Category Archives: Americans in Cinecitta

This category is dedicated to all the American actoprs who plied their trade in Cinecitta

Who was… Bill Vanders

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Matt Blake

Bill Vanders was one of the most prolific of the American actors who worked in Rome during the golden age of Italian exploitation cinema, yet almost nothing is known about him. Continue reading →

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Who was… Frank Colson

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Matt Blake

Here’s another in our list of American actors who ended up making films in Italy. Now, I’m guessing you’ve never heard of Frank Colson? Continue reading →

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Peter Dane

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Matt Blake

I’ve noticed the name Peter Dane crop up in a couple of Italian films that I’ve watched now, so it seems like a good opportunity to revive my ‘Americans in Cinecitta’ posts. Continue reading →

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Daniel Jones

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Matt Blake

Another in our on off guide to black actors in Italian cinema, this time it’s the turn of: Daniel Jones. Continue reading →

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John Kitzmiller

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Matt Blake

John Kitzmiller was one of the most prominent Afro-American actors to work in Italy during the post war period.  Born in Michigan in 1913, he first came to Europe as a soldier during the liberation of Italy, winning a Victory … Continue reading →

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Robert Woods interview

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Matt Blake

Just found a Robert Woods interview I hadn’t read before on a website called www.glasshousepresents.com Continue reading →

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Alex Nicol

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Matt Blake

Alex Nicol was born in 1916 in New York. A prolific stage actor of the 1930s, where he was part of Maurice Evans’s Shakesperean company, he later spent time studying under Lee Strasberg, served as a Sergeant in the war … Continue reading →

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Jim Granite

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Matt Blake

Here’s an obscure performer who, I’d guess, must be an American: the marvellously named Jim Granite!

Who was he? Well, as far as I can tell he only appeared in one film, Carlo Lizzani’s Il gobbo (1960). He plays a young American soldier who comes to the assistance of Anna Maria Ferrero, only to be chased off by Pier Paolo Pasolini (who plays an angry, one armed, ex-partisan). He has a total of about two minutes of screentime, but it’s not an unimportant role and he has a good few lines of dialogue (spoken in English). Continue reading →

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Jeff Blynn today…

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Matt Blake

Hey, looks like Jeff Blynn didn’t simply disappear after making a bunch of cop films in the seventies and eighties: he opened his own restaurant, and now it’s something of an institution: here’s the link on tripadvisor

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Hazel Rogers

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Matt Blake

Here’s a name that was unfamiliar to me until watching the 1959 Alberto Sordi vehicle, Il moralista, directed by Giorgio Bianchi.  Hazel Rogers has a small part as one of a trio of dancers Sordi – playing a public censor … Continue reading →

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Who was… Remington Olmstead?

Posted on June 17, 2009 by Matt Blake

I always enjoy finding ex-pat British or American actors in obscure films, and every time I think I know them all another one pops up in some production or other. Last night, for instance, I was watching La nipote Sabella, … Continue reading →

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Jim Gaines

Posted on January 5, 2009 by Matt Blake

Jim Gaines is an African-American actor, born in Hawaii in 1955, who came to prominence in a series of Filipino action films Continue reading →

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Hal Frederick

Posted on December 15, 2008 by Matt Blake

Hal Frederick was an American actor who had a very brief career in Europe, making his debut in an Italian film, Sandokan Against the Leopard of Sarawak Continue reading →

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Lola Falana

Posted on October 21, 2008 by Matt Blake

Lola Falana, the daughter of an African-American mother and Cuban father, appeared in two Italian films during the late 1960s. Continue reading →

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Dorothy Dandridge

Posted on September 30, 2008 by Matt Blake

While the majoroty of her career was based in the US, she does seem to have become more avtive in Europe towards the later stages of her life Continue reading →

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Mary Arden

Posted on August 27, 2008 by Matt Blake

Mary Dawn Arden was an American actress who had support parts in two Eurospy films, 002 agenti segretissimi (64) and Michele Lupo’s above average Master Stroke (67) Continue reading →

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Jon Chevron

Posted on August 14, 2008 by Matt Blake

Jon Chevron was a slight actor who had supporting, vaguely comic roles in a couple of Italian action films. Continue reading →

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Leo Coleman

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Matt Blake

Leo Coleman was a black dancer who was involved with the Katherine Dunham troupe Continue reading →

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Jim Brown

Posted on July 18, 2008 by Matt Blake

Although not really associated with European Cinema, American actor Jim Brown did actually make a few films of interest. Continue reading →

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Wilbert Bradley

Posted on June 27, 2008 by Matt Blake

Wilbert Bradley was another Minnesotan who ended up working in the Italian film industry, much like Harold Bradley (the two of them aren’t related). Continue reading →

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