Gian Maria Volontè
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Gian Maria Volontè (April 9, 1933 – December 6, 1994) was an Italian actor. He is perhaps most famous for his roles as the main villains in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars (credited as "Johnny Wels") and For a Few Dollars More. He was also considered one of the best European actors ever, for his skill to enter into the personality of the characters he played.
[edit] Biography
Volonté was born in Milan, and graduated in Rome in 1957. He had a brief career as a television and theatre (Shakespeare, Goldoni) actor, before concentrating on his film career. He made his debut in 1960 in with Sotto dieci bandiere, directed by Duilio Coletti. Just four years later, Volonté played "Ramon Rojo" in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), and "Indio" in For a Few Dollars More (1965), both for cash reasons as he didn't consider either role seriously. Both films were directed by a then unknown director: Sergio Leone, and Volonté's roles in them would bring him his most recognition from American audiences.
However, his masterful performance playing memorable but neurotic characters, together with the unexpected, world-wide success of the films, gave him international fame. Volonté had already played comedies, including A cavallo della tigre (1961), by Luigi Comencini, and confirmed his versatility in L'armata Brancaleone of 1966. However he found his main dimension in dramatic roles for Banditi a Milano (1968), by Carlo Lizzani, Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1972) by Marco Bellocchio, La Classe operaia va in paradiso (1972) by Elio Petri and Il sospetto (1975) by Francisco Maselli.
In 1968 he won a Silver Ribbon as best actor for A ciascuno il suo, also directed by his friend Elio Petri. He received the same award for two other outstanding performances: Petri's Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (1971, winner of an Academy Award as best foreign film), considered by many his finest one, and in the Opera al nero (1989). In 1983 he won the award for best actor in the Cannes Film Festival for La morte di Mario Ricci. Four years later, at the Berlin International Film Festival, he was again best actor for Il caso Moro, another exceptional proof of mimetic capabilities. In 1990 he was declared best European actor for Porte aperte. In 1991, at the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for his career as a whole.
Volonté played relevant roles also outside Italy.
He died from a heart attack in 1994 at Florina, Greece during the filming of Ulysses' Gaze, directed by Theo Angelopoulos. His role in the film was recast to Erland Josephson.
[edit] Selected filmography
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- L'armata Brancaleone (1966)
- Quien sabe? (also known as A Bullet for the General, 1966)
- A ciascuno il suo (1967)
- Le Cercle rouge (1970)
- Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)
- Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)
- Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1972)
- The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1972)
- The Mattei Affair (Il Caso Mattei, 1972)
- Giordano Bruno (1973)
- Todo modo (1976)
- Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1979)
- Il caso Moro (1986)
- Cronaca di una morte annunciata (1987)
- L'opera al nero (1988)
[edit] External links
- Official site (in Italian)
- Gian Maria Volontè at the Internet Movie Database
