Benito Stefanelli (2 September 1928 – 18 December 1999) was an Italian film actor,

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

and weapons master who made over 60 appearances in film between 1955 and 1991.

Biography and career

Stefanelli is best known in world cinema for his roles as henchmen in several of

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...

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 film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films '' A Fistful of Dollars'' (1964), ''

For a Few Dollars More ''For a Few Dollars More'' ( it, Per qualche dollaro in più) is a 1965 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone. It stars Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunters and Gian Maria Volonté as the primary villain. German actor K ...

'' (1965), and '' The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (1966). He played the town drunk in '' Wanted'' (1967) starring

Giuliano Gemma Giuliano Gemma (2 September 1938 – 1 October 2013) was an Italian actor. He is best known internationally for his work in Spaghetti Westerns, particularly for his performances as the title character in Duccio Tessari's ''A Pistol for Ringo'' (1 ...

and Serge Marquand. 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

. A fluent English speaker, he also reportedly served as

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

's interpreter together with Bill Thompkins on the set of ''A Fistful of Dollars''.

Selected filmography

* ''

Ulysses Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature. Ulysses may also refer to: People * Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name Places in the United States * Ulysses, Kansas * Ulysse ...

'' (1954) – Elatos (uncredited) * ''Il terrore della maschera rossa'' (1960) * '' Messalina'' (1960) * ''La strada dei giganti'' (1960) * '' La sceriffa'' (1960) * ''L'ultimo dei vichinghi'' (1961) – Lorig, amico di Guntar (uncredited) * ''Capitani di ventura'' (1961) * ''

The Trojan Horse The Trojan Horse was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending before the war is concluded, ...

'' (1961) * '' Romolo e Remo'' (1961) – Soldato con Amulio * '' The Slave'' (1962) – Nordic blond slave * '' The Avenger'' (1962) – Nisius, Euryalus' Friend * '' A Queen for Caesar'' (1962) – Commerciante #2 (uncredited) * ''

Revenge of the Musketeers ''Revenge of the Musketeers'' may refer to * ''Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1994 film) * ''Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1964 film) {{dab, type=film ...

'' (1963) * '' Zorro and the Three Musketeers'' (1963) * ' (1963) – Fritz * ''L'ultima carica'' (1964) * '' Grand Canyon Massacre'' (1964) – Gunman * '' Castle of Blood'' (1964) – William * '' A Fistful of Dollars'' (1964) – Rubio * ''Per un dollaro a Tucson si muore'' (1964) – Charlie * ''

Revenge of The Gladiators ''Revenge of The Gladiators'' ( it, La vendetta dei gladiatori) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Mickey Hargitay and José Greci.Marco Giusti, Steve Della Casa. ''Il grande libro di Ercole. Il cinem ...

'' (1964) – Ardenzio, gladiatore * ''

Blood for a Silver Dollar ''Blood for a Silver Dollar'' ( it, Un dollaro bucato) is a 1965 Spaghetti Western, Spaghetti Western film directed by Giorgio Ferroni, written by Giorgio Stegani and Ferroni, and starring Giuliano Gemma and Ida Galli. Plot synopsis Gary O'Hara, ...

'' (1965) – James * ''

'' (1965) – Luke 'Hughie' (Indio's Gang) * '' Secret Agent Super Dragon'' (1966) - Kirk * '' The Upper Hand'' (1966) * ''

100.000 dollari per Lassiter ''Dollars for a Fast Gun'' (also known as and ) is a 1966 Italian-Spanish comedy western film directed by Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent with Mariano Canales as the assistant director, it was written by Sergio Donati, and scored by Marcello Giomb ...

'' (1966) – Donovan, Foreman * ''Ypotron – Final Countdown'' (1966) – Il sicario Dwan * '' For a Few Extra Dollars'' (1966) – Juko * '' The Big Gundown'' (1966) – Jess, Widow's Ranchero * '' The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (1966) – Member of Angel Eyes' Gang #1 * ''

The Hellbenders ''The Hellbenders'' ( it, I crudeli, lit=The Cruel Ones, link=no) is a 1967 Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Corbucci. Plot Colonel Jonas is a fanatical and unrepentant Confederate who led a regiment called the Hellbenders in the recently ...

'' (1967) – Slim the Gambler * '' Wanted'' (1967) – Billy Baker * ''Gentleman Jo... uccidi'' (1967) – Larry * '' Kill the Wicked!'' (1967) * '' Day of Anger'' (1967) – Owen White – Killer * ''

Gunman Sent by God ''Il pistolero segnato da Dio'' () is an Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Anthony Steffen. Plot Cast * Anthony Steffen as Roy Kerry * Richard Wyler as Coleman * Ken Wood as Owl Roy * Liz Barret as ...

'' (1968) * ''

A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof ''A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof'' ( it, ...e per tetto un cielo di stelle) is a 1968 Italian Spaghetti Western comedy film. It is the second western film directed by Giulio Petroni. At first the director was to be Franco Giraldi, but then he m ...

'' (1968) – Rick (uncredited) * '' Once Upon a Time in the West'' (1968) – Frank's Lieutenant (uncredited) * '' Cemetery Without Crosses'' (1969) – Ben Caine (uncredited) * ''

The Price of Power ''The Price of Power'' ( it, Il prezzo del potere) is a 1969 Spaghetti Western directed by Tonino Valerii. The film stars Giuliano Gemma as the hero Bill Willer who tries to get revenge against the killers of his father while at the same time tr ...

'' (1969) – Sheriff Jefferson * ''La notte dei serpenti'' (1969) – Pancho * '' Er Più – storia d'amore e di coltello'' (1971) – Alfredo Di Lorenzo * '' W Django!'' (1971) – Ibanez * '' Trinity Is Still My Name'' (1971) – Stingary Smith * ''

Duck, You Sucker! ''Duck, You Sucker!'' ( it, Giù la testa, lit. "Duck Your Head", "Get Down"), also known as ''A Fistful of Dynamite'' and ''Once Upon a Time ... the Revolution'', is a 1971 epic Zapata Western film directed and co-written by Sergio Leone and ...

'' (1971) – Soldier torturing Dr. Villega (deleted scene) * ''

So Sweet, So Dead ''So Sweet, So Dead'' ( it, Rivelazioni di un maniaco sessuale al capo della squadra mobile, also known as ''The Slasher is the Sex Maniac'' and ''Penetration'' (the US version with hardcore inserts involving Harry Reems and Kim Pope)) is a 1972 ...

'' (1972) – Lilly's Husband * '' A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die'' (1972) – Samuel Pickett un ex condannato * ''Le Amazzoni – Donne d'amore e di guerra'' (1973) – Erno * '' My Name Is Nobody'' (1973) – Porteley * '' War Goddess'' (1973) – Commander * ''Charleston'' (1974) – Niccolo Cappocello (uncredited) * ''

White Fang to the Rescue ''Zanna Bianca alla riscossa'' (internationally released as ''White Fang to the Rescue'') is a 1974 Italian adventure film directed by Tonino Ricci. It is an unofficial sequel of Lucio Fulci's 1973 film ''White Fang'', in which Ricci was second un ...

'' (1974) – Jackson * '' Violent Rome'' (1975) – Grocery Store Robber (uncredited) * ''

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe ''A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe'' ( it, Un genio, due compari, un pollo) is a 1975 Spaghetti Western comedy film directed by Damiano Damiani and Sergio Leone, who directed the opening scene. Plot Joe Thanks (Terence Hill) is a genius conman ...

'' (1975) – Mortimer * ''

The Cop in Blue Jeans ''The Cop in Blue Jeans'' ( it, Squadra antiscippo, lit=Anti-theft squad) is an Italian crime and comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. The film was a major commercial success and generated a film series consisting of eleven entries starring Tom ...

'' (1976) – Shelley's Henchman * '' Crimebusters'' (1976) – Rapist (uncredited) * '' Hit Squad'' (1976) – Gorniani – attorney-at-law * ''

El Macho ''El Macho'' (also known as ''Macho Killers'') is a 1977 Italian-Argentine Spaghetti Western film written and directed by Marcello Andrei and starring Carlos Monzón, George Hilton, Malisa Longo and Susana Giménez. Synopsis Kid El Macho, a ...

'' (1977) – Sheriff * '' The Payoff'' (1978) – Improta * ''

The Pumaman ''The Pumaman'' ( it, L'uomo puma) is a 1980 Italian superhero film co-written and directed by Alberto De Martino, starring Walter George Alton as the title character and Donald Pleasence as the villain. It was featured in a 1998 episode of '' My ...

'' (1980) – Rankin, Kobras' Lieutenant * ''La guerra del ferro – Ironmaster'' (1983) – Iskay * ''

White Fire ''White Fire'' (also known as ''Vivre Pour Survivre'' and ''Le Diamant'') is a 1984 French-American-Italian- Turkish thriller film by Jean-Marie Pallardy. It stars Belinda Mayne, Robert Ginty, Fred Williamson, Gordon Mitchell and Jess Hahn. The ...

'' (1985) – Barbossa (uncredited) * '' Ladyhawke'' (1985) – Bishop's Guard (uncredited) * '' Warbus'' (1986) – Debrard (uncredited) * '' The Barbarians'' (1987) – Greyshaft (uncredited) * '' Cobra Verde'' (1987) – Captain Pedro Vicente * ''Un maledetto soldato'' (1988) – Andrew Teitelman (uncredited) * '' Phantom of Death'' (1988) – Man in Restroom (uncredited) * ''Transformations'' (1988) – Vapes * '' The Pit and the Pendulum'' (1991) – Executioner (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stefanelli, Benito 1929 births 1999 deaths 20th-century Italian male actors Italian male film actors Italian stunt performers Male Spaghetti Western actors Male actors from Rome People of Lazian descent