Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Who are Those Guys? - Ignazio Balsalmo


Ignazio Balsamo was born on October 25, 1912, in Catania, Sicily, Italy. With his expressive, perfect face he was often cast as villains and hardened criminals usually wearing a Clark Gable type mustache. A very young age he was an used as an extra in crowd scenes in films made in Sicily. He was discovered while he was performing in a theater by Pietro Germi looking for a new face that had the physical traits of a mafia thug mafia and for 1949's “In the Name of the Law”. He passed his first acting role with flying colors, and moved to Rome, where he became a regular in films but was still relegated to marginal roles and always the stereotype "bad" Sicilian. Balsamo participates in a huge amount of movies, dramas and adventure, some of social protest led by directors from all over but it remained as a character actor. He is also became a production coordinator for Fortune Film producer Felice Zappulla and early in the sixties became the assistant director and production director for the Roman Film “Misiano”. Ignazio was married to actress Gina Rapicavoli and her partner in several films, he was also the author of two comedies, "Tila's ragnu 'and “Keeper's Cottage", written in Sicily around the seventies, but never produced.Ignazio Balsamo passed away in Catania on August 7, 1994.

BALSAMO, Ignazio [10/25/1912, Catania, Sicily, Italy - 8/7/1994, Catania, Sicily, Italy] - production manager, screenwriter, married to actress Gina Rapicavoli.
A Dollaro of Fear - 1960 (Jugador)
Zorro the Rebel - 1966
The Magnificent Texan - 1967 (Stark henchman)
Two R-R-Ringos from Texas - 1967 (poker player)
Zorro the Marquis of Navarro - 1969
Zorro in the Court of England - 1969 (dice gambler)
Zorro, the Rider of Vengeance - 1971

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