Bradford Harris (July 16, 1933 – November 7, 2017) was an American

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

, stuntman, and executive producer. He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films, mostly in European productions. He was an inductee in the Stuntman's Hall of Fame.

Life and career

Born in St. Anthony, Idaho, Harris' family moved to California, where he attended Burbank High School, then received an

athletic scholarship An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university or a private high school awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport. Athletic scholarships are common in the United ...

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

where he studied economics. When he injured his knee playing football he was advised to take up weightlifting to strengthen the injury that developed his interest in bodybuilding. Harris entered films as a stand-in, stuntman, and later an actor. His first roles were in

André de Toth Endre Antal Miksa DeToth, better known as Andre de Toth (born Endre Antal Mihály Tóth; May 15, 1913 – October 27, 2002), was a Hungarian-American film director, born and raised in Makó, Austria-Hungary. He directed the 3D film House of Wa ...

's '' Monkey on My Back'' and ''

Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbilly, hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written a ...

''. With his athletic physique, Harris travelled to Rome to watch the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

and perform stunts in Stanley Kubrick's ''

Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...

.'' He stayed in Europe for the boom in European

sword and sandal Sword-and-sandal, also known as peplum (pepla plural), is a subgenre of largely Italian-made historical, mythological, or Biblical epics mostly set in the Greco-Roman antiquity or the Middle Ages. These films attempted to emulate the big-budge ...

Eurospy Eurospy film, or Spaghetti spy film (when referring to Italian-produced films in the genre), is a genre of spy films produced in Europe, especially in Italy, France, and Spain, that either sincerely imitated or else parodied the British James ...

, and Spaghetti Western genres. Harris discovered, when working in Germany, that

stunt coordinator A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company for stunt casting. Their job is to arrange the casting (stunt players and stunt doubles) and performance of stunts for a ...

s were nonexistent in that country and he often did extra duties as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, and second unit director as well as an actor. Harris made his debut as a leading man in 1961 in the title role of

Gianfranco Parolini Gianfranco Parolini (20 February 1925 in Rome, Italy – 26 April 2018 in Rome, Italy) was an Italian film director. He is often credited as Frank Kramer. Among his films are '' The Sabata Trilogy'', several sword and sandal films, most of the Ko ...

's '' Goliath Against the Giants'' and ''

Samson Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution o ...

.'' He would have a long, continuing relationship in several films written and directed by Parolini. Harris also began to be teamed with Tony Kendall, starting with the Western ''Pirates of the Mississippi''. He later married his co-star in ''Black Eagle of Santa Fe'', the sequel to that film. He married Czech actress

Olga Schoberová Olga Schoberová, also known as Olinka Bérová (born March 15, 1943), is a Czech-American actress. She acted in Czech, German, Italian, Austrian, Polish, English, and American movies. As "Olinka Berova", she appeared in ''The Vengeance of She'' ...

on November 16, 1967 and divorced in 1969. They had a daughter named Babrinka (Sabrina). Harris teamed again with Kendall and Parolini in the

Kommissar X Kommissar X or Commissioner X is a German crime fiction series of books from the Pabel Moewig publishing house. "Kommissar X" is a private detective named Joe Louis Walker who was a counterpart of the German crime fiction FBI Special Agent Jerry ...

series, and ''The Three Fantastic Supermen''/''I Fantastici Tre Supermen'' (1967) series. He served as executive producer on several of his films including '' King of Kong Island'' (which he also starred in) and

Jack Cardiff Jack Cardiff, (18 September 1914 – 22 April 2009) was a British cinematographer, film and television director, and photographer. His career spanned the development of cinema, from silent film, through early experiments in Technicolor, to fi ...

's '' The Mutations''. He later made seven appearances on the American

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' Falcon Crest'' as "Deputy Duffy". His most recent film was the

Andrea Zaccariello Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that re ...

's comedy ''Boom'', released in 1999. Harris invented and marketed exercise products called "AB-OrigOnals." He owned a company called Modern Body Design. In 2015 he was awarded the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

College of Humanities’ Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award in the Humanities. He died on November 7, 2017, at the age of 84.Brad Harris, Actor in Sword-and-Sandal Movies, Dies at 84
variety.com; accessed November 11, 2021.

Selected filmography

* ''

The McConnell Story ''The McConnell Story'' is a 1955 dramatization of the life and career of United States Air Force (USAF) pilot Joseph C. McConnell (1922–1954) directed by Gordon Douglas. McConnell served as a navigator in World War II before becoming the ...

'' (1955) - Pilot (uncredited) * '' Monkey on My Back'' (1957) - Spike McAvoy * ''Speed Crazy'' (1959) - Bit Part (uncredited) * ''

'' (1959) - Muscleman Luke (uncredited) * ''

Tall Story ''Tall Story'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy film made by Warner Bros., directed by Joshua Logan and starring Anthony Perkins with Jane Fonda, in her first screen role. It is based on the 1957 novel ''The Homecoming Game'' by Howard Nemero ...

'' (1960) - Student by Fire (uncredited) * ''

13 Fighting Men ''13 Fighting Men'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Harry W. Gerstad and written by Robert Hamner and Jack W. Thomas. The film stars Grant Williams, Brad Dexter, Carole Mathews, Robert Dix, Richard Garland and Richard Crane. The fi ...

'' (1960) - Pvt. Fowler * ''

Ocean's 11 ''Ocean's 11'' is a 1960 American heist film directed and produced by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, based on a story by George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell. The film stars five of the Rat Pack ...

'' (1960) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

'' (1960) - Gladiator / Soldier (uncredited) * '' Goliath Against the Giants'' (1961) - Goliath * ''

'' (1961) - Samson * ''

The Fury Of Hercules ''The Fury of Hercules'' ( it, La furia di Ercole) is a 1962 peplum film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini. Plot Hercules is reached by the slave Daria, who informes him that his country has fallen into the hands of the tyrant Meniste ...

'' (1962) - Hercules * ''

The Hot Port of Hong Kong ''The Hot Port of Hong Kong'' or ''Hong Kong Hot Harbor'' (German: ''Heißer Hafen Hongkong'') is a 1962 Italian-West German crime film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Marianne Koch, Klausjürgen Wussow and Dominique Boschero.Bergfelder p ...

'' (1962) - Polizeiinspektor McLean * '' It Happened in Athens'' (1962) - Garrett (uncredited) * ''

79 A.D. ''79 A.D.'' ( it, Anno 79 - La distruzione di Ercolano, french: Les derniers jours d'Herculanum, also known as ''The Destruction of Herculaneum'') is a 1962 Italian-French epic drama film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini and starrin ...

'' (1962) - Marcus Tiberius * ''

The Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

'' (1962) - Simone * ''

The Black Panther of Ratana ''The Black Panther of Ratana'' (german: Der schwarze Panther von Ratana) is a 1963 West German-Italian adventure film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Marianne Koch, Heinz Drache, and Horst Frank. The film's sets were designed by the a ...

'' (1963) - Larry Finch * ''

The Pirates of the Mississippi ''The Pirates of the Mississippi'' (German: ''Die Flußpiraten vom Mississippi'') is a Western film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Hansjörg Felmy, Brad Harris and Sabine Sinjen. A Eurowestern, it was a co-production between West Germ ...

'' (1963) - Tom Cook * ''

Mission to Hell ''Mission to Hell'' (german: Die Diamantenholle am Mekong, french: Les diamants du Mekong, it, La sfida viene da Bangkok) is a 1964 German-French-Italian spy film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini and starring Paul Hubschmid. One of t ...

'' (1964) - Joe Warren * ''

Mystery of the Red Jungle ''Mystery of the Red Jungle'' (german: Weiße Fracht für Hongkong, french: Le mystère de la jongue rouge, it, Da 077: criminali ad Hong Kong, also known as ''Operation Hong Kong'') is a 1964 German-French-Italian adventure-spy film directed by ...

'' (1964) - Larry McLean * ''

The Secret of the Chinese Carnation ''The Secret of the Chinese Carnation'' (german: Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke, it, Il segreto del garofano cinese) is a 1964 German-Italian krimi eurospy film directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber and starring Paul Dahlke, Olga Schoberová, ...

'' (1964) - Donald Ramsey * ''

Massacre at Marble City ''Massacre at Marble City'' (german: Die Goldsucher von Arkansas, french: Les chercheurs d'or de l'Arkansas, it, Alla conquista dell'Arkansas, released in U.K. as ''Conquerors of Arkansas'') is a 1964 German-French-Italian western film directed ...

'' (1964) - Phil Stone * '' Black Eagle of Santa Fe'' (1965) - Cliff McPherson * ''

Our Man in Jamaica ''Our Man in Jamaica''/''Operation Jamaica'' ( it, A 001, operazione Giamaica) is a 1965 Italian Spanish German international co-production Eurospy adventure film directed by an uncredited Mel Welles. It was credited to for reasons of European ...

'' (1965) - Captain Mike Jefferson * ''

Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill ''Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill'' (german: Kommissar X – Jagd auf Unbekannt, it, 12 donne d'oro, also known as ''Hunting The Unknown'' and ''Kiss Kiss... Kill Kill'') is a Eurospy film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini who also wrote lyrics ...

'' (1966) - Capt. Tom Rowland * ''

Kommissar X – Drei gelbe Katzen ''Kommissar X – Drei gelbe Katzen'' is a 1966 Eurospy film written and co-directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber and Gianfranco Parolini. Filmed in Ceylon, it stars Tony Kendall, Brad Harris and Dan Vadis with Harris and Vadis doing their own stuntw ...

'' (aka ''Death is Nimble, Death is Quick'') (1966) - Capt. Tom Rowland * ''

Kommissar X – In den Klauen des goldenen Drachen ''Kommissar X – In den Klauen des goldenen Drachen'' (In the Claws of the Golden Dragon) (English title:''So Darling So Deadly'') is a 1966 Eurospy film co-written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini and starring Tony Kendall and Brad Harris. I ...

'' (aka ''So Darling So Deadly'') (1966) - Capt. Tom Rowland * ''

The Three Fantastic Supermen ''The Three Fantastic Supermen'' ( it, I fantastici tre supermen) is a 1967 superhero film directed by Gianfranco Parolini. The film was the first in a series of Three Supermen films. Cast * Luciano Stella as Tony * Brad Harris as Brad McCallum * ...

'' (1967) - Brad McCallum * ''The Ten Million Dollar Grab'' (1967) - Robert Colman * ''

Kommissar X – Drei grüne Hunde ''Kommissar X Drei grüne Hunde'', it, Strategic command chiama Jo Walker, also known as ''Death Trip'' and ''Kill Me Gently'' is a 1967 West German-Italian-French-Lebanese-Hungarian international co-production Eurospy film written, co-produced ...

'' (aka ''Death Trip'') (1967) - Capt. Tom Rowland * '' Spy Today, Die Tomorrow'' (1967) - Cliff * ''

Un hombre vino a matar ''Rattler Kid'' ( es, Un hombre vino a matar, lang-ita, L'uomo venuto per uccidere) is a 1967 Italian-Argentine western film directed by León Klimovsky, scored by Francesco De Masi, and starring Richard Wyler, Jesús Puente, Brad Harris, and Auro ...

'' (1967) - Sheriff Bill Manners * ''Kommissar X - Drei blaue Panther'' (1968) - Capt. Tom Rowland * ''Cin cin... cianuro'' (1968) - George * '' King of Kong Island'' (1968) - Burt Dawson * ''

Kommissar X – Drei goldene Schlangen ''Kommissar X – Drei goldene Schlangen'' (translation: ''Commissioner X: Three Golden Snakes'') is a 1969 international co-production Eurospy film directed by Roberto Mauri and starring Tony Kendall and Brad Harris that was shot in Thailand. ...

'' (1969) - Capt. Tom Rowland * '' Poppea's Hot Nights'' (1969) - Claudio Valerio * ''

Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in Franc ...

'' (1970) - Sergeant in Bar (uncredited) * ''Che fanno i nostri supermen tra le vergini della jungla?'' (1970) - Captain Brad Scott * ''Quando suona la campana'' (1970) - Don Vincenzo * ' (1970) - Ken Stark * ' (1970) - Sabata * ''The Mad Butcher'' (1971) - Mike Lawrence * ''Arriva Durango... paga o muori'' (1971) - Durango * ''Il ritorno del gladiatore più forte del mondo'' (1971) - Marzio * '' Kommissar X jagt die roten Tiger'' (aka ''Tiger Gang'') (1971) - Capt. Tom Rowland * ''Seminò morte... lo chiamavano il Castigo di Dio!'' (1972) - Django / Durango * ''Zambo, il dominatore della foresta'' (1972) - George Ryon aka Zambo * ''Questa volta ti faccio ricco!'' (1974) - Brad McCoy * ''

The Girl in Room 2A ''The Girl in Room 2A'' (Italian: ''La Casa della Paura'') is a 1974 giallo film directed by William Rose, starring Daniela Giordano and Angelo Infanti. Synopsis Margaret Bradley is young girl just paroled from jail who rents a room in house o ...

'' (1974) - Charlie * '' The Mutations'' (1974) - Brian Redford * '' Who Breaks... Pays'' (1975) - Placido * '' Lady Dracula'' (1977) - Kommissar * '' The Beast in Heat'' (1977) - Don Lorenzo (uncredited) * '' Brass Target'' (1978) - Lt. Rowan * ''Zwei tolle Käfer räumen auf'' (1979) - Don Fernando Hidalgo * ''Mie jue qi qi'' (1980) - Leopard * ''

Good-bye, Cruel World ''Good-bye, Cruel World'' is a 1983 American comedy feature film directed by David Irving and starring Dick Shawn and Cynthia Sikes. It was co-written by Shawn and Nicholas Niciphor. It features ''The Daily Show'' correspondent Larry Wilmore ...

'' (1983) - Policeman * ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

'' (1983) - King Augeias * ''

The Seven Magnificent Gladiators ''The Seven Magnificent Gladiators'' ( it, I sette magnifici gladiatori) is an Italian '' peplum'' film directed by Bruno Mattei. Production The box office success of ''Conan the Barbarian'' sparked a mini-revival of '' peplum'' film productio ...

'' (1983) - Scipio * '' Death Stone'' (1987) - Brain * ''Boom'' (1999) - Gordon Steele (segment "Il figlio di Maciste") * ''

Shiver Shivering (also called shuddering) is a bodily function in response to cold and extreme fear in warm-blooded animals. When the core body temperature drops, the shivering reflex is triggered to maintain homeostasis. Skeletal muscles begin to s ...

'' (2012) - The Captain (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Brad Harris bio on (re)Search my Trash
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Brad 1933 births 2017 deaths 20th-century American male actors American bodybuilders American expatriates in Italy American male film actors American male soap opera actors American stunt performers Male actors from Idaho Male Spaghetti Western actors People associated with physical culture People from St. Anthony, Idaho