Erminio Spalla (7 July 1897 – 14 August 1971) was an Italian professional heavyweight

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

film 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 (), lite ...

and singer. Spalla studied fine arts in Brera, when in 1910 he saw film footage of the world boxing championships and decided to become a professional boxer. He was the first Italian to win a European boxing title, which he did in 1923. He lost it in 1926 to

Paulino Uzcudun Paulino Uzcudun Eizmendi (3 May 1899 – 5 July 1985) was a Spanish heavyweight boxer, who is considered to be the greatest heavyweight from Spain. Uzkudun is the Basque spelling of his last name. He was the youngest of nine siblings. In his y ...

and retired from boxing the next year, though he briefly returned to the ring in 1934 and won all three of his final bouts. He returned to art after retiring from the ring. In October 1937 he debuted as an opera singer in ''Nel Trovatore'' in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

. In the same year he also worked in sculpture and painting. In 1939 he acted in his first film, ''Io, suo padre'' by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...

. This was followed by over fifty films and television series, including the war film ''

Giarabub Jaghbub ( ar, الجغبوب) is a remote desert village in the Al Jaghbub Oasis in the eastern Libyan Desert. It is actually closer to the Egyptian town of Siwa Oasis, Siwa than to any Libyan town of note. The oasis is located in Butnan District ...

'' (1942). His last film was ''I fratelli Karamazov'' by

Sandro Bolchi Sandro Bolchi (18 January 1924 – 2 August 2005) was an Italian director, actor and journalist. Biography Bolchi was born in Voghera, Italy on 18 January 1924. He died on 2 August 2005 in Rome, Italy. Background Born in Voghera, Bolchi, who ...

(1969). His elder brother Giuseppe was also a boxer.

Selected filmography

* ''Il match dei 100.000 dollari'' (1921) * ''

I, His Father ''I, His Father'' (Italian: ''Io, suo padre'') is a 1939 Italian sports drama film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Erminio Spalla, Mariella Lotti and Clara Calamai. It was shot at the Scalera Studios in Rome. The film's sets were designed ...

'' (1939) - Romolo Tonelli * ''

The Silent Partner ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1939) - Il colonello * ''Il signore della taverna'' (1940) * ''Il ponte dei sospiri'' (1940) - Scalabrino * ''La compagnia della teppa'' (1941) - L'oste Bartolomeo Borghi * ''

The Hero of Venice ''The Hero of Venice'' (Italian: ''Il bravo di Venezia'') is a 1941 Italian historical adventure film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Gustav Diessl, Paola Barbara, Rossano Brazzi and Valentina Cortese.Damiani p.256-257 It was shot ...

'' (1941) - Franco * ''Capitan Tempesta'' (1942) - El Kadur * ''The Lion of Damascus'' (1942) - El Kadur * ''Arriviamo noi!'' (1942) - Il terzo gestorio del "castello delle streghe" * ''

'' (1942) - Il meccanico "Mago Bakù" Brambilla * ''I due Foscari'' (1942) - Oliviero * ''

Il fanciullo del West ''Il fanciullo del West'' ( ''The Boy of the West'' ) is a 1943 Italian comedy film directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Erminio Macario. It is named after Puccini's opera ''La fanciulla del West'' (''The Girl of the West'' ) and is consider ...

'' (1942) - Il fattore dei Carey * '' Knights of the Desert'' (1942) * '' The Champion'' (1943) - Mario Martini * ''

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

'' (1943) - Franckie Battaglia, l'allenatore * '' Romulus and the Sabines'' (1945) - Giovanni, il carrettiere * ''Senza famiglia'' (1946) - Vitali * ''Ogni giorno è domenica'' (1946) - Stefano * ''

The Devil's Gondola ''The Devil's Gondola'' (Italian: ''La gondola del diavolo'') is a 1946 Italian historical drama-crime film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Loredana, Carlo Lombardi, and Erminio Spalla.Klossner p.103 Made by Scalera Films, it was s ...

'' (1946) - Marco, il gondoliere * ''

The Tyrant of Padua ''The Tyrant of Padua'' (Italian: ''Il tiranno di Padova'') is a 1946 Italian historical film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Clara Calamai, Carlo Lombardi and Elsa De Giorgi.Brunetta, p. 150. It is an adaptation of the 1835 play '' Angelo, ...

'' (1946) - Un evaso * ''Sangue a Ca' Foscari'' (1946) * ''

The Opium Den ''The Opium Den'' (Italian: ''Fumeria d'oppio'') is a 1947 Italian crime film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Emilio Ghione Jr., Mariella Lotti, and Emilio Cigoli. It was an unsuccessful attempt to revive the Za La Mort character, w ...

'' (1947) * ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1947) - Mangiafuoco * ''

Cab Number 13 ''Cab Number 13'' ( it, Il fiacre n. 13) is a 1948 Italian crime-melodrama film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Vera Carmi. Cast * Vera Carmi - Jeanne Herblet (segments "Delitto" & "Castigo") * Ginette Leclerc - Claudia (segments "Delitt ...

'' (1948) - Le marin * ''Fabíola'' (1949) * ''

The Pirates of Capri ''The Pirates of Capri'' ( it, I pirati di Capri), released in the United Kingdom as ''The Masked Pirate'', is a 1949 Italian/American international co-production swashbuckler film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer starring Louis Hayward. It was filmed ...

'' (1949) * '' Flying Squadron'' (1949) * ''Santo disonore'' (1950) - Oreste * ''

Deported Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...

'' (1950) - Benjamino Barda * ''

Bluebeard's Six Wives ''Bluebeard's Six Wives'' (Italian: ''Le sei mogli di Barbablù'') is a 1950 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Totò, Isa Barzizza and Carlo Ninchi.Moliterno p.48 The film's sets were designed by the art directo ...

'' (1950) - L'Autista * ''

Miracle in Milan ''Miracle in Milan'' ( it, Miracolo a Milano) is a 1951 Italian fantasy film directed by Vittorio De Sica. The screenplay was co-written by Cesare Zavattini, based on his novel ''Totò il Buono.'' The picture stars Francesco Golisano, Emma Grama ...

'' (1951) - Gaetano * ''O Comprador de Fazendas'' (1951) * ''

A Flea on the Scales ''A Flea on the Scales'' (Portuguese: ''Uma Pulga na Balança'') is a 1953 Brazilian comedy film directed by Luciano Salce and starring Waldemar Wey, Gilda Nery and Geraldo José de Almeida.Molinterno p.289 Cast * Waldemar Wey as Dorival * ...

'' (1953) * ''A Família Lero-Lero'' (1953) * '' Lights Out'' (1953) * ''Chéri-Bibi'' (1955) - Il rosso * ''

The Red Cloak ''The Red Cloak'' (Italian: ''Il mantello rosso'') is a 1955 French-Italian historical adventure film directed by Giuseppe Maria Scotese and starring Patricia Medina, Fausto Tozzi and Jean Murat.Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908–1990 p.1 ...

'' (1955) * ''

Io piaccio ''Io piaccio'' (also known as ''La via del successo... con le donne'') is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Giorgio Bianchi. Plot Professor Maldi, a researcher on the company held by Commendatore Tassinetti (Aldo Fabrizi), experiments on ...

'' (1955) - Man who abducts Roberto Maldi (uncredited) * ''Torna piccina mia!'' (1955) - Zoras * ''Vendicata!'' (1956) * ''

Wives and Obscurities ''Wives and Obscurities'' (Italian:''Moglie e buoi...'') is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Leonardo De Mitri and starring Gino Cervi, Walter Chiari and Enrico Viarisio Enrico Viarisio (3 December 1897 – 1 November 1967) was an Italian ...

'' (1956) - Oste * ''A Estrada'' (1956) * ''

Poveri ma belli ''Poveri ma belli'' (U.S. title: ''Poor, But Handsome''; U.K. title: ''A Girl in Bikini'') is a successful 1957 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. There have been two sequels, also directed by Risi and starring Marisa Allasio, Maurizio ...

'' (1957) - Amico del padre di Giovanna * ''Addio sogni di gloria'' (1957) * ''

Song of Naples ''Song of Naples'' ( it, Ascoltami, german: Das Lied von Neapel, ...und vergib mir meine Schuld) is a 1957 Italian-German melodrama film written and directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Joachim Fuchsberger and Janet Vidor. It grossed o ...

'' (1957) - Docker * ''Solo Dio mi fermerà'' (1957) * ''

Il Conte di Matera ''Il Conte di Matera'' ("The Count of Matera") is a 1958 Italian adventure film directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Virna Lisi and Otello Toso. Plot Rambaldo Tramontana, a count who went into battle backed by the French, returns to Mater ...

'' (1958) - Amico di Golia * ''

Angel in a Taxi ''Angel in a Taxi'' ( it, Ballerina e Buon Dio) is a 1958 Italian film. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti and Vera Tschechowa. Cast * Vera Tschechowa: Camilla, the dancer * : Marietto * Vittorio De Sica: God * Gabriele Ferzetti: Andrea * Guido Lauri: th ...

'' (1958) - Un saltimbanco * ''

The Naked Maja ''The Naked Maja'' is a 1958 Italian-American co-production made by S.G.C., Titanus, and United Artists. This historical film recounting of the romance between the painter Francisco Goya and the Duchess of Alba was directed by Henry Koster, an ...

'' (1958) - Rojas (the Innkeeper) * ''

The Defeated Victor ''The Defeated Victor'' ( it, Un uomo facile) is a 1958 Italian drama film directed by Paolo Heusch. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Maurizio Arena as Romolo De Santis * Giovanna Ralli as Lina * Tiberio M ...

'' (1959) - Coach (allenatore) * ''

The Pirate and the Slave Girl ''The Pirate and the Slave Girl'' ( it, La scimitarra del Saraceno, also known as ''The Pirate's Captive'') is a 1959 Italian adventure film written and directed by Piero Pierotti and starring Lex Barker. Plot Captain Drakut, called the "Dra ...

'' (1959) - Malik * ''Agosto, donne mie non vi conosco'' (1959) * ''

Il Mattatore ''Love and Larceny'' (in Italian, ''Il mattatore'', "The Showman") is a 1960 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. It was entered into the 10th Berlin International Film Festival. Plot Gerardo is an aspiring actor, trying unsuccessfully t ...

'' (1960) - Un detenuto (uncredited) * '' Siege of Syracuse'' (1960) - Taverniere (uncredited) * ''

Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete ''Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete'' ( it, Teseo contro il Minotauro, lit=Theseus against the Minotaur) is a 1960 film based on the Greek legend of Theseus, the Athenian hero who is said to have slain a minotaur on Minoan Crete around 1500 or 14 ...

'' (1960) - Padre Addottivo di Arianna * ''

The Prisoner of the Iron Mask ''The Prisoner of the Iron Mask'' ( it, La vendetta della maschera di ferro, french: La vengeance du masque de fer) is a 1962 Italian-French swashbuckler film. It was directed by Francesco De Feo.The Fury of Achilles ''L'ira di Achille'', internationally released as ''The Fury of Achilles'', is a 1962 Italian historical drama set in the ninth year of the Trojan War and is based primarily on Homer's ''Iliad''. The film was directed by Marino Girolami and starre ...

'' (1962) - Nestor * ''Taur, il re della forza bruta'' (1963) - Re di Shrupuk * ''

The Sailor from Gibraltar ''The Sailor from Gibraltar'' is a 1967 British romantic drama film directed by Tony Richardson and starring Jeanne Moreau, Ian Bannen, Vanessa Redgrave, Hugh Griffith and Orson Welles. The screenplay concerns a mysterious woman who wanders th ...

'' (1967) - Eolo

References

External links

* 1897 births 1971 deaths Sportspeople from the Province of Alessandria Italian male film actors 20th-century Italian male actors Italian male boxers Heavyweight boxers {{Italy-boxing-bio-stub