Biography
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Gian Maria Volonté in A Fistful of Dollars.
Gian Maria Volonté (April 9, 1933, Milan–December 6, 1994, Florina, Greece) was an Italian actor. He is perhaps most famous for his roles as the main villains in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars 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.
Volonté graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts 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. Later played for cash reasons in two movies he didn't consider seriously, directed by a then unknown director: Sergio Leone (1964). 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), consider 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 in 1994 during the filming of Ulysses' Gaze, directed by Theo Angelopoulos; his role in the film was recast to Erland Josephson.
Selected filmography
L'opera al nero (1988)
Cronaca di una morte annunciata (1987)
Il caso Moro (1986)
Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1979)
Todo modo (1976)
Giordano Bruno (1973)
The Mattei Affair (Il Caso Mattei, 1972)
La classe operaia va in Paradiso (1972)
Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1972)
Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)
Le Cercle rouge (1970)
A ciascuno il suo (1967)
Quien sabe?aka A Bullet for the General (1966)
L'armata Brancaleone (1966)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
