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Benito Stefanelli

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Benito Stefanelli
Stefanelli in Day of Anger (1967)
Born2 September 1928
Died18 December 1999 (age 71)
Occupation(s)Actor, Stuntman

Benito Stefanelli (2 September 1928 – 18 December 1999) was an Italian film actor, stuntman and weapons master who made over 60 appearances in film between 1955 and 1991.

Biography and career

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Stefanelli is best known in world cinema for his roles as henchmen in several of Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films A Fistful of Dollars (1964),[1] For a Few Dollars More (1965),[2] and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).[3] He played the town drunk in Wanted (1967) starring Giuliano Gemma and Serge Marquand.[4]

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 Sergio Leone. A fluent English speaker, he also reportedly served as Clint Eastwood's interpreter together with Bill Thompkins on the set of A Fistful of Dollars.[5][6]

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Lupi, Gordiano (22 August 2018). "Per un pugno di dollari (Film, 1964)". Futuro Europa (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Stasera in tv su Rai 3 alle 20,30 Per qualche dollaro in più di Sergio Leone, con Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef e Gian Maria Volonté". Taxidrivers.it (in Italian). 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  3. ^ Ferraro, Pietro (18 August 2018). "Stasera in tv: "Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo" su Rai 3". Cineblog (in Italian). Triboo Media S.r.l. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  4. ^ Forsley, Christopher (28 May 2015). "'Wanted' Is a Spaghetti Western That Will Leave You Wanting". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  5. ^ Armour, Philip (1 June 2011). 100 Greatest Western Movies of All Time: Including Five You've Never Heard Of. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 66. ISBN 9780762769377.
  6. ^ Cox, Alex (7 August 2008). "Lucky man". New Statesman. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
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