Tomas Milian (born Tomás Quintín Rodríguez-Varona Milián Salinas de la Fé y Álvarez de la Campa; 3 March 1933 – 22 March 2017) was a

Cuban Cuban may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban citizen, a perso ...

-born actor and singer with American and Italian citizenship, known for the emotional intensity and humor he brought to starring roles in

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

genre film Genre film may refer to: * A film conforming to a well-defined film genre * Genre Films, aka Kinberg Genre, a television and film production company * ''Genre'' (1996 film), a live-action/animated short by Don Hertzfeldt See also * Genre, the ge ...

s. A student of Lee Strasberg, Milian studied method acting at the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded ...

in New York City. In Italy, he was discovered by director Mauro Bolognini and appeared in supporting roles in several drama films during the late 1950s and early 1960s, including '' Bad Girls Don't Cry'' (1959) and as Raphael in Carol Reed's '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'' (1965). Throughout the late-1960s and early-1970s, Milian established himself as a dynamic leading actor in a series of

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, most notably ''

The Big Gundown ''The Big Gundown'' ( it, La resa dei conti, lit=The Settling of Scores) is a 1966 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Sollima, and starring Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian. Plot Possessing a reputation for bringing criminals to justice, r ...

'' (1966), '' Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!'' (1967), as well as Sergio Corbucci's parody of the genre ''

The White, the Yellow, and the Black ''The White, the Yellow, and the Black'' ( it, Il bianco, il giallo, il nero), also known as ''Samurai'' and ''Shoot First... Ask Questions Later'', is a 1975 Spaghetti Western comedy film. It is the last spaghetti western directed by Sergio Corb ...

'' (1975).

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...

also cast Milian in his 1971 art-house film, '' The Last Movie''. Following a decline in the popularity of Spaghetti Westerns, Milian transitioned to roles in '' poliziottesco'' films. After receiving acclaim for his performance as a psychotic killer in '' Almost Human'' (1974), he made appearances in '' Emergency Squad'' (1974), ''

The Tough Ones ''The Tough Ones'' () is a 1999 Finnish film directed by Aleksi Mäkelä. It was Finland's official Best Foreign Language Film submission at the 72nd Academy Awards, but did not manage to receive a nomination.* Plot The film starts when Jussi ...

'' (1976) and ''

The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist ''The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist'' ( it, Il cinico, l'infame, il violento, lit=The Cynic, the Infamous, the Violent) is an Italian ''poliziotteschi'' film directed in 1977 by Umberto Lenzi and third entry into the Tanzi/Moretto/Monnezza shared un ...

'' (1977). After returning to the United States in 1985, Milian continued to perform supporting roles in film productions, including ''

JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

'' (1991), '' Amistad'' (1997), '' Traffic'' (2000) and '' The Lost City'' (2005).

Biography

Milian was born in Havana as the son of a Cuban general. His father was arrested, jailed, and later committed suicide on December 31, 1946. Milián then decided to leave Cuba and pursue his wishes of being an actor. He settled in the United States to study at New York's

and later became an American citizen. In 1969, he became a

naturalized Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

Italian citizen.

Career

After starting a career in the United States, Milian went to Italy in 1958 to take part in a theatre festival in Spoleto. He eventually decided to relocate to Italy, where he lived for over 25 years, becoming a very successful performer. His first film part in Italy was in the

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

picture ''

La notte brava ''La notte brava'' (internationally released as ''Bad Girls Don't Cry'', ''The Big Night'', ''Night Heat'', and ''On Any Street'') is a 1959 Italian drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini. The film represents the debut of Tomas Milian in the Ital ...

''. Although his voice was usually dubbed due to his accent, Milián performed his lines in Italian (or in English, depending on the film). He initially starred in arthouse movies and worked with directors such as Mauro Bolognini and Luchino Visconti. After five years of making what he deemed "intellectual" movies, Milián was unhappy with his contract with producer

Franco Cristaldi Franco Cristaldi (3 October 1924 – 1 July 1992) was an Italian film producer, credited with producing (or co-producing) feature films from the 1950s to the 1990s. Career In 1946 Cristaldi founded ''Vides Cinematografica'' in Turin. This product ...

and thought of going back to the United States. Needing money to start over, he took the opportunity to star as a bandit in a

called '' The Bounty Killer''. The film boosted his career, and ultimately resulted in his staying in Italy. He became a star of the Spaghetti Western genre, where he often played

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

bandits or revolutionaries, roles in which he spoke in his real voice. He starred in ''

The Ugly Ones ''The Ugly Ones'' ( es: ''El precio de un hombre'', lit. "The Price of a Man", it: ''The Bounty Killer'', later ''La morte ti segue... ma non ha fretta'', lit. "Death follows you... but not in a hurry") is a 1966 Spanish- Italian Spaghetti ...

'' (1966), ''

'' (1966), '' Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!'' (1967), '' Face to Face'' (1967), ''

Run, Man, Run ''Run, Man, Run'' ( it, Corri uomo corri, also known as ''Big Gundown 2'') is an Italian- French Zapata Western film. It is the second film of Sergio Sollima centred on the character of Cuchillo, again played by Tomas Milian, after the two-years e ...

'' (1968), '' Death Sentence'' (1968), '' Tepepa'' (1969), '' Compañeros'' (1970), ''

Sonny and Jed ''Sonny and Jed'' ( it, La banda J. & S. - Cronaca criminale del Far-West, lit. "The Band of J. & S. - Criminal Chronicle of the Far West") is a 1972 Italian Spaghetti Western film about a sheriff's (Sheriff Franciscus, played by Telly Savala ...

'' (1972), '' Life Is Tough, Eh Providence?'' (1972) and '' Four of the Apocalypse'' (1975). As the Spaghetti Westerns dwindled, Milián remained a star in many genre films, playing both villains and heroes in various

polizieschi Poliziotteschi (; singular ''poliziottesco'') constitute a subgenre of crime film, crime and action films that emerged in Italy in the late 1960s and reached the height of their popularity in the 1970s. They are also known as ''polizieschi all'i ...

movies. He starred with Barbara Bouchet in the giallo '' Don't Torture a Duckling''. In addition to his role in '' Almost Human'' (1974) and appearances in '' Emergency Squad'' (1974), ''

'' (1976) and ''

'' (1977), he also appeared in two film series -

Bruno Corbucci Bruno Corbucci (23 October 1931 – 7 September 1996) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He was the younger brother of Sergio Corbucci, and wrote many of his films. He was born in Rome, where he also died. The vast majority o ...

's ''Nico Giraldi'' series (1976-1984, beginning with ''

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 ...

'') and Umberto Lenzi's ''Er Monnezza'' films (1976-1980, beginning with ''

Free Hand for a Tough Cop ''Free Hand for a Tough Cop'' ( it, Il trucido e lo sbirro / The Numbskull and the Cop), also known as ''Tough Cop'', is an Italian poliziottesco-action film directed in 1976 by Umberto Lenzi and the second entry into the Tanzi/Moretto/Monnezza sh ...

''). His other films during this period include the giallo '' Don't Torture a Duckling'' (1972) and the non-genre films '' The Last Movie'' (1971), '' Luna'' (1979), ''

Identification of a Woman ''Identification of a Woman'' ( it, Identificazione di una donna) is a 1982 Italian drama film written, directed, and edited by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Tomás Milián, Daniela Silverio, and Christine Boisson. The film is about an Ital ...

'' (1982) and '' Monsignor'' (1982). He later turned to comedy, playing the recurrent characters of petty thief Monnezza and Serpico-like police officer Nico Giraldi in a variety of crime- comedy pictures. Although his voice was dubbed most of the time by Ferruccio Amendola, Milián wrote his own lines in Roman slang. Milián's inventive use of '' romanesco'' (Roman dialect) made him a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

performer in Italy.

, the director of many of these films commented, ''"At the cinemas as soon as Tomás Milián appeared on the screen, when he made a wisecrack and in the heaviest situations, then it was a pandemonium, it was like being at the stadium."'' As Milián used similar makeups and accents in portraying both characters, Monnezza and Nico were occasionally confused by Italian audiences, who sometimes referred erroneously to them both as ''Monnezza'', or ''Er Monnezza'' (''Da trash'' in Roman slang ), and still closely associate Milián with these performances. Milián also appeared in non-genre pictures, such as Bernardo Bertolucci's '' La Luna'', for which he won a Nastro d'Argento for Best supporting Actor, and

Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...

's ''

''. As he grew older, Milián decided to go back to the United States. He appeared in

Sidney Pollack Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack directed more than 20 films and 10 television shows, acted in over 30 movies or shows and produced over 44 films. For his film ''Out ...

's '' Havana'',

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...

's '' Amistad'',

Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh (; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh is an acclaimed and prolific filmmaker. Soderbergh's direc ...

's '' Traffic'' as well as Andy García's ''The Lost City'', about Revolutionary Cuba. He has also played many roles on stage. In 2005, he portrayed Generalisimo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina in the film version of

Mario Vargas Llosa Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa (born 28 March 1936), more commonly known as Mario Vargas Llosa (, ), is a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and former politician, who also holds Spanish citizenship. Vargas Ll ...

's novel '' The Feast of the Goat''. Milian was found dead from a stroke at his home in Miami on 22 March 2017. On October 11, 2017 he received the Leone in Memoriam award at the 7º Almería Western Film Festival. It was picked up by his friend

Luis Santeiro Luis Santeiro is a Cuban-American television screenwriter and playwright born in Havana, Cuba, in 1947. Biography Santeiro left the island with his family at the age of twelve for Miami, Florida. He later obtained a degree in sociology from Vi ...

Filmography

* ''Decoy'', Ep. "Fiesta at Midnight" (1958, Michael Gordon) as Juan Ortega * ''The Millionaire'', Ep. "The Louise Benton Story" (1959, James Sheldon) as Second Sailor * '' Bad Girls Don't Cry'' (1959, Mauro Bolognini) as Moretto * ''

Il bell'Antonio ''Il bell'Antonio'' ("Handsome Antonio") is a 1960 Italian-French drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini. The film is based on a novel by Vitaliano Brancati and adapted for the screen by Pier Paolo Pasolini and Gino Visentini. It stars Marcello ...

'' (1960, Mauro Bolognini) as Edoardo * ''

Silver Spoon Set ''Silver Spoon Set'' ( it, I Delfini, also known as ''The Dauphins'') is a 1960 in film, 1960 Italy, Italian and France, French drama film directed and written by Francesco Maselli. The film stars Claudia Cardinale. Shot in Ascoli Piceno, Italy. ...

'' (1960, Francesco Maselli) as Alberto De Matteis * ''

The Mishap ''L'imprevisto'', internationally released as ''The Mishap'', is a 1961 Cinema of Italy, Italian Crime film, crime-drama film directed by Alberto Lattuada. It was coproduced by France, where it was released with the title ''L'Imprévu''. Cast * ...

'' (1961,

Alberto Lattuada Alberto Lattuada (; 13 November 1914 – 3 July 2005) was an Italian film director. Career Lattuada was born in Vaprio d'Adda, the son of composer Felice Lattuada. He was initially interested in literature, becoming, while still a student, a mem ...

) as Thomas Plemian * ''

A Day for Lionhearts ''Un giorno da leoni'' (internationally released as ''A Day for Lionhearts'') is a 1961 Italian war - drama film directed by Nanni Loy. The film describes the gradual evolution towards anti-fascism of Italian people during the Second World War. ...

'' (1961, Nanni Loy) as Gino Migliacci * '' Day by Day, Desperately'' (1961,

Alfredo Giannetti Alfredo Giannetti (1924–1995) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1962 for his work in ''Divorce Italian Style''. Selected filmography * ''The Railroad Man'' (1956) * ''A Man ...

) as Dario Dominici * ''

Boccaccio '70 ''Boccaccio '70'' is a 1962 comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli and Luchino Visconti from an idea by Cesare Zavattini. It consists of four episodes, each by one of the directors, all about a diffe ...

'' (1962, Luchino Visconti) as Conte Ottavio * '' Disorder'' (1962, Franco Brusati) as Bruno * ''

La banda Casaroli ''La banda Casaroli'' is a 1962 Italian crime-drama film directed by Florestano Vancini. The film is based on real life events of criminal group led by Paolo Casaroli. Cast *Renato Salvatori: Paolo Casaroli * Jean-Claude Brialy: Corrado Minguzz ...

'' (1962, Florestano Vancini) as Gabriele Ingenis * ''

Ro.Go.Pa.G. ''Ro.Go.Pa.G.'' (also known as "RoGoPaG") is a 1963 film consisting of four segments, each written and directed by a different director. These include the French director Jean-Luc Godard (segment "Il nuovo mondo") and the Italian directors Ugo Gr ...

'', " La ricotta" (1963, Pier Paolo Pasolini) as Centurione * '' Mare matto'' (1963,

Renato Castellani Renato Castellani (4 September 1913 in Varigotti, Liguria – 28 December 1985 in Rome) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Early life Son of a representative of Kodak, he was born in Varigotti, a hamlet at the time of Final Pia, ...

) as Efsio * ''

I Kill, You Kill ''I Kill, You Kill'' or ''Io uccido, tu uccidi'' is a 1965 Italian comedy film directed by Gianni Puccini starring the comic duo Franco and Ciccio. Cast * Franco Franchi as Franco (segment "Cavalleria Rusticana, oggi") * Ciccio Ingrassia as Tur ...

'' (1965, Gianni Puccini) as Lorenzo Berti * '' Time of Indifference'' (1965, Francesco Maselli) as Michele * ''

The Camp Followers ''The Camp Followers'' ( it, Le soldatesse), is a 1965 Italian World War II film directed by Valerio Zurlini and starring Anna Karina. From a 1956 novel by Ugo Pirro, it tells the story of a young lieutenant in the Italian Army who in 1942 is orde ...

'' (1965,

Valerio Zurlini Valerio Zurlini (19 March 1926 – 26 October 1982) was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter. Biography During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlin ...

) as Lt. Gaetano Martino * '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'' (1965, Carol Reed) as Raphael * ''

Madamigella di Maupin ''Madamigella di Maupin'' is a 1966 Italian adventure film directed by Mauro Bolognini. It is loosely based on the life of Mademoiselle de Maupin and the novel with the same name by Théophile Gautier. Cast * Catherine Spaak as Magdeleine de M ...

'' (1966, Mauro Bolognini) as Chevalier d'Albert * ''

I soldi ''I soldi'' is a 1965 Italian anthology comedy film directed by Gianni Puccini. Cast * Sylva Koscina as Leda *Tomas Milian as Bob *Enrico Maria Salerno * Alberto Lionello *Barbara Steele * Agnès Spaak *Andrea Checchi *Carlo Giuffrè * Mari ...

'' (1965, Gianni Puccini) as Bob * ''

'' (1966, Eugenio Martin) as José Gómez * ''

'' (1966, Sergio Sollima) as Cuchillo Sanchez * '' Face to Face'' (1967, Sergio Sollima) as Beau Bennet * '' Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!'' (1967, Giulio Questi) as The Stranger * '' Bandits in Milan'' (1968, Carlo Lizzani) as Comissario Walter Basevi * '' Death Sentence'' (1968,

Mario Lanfranchi Mario Lanfranchi (30 June 1927 – 3 January 2022) was an Italian film, theatre, and television director, screenwriter, producer, collector, and actor. Career Lanfranchi was born in Parma. After receiving a degree at the Drama Academy ( Accad ...

) as O'Hara * '' Run, Man, Run!'' (1968, Sergio Sollima) as Cuchillo Sanchez * ''

A Fine Pair ''A Fine Pair'' (original title ''Ruba al prossimo tuo'') is a 1968 Italian crime-comedy film directed by Francesco Maselli. It stars Rock Hudson and Claudia Cardinale, who had co-starred together two years earlier in the romantic drama, ''Blindfo ...

'' (1968, Francesco Maselli) as Roger * '' Tepepa'' (1969,

Giulio Petroni Giulio Petroni (21 September 1917 – 31 January 2010) was an Italian director, writer, and screenwriter, best known for his spaghetti westerns ''Death Rides a Horse'' (1967), with Lee Van Cleef in one of his first starring roles, '' A Sky Full of ...

) as Jesus Maria "Tepepa" Moran * '' Beatrice Cenci'' (1969, Lucio Fulci) as Olimpio Calvetti * ''

Where Are You Going All Naked? ''Dove vai tutta nuda?'', internationally released as ''Where Are You Going All Naked?'', is a 1969 Italian comedy film directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile. Cast * Maria Grazia Buccella: Tonino * Tomas Milian: Manfredo * Gastone Moschin: Presi ...

'' (1969, Pasquale Festa Campanile) as Manfredo * '' Compañeros'' (1970, Sergio Corbucci) as El Vasco * ''

Viva Cangaceiro ''Viva Cangaceiro'' (originally titled as ''O' Cangaçeiro'', also known as ''The Magnificent Bandits'') is a Brazilian themed Spaghetti Western-like movie co-produced by Spain and Italy and directed by Giovanni Fago. Plot Espedito is the sole s ...

'' (1970,

Giovanni Fago Giovanni Fago (born 11 July 1931) is an Italian director and screenwriter. Born in Rome, Fago began his cinema career in 1959 as assistant director of, among others, Mario Monicelli, Camillo Mastrocinque, Vittorio De Sica, Renato Castellani, Jo ...

) as Espedito * '' The Cannibals'' (1970, Liliana Cavani) as Emone * ''

The Designated Victim ''The Designated Victim'' ( it, La vittima designata, also known as '' Slam Out'') is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Maurizio Lucidi. Cast * Tomas Milian as Stefano Augenti * Pierre Clémenti Pierre André Clémenti (28 September 19 ...

'' (1971, Maurizio Lucidi) as Stefano Augenti * '' The Last Movie'' (1971,

) as the Priest * ''

Ripped Off ''Ripped Off'' (also known as ''The Boxer'' and ''Un uomo dalla pelle dura'') is a 1972 American/Italian crime film directed by Franco Prosperi and starring Robert Blake and Ernest Borgnine. Plot A young boxer is framed for murdering his crook ...

'' (1972, Franco Prosperi) as the Stranger * ''

'' (1972, Sergio Corbucci) as Jed Trigado * '' Don't Torture a Duckling'' (1972, Lucio Fulci) as Andrea Martelli * ''

Counselor at Crime ''Counselor at Crime'' ( it, Il consigliori, also known as ''The Counsellor'') is a 1973 Italian-Spanish crime film directed by Alberto De Martino and starring Tomas Milian, Martin Balsam and Francisco Rabal. Cast * Tomas Milian: Thomas Accard ...

'' (1973, Alberto De Martino) as Thomas Accardo * '' Life Is Tough, Eh Providence?'' (1972, Giulio Petroni) as Provvidenza * '' Emergency Squad'' (1974,

Stelvio Massi Stelvio Massi (26 March 1929 – 26 March 2004), sometimes credited "Max Steel", was an Italian director known for his "''poliziotteschi''" films. Career Massi entered the cinema industry in 1952 as assistant camera operator, and in 1954 he becam ...

) as Tomas Ravelli * '' Almost Human'' (1974, Umberto Lenzi) as Giulio Sacchi * '' Silent Action'' (1975, Sergio Martino) as Rienzi * ''

Syndicate Sadists ''Syndicate Sadists'' ( it, Il giustiziere sfida la città, or ''"The Executioner Challenges the City"''), also released under the titles ''Rambo's Revenge'' and ''Final Payment'', is a 1975 ''poliziotteschi'' film directed by Umberto Lenzi. It st ...

'' (1975, Umberto Lenzi) as Rambo * ''

'' (1975, Sergio Corbucci) as Sakura * '' Four of the Apocalypse'' (1975, Lucio Fulci) as Chaco * ' (1975, Yves Boisset) * ''

Sex with a Smile ''Sex with a Smile'' is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by Sergio Martino and starring Marty Feldman, Barbara Bouchet, Edwige Fenech, and Dayle Haddon. While the cast was relatively popular internationally, advertising for the film in the U.S. ...

'' (1976, Sergio Martino) as Cavaliere Marelli * ''

'' (1976, Umberto Lenzi) as Vincenzo Moretto * ''

'' (1976,

), as Nico Giraldi * '' The Twist'' (1976,

Claude Chabrol Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...

) as The Detective * ''

Hit Squad The Hit Squad is an American hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists. Originally formed in the 1990s by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of the rap group EPMD, the group included rap artists such as K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Top Quality, ...

'' (1976, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

Young, Violent, Dangerous ''Young, Violent, Dangerous'' ( it, Liberi armati pericolosi), is a 1976 Italian "poliziottesco" film directed by Romolo Guerrieri. It is based on the short stories "Bravi ragazzi bang bang'' and ''In pineta si uccide meglio'', both included in Gio ...

'' (1976,

Romolo Guerrieri Romolo Guerrieri, aka ''Romolo Girolami'' (born 5 December 1931) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 17 films between 1961 and 1992. Selected filmography ;Director * '' Ten Thousand Dollars for a Massacre'' (1966) * '' ...

) as the Commissioner * ''

'' (1977, Umberto Lenzi) as Luigi Maietto * ''

'' (1977, Umberto Lenzi) as Sergio Marazzi * ''

Brothers Till We Die ''Brothers Till We Die'' ( it, La banda del gobbo) is a 1977 Italian poliziottesco-action film by Umberto Lenzi and fifth and final entry into the Tanzi/Moretto/Monnezza shared universe. This film is the last collaboration among Lenzi and Tom ...

'' (1977, Umberto Lenzi) as Sergio Marazzi/The Hunchback * ''

Destruction Force ''Destruction Force'' (originally titled ''La banda del trucido'' (''The Numbskull's Gang''), also known as ''Dirty Gang'') is a 1977 Italian poliziottesco directed by Stelvio Massi. It is the second film in which Tomas Milian plays the character ...

'' (1977, Stelvio Massi) as Sergio Marazzi * ''

Squadra antitruffa ''Squadra antitruffa'' is a 1977 Italian crime film directed by Bruno Corbucci and starring David Hemmings, Tomas Milian and Anna Cardini. It is the third chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series starred by Tomas Milian. Plot A rude Roman po ...

'' (1977, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * '' Little Italy'' (1978, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

The Gang That Sold America ''The Gang That Sold America'' ( it, Squadra antigangsters) is a 1979 Italian "poliziottesco"-comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. It is the fifth chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series starred by Tomas Milian. The Italian progressive rock ban ...

'' (1979, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

Assassinio sul Tevere ''Assassinio sul Tevere'' (''Assassination on the Tiber'') is a 1979 Italian "poliziottesco"-comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. It is the sixth chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series starred by Tomas Milian. Cast * Tomas Milian: Nico Gir ...

'' (1979, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * '' La Luna'' (1979, Bernardo Bertolucci) as Giuseppe * ''

Winter Kills ''Winter Kills'' is a black comedy novel by Richard Condon, exploring the assassination of a U.S. president. It was published in 1974. The novel parallels the death of John F. Kennedy and the conspiracy theories about it. Plot summary The nov ...

'' (1979,

William Richert William Richert (1942 – July 19, 2022) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is known for writing and directing the feature films '' Winter Kills'', ''The American Success Company'', and '' A Night in the Life o ...

) as Frank Mayo * '' Il lupo e l'agnello'' (1980,

Francesco Massaro Francesco Massaro (born 1935) is an Italian director and screenwriter. Born in Padua, Massaro started his career as assistant director of Luchino Visconti's ''The Leopard'', then, during the sixties, continued to collaborate with eminent director ...

) as Cuckoo * '' Delitto a Porta Romana'' (1980, Bruno Corbucci), as ''Nico Giraldi'' * ''

Manolesta ''Manolesta'' is a 1981 Italian comedy film directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile. Plot Gino Quirino aka Manolesta, a thief and a con man, lives on a barge anchored on the Tiber with Bruno, his young son. Gino ends up in the crosshairs of the soc ...

'' (1981, Pasquale Festa Campanile) as Gino Quirino * ''

Crime at the Chinese Restaurant ''Crime at the Chinese Restaurant'' ( it, Delitto al ristorante cinese) is a 1981 Italian "poliziottesco"-comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. It is the eighth chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series; in this chapter Tomas Milian plays a doub ...

'' (1981, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

Uno contro l'altro, praticamente amici ''Uno contro l'altro, praticamente amici'' (''Against Each Other, Practically Friends'') is a 1981 Italian comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. Cast *Renato Pozzetto as Franco Colombo *Tomas Milian as Quinto Cecioni aka "Er Monnezza" *Anna ...

'' (1981, Bruno Corbucci) as Quinto Cecione * '' Delitto sull'autostrada'' (1982, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

'' (1982,

) as Niccolò * '' Monsignor'' (1982, Frank Perry) as Father Francisco * ''

Cat and Dog ''Cat and Dog'' ( it, Cane e gatto, also known as ''Thieves and Robbers'' and ''Cats and Dogs'') is a 1983 Italian crime comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. Plot A playboy (Tomas Milian) who makes a living out of seducing women and steali ...

'' (1982, Bruno Corbucci) as Tony Roma * ''

Crime in Formula One ''Crime in Formula One'' ( it, Delitto in Formula Uno) is a 1984 Cinema of Italy, Italian "Poliziotteschi, poliziottesco"-comedy film written and directed by Bruno Corbucci. It is the tenth chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series starred by Tomas ...

'' (1983, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''

Cop in Drag ''Delitto al Blue Gay'', internationally released as ''Cop in Drag'', is a 1984 Italian "poliziottesco"-comedy film directed by Bruno Corbucci. It is the eleventh and final chapter in the Nico Giraldi film series starred by Tomas Milian. Plot R ...

'' (1984, Bruno Corbucci), as Nico Giraldi * ''King David'' (1985, Bruce Beresford) as Akiss * ''The Equalizer'', "Reign of Terror" (1985, Richard Compton) as Immanuel Pena * '' Miami Vice'', "Bought and Paid For" (1985, John Nicolella) as Octavio Arroyo * ''

Salome Salome (; he, שְלוֹמִית, Shlomit, related to , "peace"; el, Σαλώμη), also known as Salome III, was a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II, son of Herod the Great, and princess Herodias, granddaughter of Herod the Great, an ...

'' (1986,

Claude d'Anna Claude d'Anna (born 31 March 1945) is a French film director and screenwriter. He has directed 16 films since 1970. His film '' Salome'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. A year later his film ''Macbet ...

) as Herod II * ''The Equalizer'', "Shadow Play" (1987,

Russ Mayberry Russell B. Mayberry (December 22, 1925 – July 27, 2012) was an American television director. Early life and career Mayberry was born on December 22, 1925, in Duluth, Minnesota. He later moved to Chicago, Illinois, after serving as a Navy avia ...

) as Duran * '' Distant Lights'' (1987, Aurelio Chiesa) as Bernardo Bernardi * ''

Cat Chaser ''Cat Chaser'' is a 1989 American heist film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Peter Weller and Kelly McGillis, based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was adapted from the novel by Leonard and James Borelli. A three-ho ...

'' (1989, Abel Ferrara) as Andres DeBoya * '' Massacre Play'' (1989, Damiano Damiani) as Clem Da Silva * '' Drug Wars: The Camarena Story'' (1990, Brian Gibson) as Florentino Ventura * ''

Revenge Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...

'' (1990, Tony Scott) as Cesar * ''Havana'' (1990,

Sydney Pollack Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack directed more than 20 films and 10 television shows, acted in over 30 movies or shows and produced over 44 films. For his film ''Out ...

) as Colonel Menocal * '' Money'' (1991, Steven Hilliard Stern) as Robert Zarra * ''

'' (1991,

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

) as Leopoldo * ''

Frannie's Turn ''Frannie's Turn'' is an American sitcom television series that premiered on CBS on September 13, 1992, and ended on October 10, 1992. The series was the first show Chuck Lorre ever created, after his time as a writer for ''Roseanne''. Synopsis ...

'' (1992, various) as Joseph Escobar * ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'', "Day of the Dead" (1992, Anthony Shaw) as Enrico Montejano * '' Nails'' (1992, John Flynn) as Pedro Herrara * ''Screenplay'', "Bitter Harvest" (1992, Simon Cellan Jones) as Ramon Cires * ''Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage'' (1993, John Patterson) as Joe Profaci * ''Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair'' (1993, Bradford May) as Calro Rossi * '' The Burning Season'' (1994, John Frankenheimer) as Darli Alves * '' The Cowboy Way'' (1994, Gregg Champion) as Manny Huerta * '' Fools Rush In'' (1997,

Andy Tennant Andrew Wellman Tennant (born June 15, 1955) is an American screenwriter, film and television director, actor, and dancer. Early life Tennant was born June 15, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in Flossmoor, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago ...

) as Tomas Fuentes * ''Oz'' (1997, various) as Ricardo Alvarez * '' Amistad'' (1997,

) as

Ángel Calderón de la Barca y Belgrano Ángel Calderón de la Barca y Belgrano (2 October 1790 in Buenos Aires, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata – 1861) was a Spanish nobleman and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs (Spain), Minister of State between 1853 and 1 ...

* ''

The Yards ''The Yards'' is a 2000 American crime film directed by James Gray, written by Gray and Matt Reeves, and starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron and James Caan. Set in the commuter rail yards in New York City ("the yards"), spe ...

'' (2000,

James Gray James, Jim, or Jimmy Gray may refer to: Politicians * James Gray (Australian politician) (1820–1889), member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly * James Gray (British politician) (born 1954), British politician * James Gray (mayor) (1862–1916 ...

) as Manuel Sequeira * ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...

'' (2000,

Christopher Misiano Christopher Misiano is an American television director and producer. He is best known for his work on '' ER'', ''The West Wing'', and ''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip''. In 2017, he sold his historic home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, for US$4.3 m ...

) as Colonel Emilio Pantoya * '' For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story'' (2000,

Joseph Sargent Joseph Sargent (born Giuseppe Danielle Sorgente; July 22, 1925 – December 22, 2014) was an American film director. Though he directed many television movies, his best known feature-length works were arguably the action movie '' White Ligh ...

) as Sosa * '' Traffic'' (2000,

) as General Arturo Salazar * '' The Hire: Ambush'' (short, 2001, John Frankenheimer) * '' Washington Heights'' (2002,

Alfredo De Villa Alfredo De Villa is a Mexican director. He is best known for directing award winning films such as '' Adrift in Manhattan'', which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007, and '' Washington Heights'', which w ...

) as Eddie * '' The Lost City'' (2005, Andy García) as Don Federico Fellove * '' The Feast of the Goat'' (2005, Luis Llosa) as Rafael Leonidas Trujillo * ''Tomas Milian: Acting on Instinct'' (2013,

Ozzy Inguanzo Ozzy Inguanzo is a Cuban-American screenwriter, producer, and published author. His feature screenplay ''Our Man in Miami'' made the 2023 Black List. In 2019, he received the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay. Care ...

) as himself * ''

Fugly! ''Fugly!'' is a 2014 American comedy film directed by Alfredo De Villa and written by Kathy DeMarco and John Leguizamo. The film stars John Leguizamo, Radha Mitchell, Rosie Perez, Griffin Dunne, Yul Vazquez and Ally Sheedy. The film was relea ...

'' (2014,

) as Gramps

References

External links

Tomás Milián official site
*
Tomás Milián interview

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milian, Tomas 1933 births 2017 deaths Bisexual male actors American male film actors American male voice actors Cuban emigrants to Italy Cuban emigrants to the United States Italian male film actors Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Male actors from Miami Male Spaghetti Western actors Male actors from Havana Nastro d'Argento winners Hispanic and Latino American male actors LGBT people from Cuba LGBT actors from Italy LGBT Hispanic and Latino American people American LGBT actors LGBT people from Florida

Biography

Career

Filmography

References

Further reading

External links