Steffen Zacharias (April 11, 1927 – June 6, 1989) was a German-born

Greek American Greek Americans ( el, Ελληνοαμερικανοί ''Ellinoamerikanoí'' ''Ellinoamerikánoi'' ) are Americans of full or partial Greek ancestry. The lowest estimate is that 1.2 million Americans are of Greek descent while the highest es ...

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

known for his roles in films and television in America and Italy.

Biography

Born in Germany to Greek parents, Zacharias grew up in the United States, where he worked in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

as a

stage director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

, before making his acting debut in '' The Reporter''. He migrated to Italy in 1967, and quickly gained a reputation as a reliable performer of character roles in genre films, including several appearances alongside

Terence Hill Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with longtim ...

and

Bud Spencer Carlo Pedersoli (31 October 1929 – 27 June 2016), known professionally as Bud Spencer, was an Italian actor, professional swimmer and water polo player. He was known for action-comedy and Spaghetti Western roles with his long-time film partn ...

. In the late 1970s, he went back to the U.S., where he continued to play occasional supporting roles until his death from cancer in 1989.

Partial filmography

* ''

Gammera the Invincible is a 1965 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Noriaki Yuasa, with special effects by Yonesaburo Tsukiji. Produced and distributed by Daiei Film, it is the first film in the ''Gamera'' franchise and the Shōwa era. The film stars Eiji Funakoshi ...

'' (1966) - Sen. Billings * '' Catch as Catch Can'' (1967) - Police Inspector * ''

Italian Secret Service ''Italian Secret Service'' (also known as ''Il nostro agente Natalino Tartufato'') is a 1968 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. For his performance in this film and in '' Il padre di famiglia'', Nino Manfredi was awarded with a Golden ...

'' (1968) - Dr. Wollenkampf (uncredited) * ''

Sardinia Kidnapped ''Sardinia Kidnapped'' ( it, Sequestro di persona, "Kidnapped"), also known as ''Ransom in Sardinia'', ''Island of Crime'' and ''Unlawful Restraint'', is a 1968 Italian poliziotteschi film directed by Gianfranco Mingozzi and starring Franco Nero ...

'' (1968) - Santulus Surgiu * ''

Ace High Allied Command Europe Highband, better known as ACE High, was a fixed service NATO radiocommunication and early warning system dating back to 1956. After extensive testing ACE High was accepted by NATO to become operational in 1964/1965. The fr ...

'' (1968) - Harold * ''Colpo di stato'' (1969) - George Bradis * ''

Machine Gun McCain ''Machine Gun McCain'' ( it, Gli intoccabili, lit, "The Untouchables") is a 1969 English-language Italian crime film directed by Giuliano Montaldo and starring John Cassavetes, Britt Ekland, Peter Falk, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Florinda Bolkan. C ...

'' (1969) - Abe Stilberman * ''

The Five Man Army ''The Five Man Army'' ( it, Un esercito di 5 uomini) is a 1969 Italian Zapata Western film in which a group of five men are enlisted to rob a train of a gold shipment during the Mexican Revolution. Directed by Don Taylor, it featured a script b ...

'' (1969) - Poker Player (uncredited) * ''

Under the Sign of Scorpio ''Sotto il segno dello scorpione'' (internationally released as ''Under the Sign of Scorpio'') is a 1969 Italian drama film directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. It was screened at the Venice Film Festival. The film was defined as: "perhaps the ...

'' (1969) - The old islander * ''

Beatrice Cenci Beatrice Cenci (; 6 February 157711 September 1599) was a Roman noblewoman who murdered her father, Count Francesco Cenci. She was beheaded in 1599 after a lurid murder trial in Rome that gave rise to an enduring legend about her. Life Beatri ...

'' (1969) - Prospero Fadinacco * ''

The Kremlin Letter ''The Kremlin Letter'' is a 1970 American neo-noir DeLuxe Color espionage thriller in PanavisionSeymour, Gene. "100 Greatest Spy Movies: A Special Collector's Edition from the Editors of American History. 2009. Weider History Group. directed b ...

'' (1970) - Dittomachine * ''

Metello ''Metello'' is a 1970 Italian drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini. It was entered into the 1970 Cannes Film Festival. It starred Massimo Ranieri as the title character. Plot During the end of the 19th century, young Metello decides to start ...

'' (1970) - Pallesi * ''

A Man Called Sledge ''A Man Called Sledge'' is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western film starring James Garner in an extremely offbeat role as a grimly evil thief, and featuring Dennis Weaver, Claude Akins and Wayde Preston. The film was written by Vic Morrow and Fran ...

'' (1970) - Red - Prison Guard * ''L'asino d'oro: processo per fatti strani contro Lucius Apuleius cittadino romano'' (1970) - Milone * ''A Pocketful of Chestnuts'' (1970) * ''

They Call Me Trinity ''They Call Me Trinity'' ( it, Lo chiamavano Trinità...) is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western comedy film written and directed by Enzo Barboni (under the pseudonym of E.B. Clucher) and produced by Italo Zingarelli. The film stars Terence Hill and ...

'' (1970) - Jonathan * ''

Terrible Day of the Big Gundown ''Terrible Day of the Big Gundown'' ( it, Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti, also known as ''Vendetta at Dawn'') is a 1971 Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Garrone (here credited as Willy S. Regan). Cast * George Ea ...

'' (1971) - Gregory * ''

The Blonde in the Blue Movie ''The Blonde in the Blue Movie'' ( it, Il vichingo venuto dal sud, also known as ''No One Will Notice You're Naked'' and ''The Viking Who Came from the South'') is a 1971 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. Cast * Lando Buzzanca: Rosario Tra ...

'' (1971) - Bosen, the producer * ''

Vengeance Is a Dish Served Cold ''Vengeance Is a Dish Served Cold'' ( it, La vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo), also known as ''Death's Dealer'', is a 1971 Italian Western film directed by Pasquale Squitieri and starring Klaus Kinski. Plot Jeremias was 12 years ol ...

'' (1971) - Doc * ''

Return of Sabata ''Return of Sabata'' ( it, È tornato Sabata ... hai chiuso un'altra volta, lit=Sabata is back ... you're finished again) is a 1971 Spaghetti Western film directed by Gianfranco Parolini. The third film in ''The Sabata Trilogy'', it features the ...

'' (1971) - Donovan * ''

Man of the East Man of the East ( it, E poi lo chiamarono il magnifico) is a 1972 Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Enzo Barboni starring Terence Hill. The film is set in the Wild West during the time of the railway construction. A recurring theme is ...

'' (1972) - Man with Coach * ''

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay ''I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes ...

'' (1972) - Muleteer * ''

The Sicilian Connection ''The Sicilian Connection'' ( it, Afyon oppio, french: Action héroïne, also known as ''The Opium Connection'' and ''La filière'') is a 1972 Italian- French crime-thriller film directed by Ferdinando Baldi. Plot The Italian-American Joseph ...

'' (1972) - Sally * ''

Even Angels Eat Beans ''Even Angels Eat Beans'' (Italian: ''Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli'') is a 1973 Italian comedy film written and directed by Enzo Barboni with Giuliano Gemma and Bud Spencer. It was awarded with the Golden Screen Award in 1974. The film pro ...

'' (1973) - Gerace * ''

The Infamous Column ''The Infamous Column'' ( it, La colonna infame, also known as ''Pillar of Shame'') is a 1973 Italian historical drama film directed by Nelo Risi. Plot It is 1630, and a devastating plague has descended upon the city of Milan. Guglielmo Piazza ...

'' (1973) - Stefano Baruello * ''

The Violent Professionals ''The Violent Professionals'' (Italian: ''Milano trema: la polizia vuole giustizia'') is a 1973 Italian Poliziotteschi gangster film directed by Sergio Martino. The film stars Luc Merenda (Giorgio Caneparo) who goes undercover as a getaway driver ...

'' (1973) - Monsomerda * ''

Revolver A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...

'' (1973) - Joe Le Corse * '' Seven Hours of Violence'' (1973) - Fastikopoulos * ''

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony ''Mean Frank and Crazy Tony'' ( it, Il suo nome faceva tremare...Interpol in allarme or it, Dio, sei proprio un padreterno!) is a 1973 crime-comedy film directed by Michele Lupo, and starring Lee Van Cleef, Tony Lo Bianco and Edwige Fenech. Plo ...

'' (1973) - Lawyer (uncredited) * ''

What Have They Done to Your Daughters? ''What Have They Done to Your Daughters?'' ( it, La polizia chiede aiuto , lit=The police ask for help) is a 1974 Italian ''giallo'' and ''poliziotteschi'' film directed by Massimo Dallamano. Plot Police officers investigated the death of 14-yea ...

'' (1974) - Prof. Beltrame (uncredited) * '' Street Law'' (1974) - Attorney Friend of Carlo's (uncredited) * ''

Mondo candido ''Mondo candido'' is a 1975 black comedy film directed by acclaimed Mondo directors Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi. The film is a liberal adaptation of Voltaire's 1759 novel '' Candide''. Plot Candido ( Christopher Brown) is a naïve ...

'' (1975) - Il saggio * ''

W.C. Fields and Me ''W. C. Fields and Me'' is a 1976 American biographical film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Rod Steiger and Valerie Perrine. The screenplay by Bob Merrill is based on a memoir by Carlotta Monti, mistress of actor W. C. Fields during th ...

'' (1976) - Dr. Zahn (uncredited) * ''

The Winds of Kitty Hawk ''The Winds of Kitty Hawk'' is a 1978 American made-for-television biographical film directed by E. W. Swackhamer about the Wright brothers and their invention of the first successful powered heavier-than-air flying machine, the ''Wright Flyer' ...

'' (1978, TV Movie) - Fisherman * ''

The Frisco Kid ''The Frisco Kid'' is a 1979 American Western comedy film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Gene Wilder as Avram Belinski, a Polish rabbi who is traveling to San Francisco, and Harrison Ford as a bank robber who befriends him. Plot Rabbi Av ...

'' (1979) - Herschel Rosensheine * '' The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything'' (1980, TV Movie) - Old Man * ''

Death Wish II ''Death Wish II'' is a 1982 American vigilante action film directed and co-edited by Michael Winner. It is the first of four sequels to the 1974 film ''Death Wish''. It is the second installment in the ''Death Wish'' film series. In the story, ...

'' (1982) - Dr. Clark * ''

The Ice Pirates ''The Ice Pirates'' is a 1984 American comic science fiction film directed by Stewart Raffill, who co-wrote the screenplay with ''Krull'' writer Stanford Sherman. The film stars Robert Urich, Mary Crosby and Michael D. Roberts; other notable fea ...

'' (1984) - Prisoner * ''

Exterminator 2 ''Exterminator 2'' is a 1984 American action thriller film written and directed by Mark Buntzman (with additional scenes directed by William Sachs), starring Robert Ginty, Mario Van Peebles, and Deborah Geffner, with cameos by Arye Gross in his de ...

'' (1984) - Pop * ''

Irreconcilable Differences ''Irreconcilable Differences'' is a 1984 American comedy-drama film starring Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and Drew Barrymore. The film was a minor box-office success, making over $12 million. For their performances, both Long and Barrymore were no ...

'' (1984) - Man at Party

References

Sources

External links

* 20th-century American male actors American male film actors German people of Greek descent American people of Greek descent 1927 births 1989 deaths {{US-tv-actor-1920s-stub