Biography
Tony Russel (born Antonio Pietro Russo, and sometimes credited as Tony Russo or Tony Russell; November 23, 1925 – March 18, 2017) was an American film, stage, and television actor. He was noted for having worked extensively in the Italian film industry in the mid-1960s, and for his work as a voice actor where he was the founder and president of the English Language Dubbers Association (ELDA) in Italy. He was one of several American actors who turned down the lead of A Fistful of Dollars. Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, from Italian immigrants, Russo served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Russel then studied at University of Wisconsin–Madison.
After making Burt Topper's War is Hell (1963), he went to Italy first appearing in the title role of La leggenda di Fra Diavolo. He then appeared in several sword and sandal and Eurospy films, including Secret of the Sphinx (1964) and Gladiators Seven (1964). Russel played Zorro in Behind the Mask of Zorro (1965); he had originally tested for the role of Walt Disney's Zorro but lost out to Guy Williams. Among Russel's starring roles are parts in the sci-fi epics Wild, Wild Planet (1965) and its sequel, War of the Planets filmed concurrently.
He left Italy for America in 1967, and later appeared in such films as The Hard Ride (1971) and Soul Hustler (1973).
He died on March 18, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, aged 91.
Filmography
all 28
Movies 20
TV Shows 8
Director 1
The Vegas Strip War (1984)
Vega$ (1978)
CHiPs (1977)
The Invasion of Carol Enders (1973)
Soul Hustler (1973)
The Hard Ride (1971)
Night Gallery (1970)
The High Chaparral (1967)
Target Goldseven (1966)
War of the Planets (1966)
The Wild, Wild Planet (1966)
Viaggio di nozze all'italiana (1966)
Behind the Mask of Zorro (1966)
Three Weeks of Love (1965)
The Revolt of the Seven (1964)
Secret of the Sphinx (1964)
Sword of Damascus (1964)
The Secret Seven (1963)
Il terrore dei mantelli rossi (1963)
La leggenda di Fra Diavolo (1962)
War Is Hell (1961)
The Sign of Zorro (1958)
Peter Gunn (1958)
King Creole (1958)
26 Men (1957)
Zorro (1957)
The Silver Chalice (1954)
The Lone Wolf (1954)
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1925-11-23
Deathday2017-03-18 (91 years old)
Birth PlaceKenosha, United States of America
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
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