Here’s a curious one… I can’t find a single shred of information about Bruno Smith, an actor who – judging by his name – must have been either English or American (or, like Ray Lovelock, Italian but of Anglo-Saxon origin). He’s not at all well known even among Italian film aficionados, although he starred in a good two dozen films. Probably because most of his films were made prior to the ‘Golden Age’ of Italian cinema. In fact, if he was in fact English or American he must have been one of the first English or American actors to have worked in Italy; appearing in his first film, Piero Ballerini & Corrado D’Errico’s Freccia d’oro, way back in 1935.
He began appearing regularly in films during the wartime period, featuring in ten titles between 1940 and 1945. None of them are particularly well known today, although he did work with respected directors like Guido Brignone and Goffredo Alessandrini. Mostly he appeared buried in the credits as officials or soldiers.
After the war, he carried on in the same busy way. He was in Erminio Macario comedies (Adamo ed Eva, 49), was a slave trader in Mario Soldati’s O.K. Nerone (51) and turned up in numerous melodramas like Carne inquieta (52) and Menzogna (52).
By the 1960s he’d moved primarily into television, working on successful historical adventures like I tre moschettieri (64) and
Il conte di Montecristo (66). His last credited appearance was in the Tino Buazzelli series Nero Wolfe in 1969.
It’s a substantial filmography, but I can’t find any biographical information about the guy at all. If anyone knows anything about Mr. Smith, please let us know!
