Benito Stefanelli

(Redirected from Benny Reeves)

Benito Stefanelli (2 September 1928 – 18 December 1999) was an Italian film actor, stuntman and weapons master who made over 60 appearances in film between 1955 and 1991.

Benito Stefanelli
Stefanelli in Day of Anger (1967)
Born2 September 1928
Died18 December 1999 (age 71)
Occupation(s)Actor, Stuntman

Biography and career

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Stefanelli is best known in world cinema for his roles as henchmen in several of Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western films, portraying gang members in the trilogy of films A Fistful of Dollars (1964),[1] For a Few Dollars More (1965),[2] and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).[3] He played the town drunk in Wanted (1967) starring Giuliano Gemma and Serge Marquand.[4]

In his career, Stefanelli appeared in countless other western films and he worked simultaneously as a stunt coordinator (particularly during the 1960s and early 1970s) on the films that he performed in including those of Sergio Leone. A fluent English speaker, he also reportedly served as Clint Eastwood's interpreter together with Bill Thompkins on the set of A Fistful of Dollars.[5][6]

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Lupi, Gordiano (22 August 2018). "Per un pugno di dollari (Film, 1964)". Futuro Europa (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Stasera in tv su Rai 3 alle 20,30 Per qualche dollaro in più di Sergio Leone, con Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef e Gian Maria Volonté". Taxidrivers.it (in Italian). 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  3. ^ Ferraro, Pietro (18 August 2018). "Stasera in tv: "Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo" su Rai 3". Cineblog (in Italian). Triboo Media S.r.l. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  4. ^ Forsley, Christopher (28 May 2015). "'Wanted' Is a Spaghetti Western That Will Leave You Wanting". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  5. ^ Armour, Philip (1 June 2011). 100 Greatest Western Movies of All Time: Including Five You've Never Heard Of. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 66. ISBN 9780762769377.
  6. ^ Cox, Alex (7 August 2008). "Lucky man". New Statesman. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
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