, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (actor), Miguel ...
'' (1956) as Ramón
* ''El maestro'' (1957) as Chauffeur
* ''Mensajeros de Paz'' (1957) as Ladrón en cárcel
* ''Ángeles sin cielo'' (1957) as Compinche de Curro
* ''Buongiorno primo amore!'' (1957) as Pepe
* ''Aquellos tiempos del cuplé'' (1958) as Cordero
* ''
Heroes del Aire'' (1958) as Capitán
* ''El hincha'' (1958)
* ''El puente de la paz'' (1958)
* ''
Red Cross Girls'' (1958) as Paciente de Andrés
* ''Marinai, donne e guai'' (1958) as complice di Aristotele
* ''Parque de Madrid'' (1959)
* ''
Noi siamo due evasi
''Noi siamo due evasi'' is a 1959 Italy, Italian Crime film, crime-comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli.
Cast
* Ugo Tognazzi: Bernardo Cesarotti
* Magali Noël: Odette
* Raimondo Vianello: Camillo Gorini
* Sandra Mondaini: Isabella
* ...
'' (1959)
* ''Venta de Vargas'' (1959) as Ventero
* ''Una gran señora'' (1959) as Don Manuel
* ''El día de los enamorados'' (1959) as Nica
* ''El gafe'' (1959)
* ''El secreto de papá'' (1959)
* ''
At Five O'Clock in the Afternoon'' (1960) as Amigo (uncredited)
* ''Juicio final'' (1960)
* ''El amor que yo te di'' (1960)
* ''El Litri y su sombra'' (1960) as Aficionado (uncredited)
* ''El hombre que perdió el tren'' (1960)
* ''Crimen para recién casados'' (1960) as Oficial naval
* ''El traje de oro'' (1960)
* ''La quiniela'' (1960)
* ''
Don Lucio y el hermano pío'' (1960) as El pecas
* ''El vagabundo y la estrella'' (1960) as Eufrasio
* ''Alma aragonesa'' (1961) as Tío Ramón
* ''
Viridiana'' (1961) as Don Amalio
* ''El indulto'' (1961) as Empleado estación de Madrid
* ''Fantasmas en la casa'' (1961)
* ''Kilómetro 12'' (1961)
* ''Historia de un hombre'' (1961)
* ''
The Gang of Eight'' (1962) as Padre de Miguelín
* ''I tromboni di Fra Diavolo'' (1962)
* ''
The Castilian
''The Castilian'' (in Spanish ''El valle de las espadas'') is a 1963 independently made historical action film drama in Eastmancolor, produced by Sidney W. Pink, directed by Javier Setó, that stars Cesar Romero, Frankie Avalon, Broderick Cr ...
'' (1963) as Fraile
* ''
The Running Man'' (1963) as Porter
* ''
Shéhérazade'' (1963)
* ''El globo azul'' (1963)
* ''El sol en el espejo'' (1963) as Sr. Pardo
* ''
Duello nel Texas'' (1963) as Francisco (uncredited)
* ''
The Swindlers'' (1963) as Brigadier (segment "Suore")
* ''Suspendido en sinvergüenza'' (1963)
* ''Júrame'' (1964)
* ''I maniaci'' (1964) (uncredited)
* ''
Crucero de verano'' (1964) as Fodar
* ''
Weeping for a Bandit'' (1964) as Cliente de la posada
* ''
The Chosen Ones'' (1964) as Boquerón
* ''I marziani hanno 12 mani'' (1964) as Marito geloso
* ''
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) as Silvanito
* ''Extraconiugale'' (1964) as Commendatore Sasselli (segment "Il mondo è dei ricchi")
* ''
Oklahoma John'' (1965) as Rod Edwards
* ''
La bugiarda'' (1965)
* ''
Television Stories'' (1965) as Ramón Valladares
* ''El mundo sigue'' (1965) as Dueño Bar
* ''
Legacy of the Incas'' (1965) (uncredited)
* ''
Captain from Toledo'' (1965) as Don Canio
* ''
Desperate Mission'' (1965) as The Director of the company
* ''
La Dama de Beirut'' (1965)
* ''La primera aventura'' (1965) as Cosme
* ''
In a Colt's Shadow'' (1965) as Sheriff
* ''
Perché uccidi ancora'' (1965) as López
* ''Una ráfaga de plomo'' (1965) as Yusuff
* ''
Weekend, Italian Style'' (1965) as Commendator Tagliaferri
* ''Platero y yo'' (1966) as Don José
* ''
Due mafiosi contro Al Capone'' (1966) as Al Capone
* ''Monnaie de singe'' (1966) (uncredited)
* ''Nuevo en esta plaza'' (1966) as Tomás
* ''Web of Violence'' (1966)
* ''Che notte ragazzi!'' (1966) as Chófer
* ''
For a Few Extra Dollars'' (1966) as Gordon
* ''Non faccio la guerra, faccio l'amore'' (1966) as Don Getulio
* ''El filo del miedo'' (1967) as Don César de Urdaz
* ''
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) as Blind Bill
* ''
Shoot Twice'' (1968) as Doctor Russell
* ''
A Stranger in Paso Bravo'' (1968) as Vendedor de agua
* ''La notte è fatta per... rubare'' (1968) as Martin
* ''
Rebus
A rebus ( ) is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases. For example: the word "been" might be depicted by a rebus showing an illustrated bumblebee next to a plus sign (+ ...
'' (1969) as Benson
* ''Cantando a la vida'' (1969)
* ''
The Price of Power'' (1969) as Doctor Strips (uncredited)
* ''Golpe de mano (Explosión)'' (1970) as Padre de Novales
* ''
Tristana'' (1970) as Campanero
* ''El Gran crucero'' (1970)
* ''The Underground'' (1970)
* ''
Nights and Loves of Don Juan'' (1971) as Sultan Selim
* ''
Dead Men Ride'' (1971) as Joselito Cosorito
* ''
Murders in the Rue Morgue'' (1971) as Hunchback (uncredited)
* ''Los días de Cabirio'' (1971) as Padre de Mary Carmen
* ''
Hector the Mighty'' (1972) as Lawyer
* ''Dust in the Sun'' (1972) as The Great Goldoni
* ''
Tragic Ceremony'' (1972) as Sam David
* ''La redada'' (1973) as Jefe superior de Policía
* ''Carta de amor de un asesino'' (1973) as Ramón
* ''
Little Funny Guy'' (1973) as Don Nicolone Salento
* ''
Run, Run, Joe!'' (1974) as Don Salvatore
* ''
Pim, pam, pum... ¡fuego!'' (1975) as Policía
* ''L'uomo che sfidò l'organizzazione'' (1975) as Zaccaria Rabajos
* ''Las bodas de Blanca'' (1975) as Cuñado de Antonio
* ''Esclava te doy'' (1976) as Juez
* ''Las delicias de los verdes años'' (1976) as D. Illán
* ''El secreto inconfesable de un chico bien'' (1976) as Don Gumersindo
* ''La espada negra'' (1976)
* ''Secretos de alcoba'' (1977) as Luis
* ''El último guateque'' (1977) as Don Julián
* ''
El huerto del francés'' (1978) as José Muñoz Lopera
* ''
Mi mujer no es mi señora'' (1978) as Don Homero
* ''Soldados'' (1978)
* ''Tiempos de constitución'' (1979)
* ''En mil pedazos'' (1980) as Joaquín Faldrao
* ''¡Qué verde era mi duque!'' (1980) as Palurdo
* ''Carta a nadie'' (1984) (final film role)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calvo, Jose
Spanish male film actors
Male Spaghetti Western actors
Male Western (genre) film actors
1916 births
1980 deaths
Male actors from Madrid
Spanish emigrants to the United States
20th-century Spanish male actors