Gian Maria Volonté
Gian Maria Volonté (9 April 1933 – 6 December 1994) was an Italian actor and activist, remembered for his versatility as a performer, his outspoken left-wing leanings, and fiery temper on- and off-screen. He is perhaps most famous outside Italy for his roles in four Spaghetti Western films: Ramón Rojo in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars (1964), El Indio in Leone's 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).
Gian Maria Volonté | |
|---|---|
Volonté in Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970) | |
| Born | 9 April 1933 Milan, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 6 December 1994 (aged 61) Florina, Greece |
| Other names | John Wells Johnny Wels |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1957–1994 |
| Partner(s) | Carla Gravina Armenia Balducci Angelica Ippolito (1977–his death) |
| Children | Giovanna Gravina Mauriel Morejon |
| Relatives | Claudio Camaso (brother) |
| Website | www |
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 (1970), The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1971), and Todo modo (1976). He is also recognized for his performances in Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge (1970), Giuliano Montaldo's Sacco & Vanzetti (1971), and Francesco Rosi's Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979).
Among other accolades, Volonté won two David di Donatello Awards and three Nastro d'Argento Awards. He won the Best Actor Award at the 36th Cannes Film Festival for The Death of Mario Ricci (1983), and the Silver Bear at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival for The Moro Affair (1986). Director Francisco Rosi said that he "stole the soul of his characters".