I am a Teacher who started creating online content for my students from 2016 so that they can get access to free knowledge online.
Gian Maria Volontè
Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share
Sign in
Occupation
Actor
Children
Giovanna Volonte
Role
Actor
Name
Gian Volonte
Years active
1957–1993
Born
9 April 1933 (
1933-04-09
)
Milan, Italy
Other names
John Wells, Johnny Wels
Partner(s)
Carla Gravina
Angelica Ippolito (1977-his death)
Died
December 6, 1994, Florina, Greece
Spouse
Tiziana Mischi (m. 1959–1962)
Parents
Carolina Bianchi, Mario Volonte
Movies
For a Few Dollars More, A Fistful of Dollars, Investigation of a Citizen Above Su, The Red Circle, A Bullet for the General
Similar People
Elio Petri, Francesco Rosi, Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone, Giovanna Volonte
Gian Maria Volonté intervistato da Raffaella Carrà
Gian Maria Volontè (9 April 1933 – 6 December 1994) was an Italian actor, remembered for his outspoken left-wing leanings and fiery temper on and off-screen. He is perhaps most famous outside of Italy for his roles in four Spaghetti Western films: Ramon Rojo and El Indio in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars (1965) and For a Few Dollars More (1965), El Chuncho Munoz in Damiano Damiani's A Bullet for the General (1966) and Professor Brad Fletcher in Sergio Sollima's Face to Face (1967).
In Italy and much of Europe, he was notable for his roles in high-profile social dramas depicting the political and social stirrings of Italian and European society in the 1960s and 1970s, including four films directed by Elio Petri - We Still Kill the Old Way (1967), Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1971), The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1971) and Todo modo (1976). He is also recognized for his performance in Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge (1970).
Gian maria volont indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto repressione civilt
Early life
Volontè was born in Milan, and went to Rome to train for an acting career at the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico, which he left in 1957. He had a brief career in television and acting in Shakespeare and Goldoni plays on the stage, before establishing his film career.
Career
Volontè made his debut in 1960 in Sotto dieci bandiere, directed by Duilio Coletti. Just four years later, he played "Ramón Rojo" in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), and "El Indio" in For a Few Dollars More (1965), both for cash reasons as he did not consider either role serious. Both films were directed by the then-unknown Sergio Leone, and Volontè's roles in them would bring him his greatest recognition from American audiences. He played Carlo Levi in Cristo si é fermato a Eboli (1979), which was based on Levi's autobiographical account of his years in internal-exile in Italy in the 1930s. The English title is Christ Stopped at Eboli. Volontè played the memorable role of the Bandito-turned-guerrilla, El Chucho, in A Bullet for the General (1966).
Volontè's performances as memorable but neurotic characters, or as a gifted leader of brigands or revolutionaries, together with the unexpected, worldwide success of the films, gave him international fame. Volontè had already played comedies, including A cavallo della tigre (1961), by Luigi Comencini, and confirmed his versatility in L'armata Brancaleone (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 his friend Elio Petri and Il sospetto (1975) by Francesco Maselli.
In 1968, Volontè won a Silver Ribbon as best actor for A ciascuno il suo, also directed by Elio Petri. Volonté received the same award for two other 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 to be his finest; and in The Abyss (1989).
In 1983 he won the award for Best Actor at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival for La Mort de Mario Ricci. Four years later, at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor for Il caso Moro. 1988 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection, remarkable play as a Renaissance physician in The Abyss by André Delvaux from Marguerite Yourcenar's famous novel. In 1990, Volontè was named Best European Actor for Porte aperte. In 1991, at the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for his career as a whole. Volontè played numerous roles outside Italy.
Personal life
Volontè was a strong political activist and known for his pro-Communist leanings. In 1981, he helped terrorist Oreste Scalzone to flee from capture in Italy to Denmark.He was the partner of Italian actress Carla Gravina for almost 10 years after they met when they played Romeo and Juliet in a theatre production in 1960. The two had a daughter Giovanna, born in the early 1960s. Actress Angelica Ippolito was his companion from 1977 until his death in 1994.
Death
Volontè died from a heart attack in 1994 at Florina, Greece, during the filming of Ulysses' Gaze, directed by Theo Angelopoulos. Actor Erland Josephson replaced him in the role. Volontè's resting place is a small cemetery on the Sardinian island of Isola della Maddalena.
Filmography
Actor
1993
Tirano Banderas as
Tirano Banderas (as Gian María Volonte)
1993
Funes, un gran amor as
Bergama
1991
Una storia semplice as
Carmelo Franzò
1990
Open Doors as
Judge Vito Di Francesco
1990
Tre colonne in cronaca as
Alberto Landolfi
1989
Pestalozzis Berg as
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
1988
L'oeuvre au noir as
Zénon
1987
A Boy from Calabria as
Felice
1987
Cronaca di una morte annunciata as
Dr. Cristo Bedoya
1986
Il caso Moro as
Aldo Moro
1983
The Death of Mario Ricci as
Bernard Fontana
1982
The Charterhouse of Parma (TV Mini Series) as
Count Mosca
- Episode #1.6 (1982) - Count Mosca
- Episode #1.5 (1982) - Count Mosca
- Episode #1.4 (1982) - Count Mosca
- Episode #1.3 (1982) - Count Mosca
- Episode #1.2 (1982) - Count Mosca
- Episode #1.1 (1982) - Count Mosca
1981
Lady of the Camelias as
Plessis
1980
Stark System as
Stark
1979
Ogro as
Izarra
1979
Christ Stopped at Eboli as
Carlo Levi
1977
I Am Afraid as
Brigadiere Ludovico Graziano
1976
Todo modo as
M.
1975
Letters from Marusia as
Gregorio
1975
Il sospetto as
Emilio
1973
Giordano Bruno as
Giordano Bruno (as Gianmaria Volonte)
1973
Lucky Luciano as
Charles 'Lucky' Luciano
1972
Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina as
Giancarlo Bizanti
1972
The Assassination as
Sadiel - un leader progressiste maghrebin
1972
The Mattei Affair as
Enrico Mattei
1971
Lulu the Tool as
Ludovico 'Lulù' Massa
1971
Sacco & Vanzetti as
Bartolomeo Vanzetti
1970
Tre ipotesi sulla morte di Giuseppe Pinelli (Short)
1970
Le Cercle Rouge as
Vogel (as Gian-Maria Volonte)
1970
Many Wars Ago as
Lieutenant Ottolenghi
1970
Le Vent d'Est as
Le ranger nordiste
1970
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion as
Police Inspector / Dottore
1969
Sotto il segno dello scorpione as
Renno
1969
The Bandit as
Gramigna
1968
Summit
1968
The Violent Four as
Pietro 'Piero' Cavallero
1968
The Seven Cervi Brothers as
Aldo Cervi
1967
Face to Face as
Professore Brett Fletcher / Professor Brad Fletcher (as Gian Maria Volonté)
1967
Caravaggio (TV Mini Series) as
Caravaggio
- Episode #1.3 (1967) - Caravaggio
- Episode #1.2 (1967) - Caravaggio
- Episode #1.1 (1967) - Caravaggio
1967
We Still Kill the Old Way as
Prof. Paolo Laurana
1967
A Bullet for the General as
El Chuncho Muños / El Chuncho Niños (as Gian Maria Volonté)
1966
Het gangstermeisje as
Jascha
1966
The Witch as
Fabrizio
1966
L'armata Brancaleone as
Teofilatto dei Leonzi
1966
Wake Up and Die as
Inspector Moroni
1966
Le stagioni del nostro amore as
Leonardo Varzi
1965
For a Few Dollars More as
El Indio (The Indian)
1965
La strada più lunga (TV Movie)
1965
Le inchieste del commissario Maigret (TV Series) as
Radek
- Una vita in gioco (1965) - Radek
1964
Vita di Michelangelo (TV Series) as
Michelangelo
- Episode #1.3 (1964) - Michelangelo
- Episode #1.2 (1964) - Michelangelo
- Episode #1.1 (1964) - Michelangelo
1964
The Magnificent Cuckold as
The Councillor
1964
A Fistful of Dollars as
Ramón Rojo (as John Wells Italian version, Johnny Wels English version)