Phaedros Stassinos (1930 – 28 June 2012) was a

Greek Cypriot Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνοκύπριοι, Ellinokýprioi, tr, Kıbrıs Rumları) are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community. According to the 2011 census, 659,115 r ...

actor whose international stage name was Paul Stassino.

Early life

Stassino was born in

Platres Platres ( el, Πλάτρες) or Pano Platres ( el, Πάνω Πλάτρες; tr, Yukarı Platres; English: ''Upper Platres''), is a Μountainous village in Cyprus. It is located on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains and is one of the win ...

and grew up in nearby

Limassol Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...

, but spent most of his acting career in England. He had moved there at the age of 18 to study law. Without telling his parents, he got a scholarship to the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Sen ...

Career

He appeared in many British films, in British TV dramas such as ''

Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again b ...

'' and ''

The Saint The Saint may refer to: Fiction * Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations: ** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...

''. He appeared in ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'' in 1968, as Hungarian demolition contractor Miklos Zadic who had a brief relationship with Emily Nugent (played by

Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2 ...

). Possibly his best known performance was when he played two parts, Major François Derval and Angelo Palazzi, in the James Bond film '' Thunderball'' (see List of James Bond henchmen in Thunderball). Other roles include "Le Pirate" in ''

That Riviera Touch ''That Riviera Touch'' is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. It is the second feature-length film made by the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. The film opened at the Leicester Square T ...

'', and the first officer of the Colombian ship ''Paloma'' in ''

Tiger Bay Tiger Bay ( cy, Bae Teigr) was the local name for an area of Cardiff which covered Butetown and Cardiff Docks. Following the building of the Cardiff Barrage, which dams the tidal rivers, Ely and Taff, to create a body of water, it is re ...

''. In 1972 he moved to Athens, where he worked as a director in the casino in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

, and then because of his great love for his island, he moved to his birthplace in Cyprus where he worked in the Public Theatre in

Nicosia Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...

as an actor and as a director, where after he retired he moved to his beloved Limassol. He died on 28 June 2012 in Limassol and was buried in the cemetery of Limassol Sfalagiotisa.

Personal life

He was married twice and had three children Julian Stassino, Alex Stassino, and Elvi Stassinou.

Filmography

* ''

Ill Met by Moonlight ''Ill Met by Moonlight: The Abduction of General Kreipe'' is a non-fiction partly-autobiographical book written by W. Stanley Moss, a British soldier, writer and traveller. It describes an operation in Crete during the Second World War to captu ...

'' (1957) - Yani Katsias * ''

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...

'' (1957) - Customs Inspector * ''

Miracle in Soho ''Miracle in Soho'' is a 1957 British drama film directed by Julian Amyes and starring John Gregson, Belinda Lee and Cyril Cusack. The film depicts the lives of the inhabitants of a small street in Soho and the romance between a local road-b ...

'' (1957) - Paulo * ''

Ice Cold in Alex ''Ice Cold in Alex'' is a 1958 British war film set during the Western Desert campaign of World War II based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Landon. Directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring John Mills, the film was a prizewinner a ...

'' (1958) - Barman * '' The Great Van Robbery'' (1959) - Toni * ''

The Man Who Liked Funerals ''The Man Who Liked Funerals'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by David Eady (film director), David Eady and starring Leslie Phillips, Susan Beaumont and Bill Fraser. It was written by Margot Bennett (writer), Margot Bennett, Cecily Fin ...

'' (1959) - Nick Morelli * ''

'' (1959) - 'POLOMA' 1st. Officer * ''

The Bandit of Zhobe ''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 ...

'' (1959) - Hatti * ''

The Stranglers of Bombay ''The Stranglers of Bombay'' is a 1959 British adventure horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Films dealing with the British East India Company's investigation of the cult of Thuggee stranglers in the 1830s. The film stars Guy Rolf ...

'' (1960) - Lt. Silver * '' Moment of Danger'' (1960) - Juan Montoya * ''

Sands of the Desert ''Sands of the Desert'' is a 1960 British adventure comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Charlie Drake in his first lead role in a feature film, Peter Arne, Sarah Branch and Raymond Huntley. Premise Charlie Sands, a Briti ...

'' (1960) - Pilot * '' The Criminal'' (1960) - Alfredo Fanucci * ''

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...

'' (1960) - Driver-guide on Cyprus * ''

Man Detained ''Man Detained'' is a 1961 British crime film directed by Robert Tronson and starring Bernard Archard, Elvi Hale and Paul Stassino. Part of the long-running series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios, it is loosely based ...

'' (1961) - James Helder * ''

The Secret Partner ''The Secret Partner'' is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Stewart Granger, Haya Harareet and Bernard Lee. The screenplay concerns a shipping executive officer who is blackmailed by an evil dentist. Plot Jo ...

'' (1961) - Man in Soho Street * '' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'' (1961) - Stefano - The Barber * ''

Echo of Barbara ''Echo of Barbara'' is a 1960 British crime film directed by Sidney Hayers, and based on a novel of the same title by Jonathan Burke. It concerns Soho stripper Paula, who poses as Barbara, the missing sister of crooked Sam Roscoe, hoping to unco ...

'' (1961) - Caledonia * ''

Sammy Going South ''Sammy Going South'' (retitled ''A Boy Ten Feet Tall'' for its later US release) is a 1963 British adventure film directed by Alexander Mackendrick, photographed by Erwin Hillier and starring Edward G. Robinson, Fergus McClelland and Constan ...

'' (1963) - Spyros Dracandopolous * ''

Stolen Hours ''Stolen Hours'' is a 1963 British-American drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Susan Hayward as a socialite with a brain tumor who falls in love with her surgeon's colleague. The film also stars Michael Craig, Edward Judd and Dia ...

'' (1963) - Dalporto * ''

The Long Ships ''The Long Ships'' or ''Red Orm'' (original Swedish: ''Röde Orm'' meaning ''Red Serpent'' or ''Red Snake'') is an adventure novel by the Swedish writer Frans G. Bengtsson. The narrative is set in the late 10th century and follows the advent ...

'' (1964) - Raschid * ''

The Moon-Spinners ''The Moon-Spinners'' is a 1964 American mystery film starring Hayley Mills, Eli Wallach and Peter McEnery in a story about a jewel thief hiding on the island of Crete. Produced by Walt Disney Productions, the film was based upon a 1962 suspense ...

'' (1964) - Lambis * ''

The Verdict ''The Verdict'' is a 1982 American legal drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and written by David Mamet, adapted from Barry Reed's 1980 novel of the same name. It stars Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, an ...

'' (

Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The E ...

) (1964) - Danny Thorne * '' The Saint Season 3 Episode 9 "The Death Penalty" * ''

The High Bright Sun ''The High Bright Sun'' is a 1964 British action film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Dirk Bogarde, George Chakiris and Susan Strasberg. It is set in Cyprus during the EOKA uprising against British rule in the 1950s. It was based on a ...

'' (1965) - Alkis * '' Thunderball'' (1965) - François Derval / Angelo Palazzi * ''

Where the Spies Are ''Where the Spies Are'' is a 1966 British comedy adventure film directed by Val Guest and starring David Niven, Françoise Dorléac, John Le Mesurier, Cyril Cusack and Richard Marner. It was based on the 1964 James Leasor book '' Passport to Obl ...

'' (1965) - Simmias * ''

'' (1966) - Le Pirate * ''Sands of Beersheba'' (1966) - Salim * '' The Magus'' (1968) - Meli * ''

You Can't Win 'Em All ''You Can't Win 'Em All'' is a 1970 British-American war film, written by Leo Gordon (also an actor who appears in the film) and directed by Peter Collinson. It stars Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson and Michele Mercier. Plot The setting is th ...

'' (1970) - Gunner major (uncredited) * ''

A Touch of the Other ''A Touch of the Other'' is a 1970 British drama film directed by Arnold L. Miller and starring Hélène Françoise, Kenneth Cope and Shirley Anne Field. Premise A London private detective finds himself the target of a gangster. Delger, "the ma ...

'' (1970) - Connelly * ''

Die Screaming, Marianne ''Die Screaming, Marianne'' (also ''Die, Beautiful Marianne'') is a 1971 British thriller film produced and directed by Pete Walker (director), Pete Walker. Although Walker's films were mostly in the horror or sexploitation genres, this is a stra ...

'' (1971) - Portuguese Police Detective * ''

Escape to Athena ''Escape to Athena'' is a 1979 British adventure comedy war film directed by George P. Cosmatos. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. The film i ...

'' (1979) - Zeno's Man (final film role)

References

External links

*
Paul Stassino
at

Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating from Portugal and Spain, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has ...

Obituary (Greek)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stassino, Paul Cypriot male film actors Cypriot male television actors Greek Cypriot people 1930 births 2012 deaths 20th-century Cypriot male actors Cypriot emigrants to England British people of Greek Cypriot descent British male film actors British male television actors 20th-century British male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art