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IMDbPro

Adolfo Celi(1922-1986)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)
An Italian laborer foils anyone who tries to stop him from selling espresso on a night train to Naples.
Play trailer3:52
Café Express (1980)
6 Videos
23 Photos
Sicilian born actor/writer/director was very popular with European audiences, but largely unknown to the west apart from his portrayal of the villainous SPECTRE agent "Emilio Largo" in the spectacular James Bond film Thunderball (1965). However, due to his heavy accent, Celi's voice was dubbed by Robert Rietty. Two years later Celi popped up in the appalling James Bond spoof OK Connery (1967) starring Neil Connery brother of Sean Connery.

Additional to his many film appearances in Italian productions, Celi spent many years on stage in South America to very positive reviews, and directed three films made in South America, Caiçara (1950), Tico-Tico no fuba (1952)_ and L'Alibi (1969)_.

He passed away on February 19th 1986 from a heart attack.
BornJuly 27, 1922
DiedFebruary 19, 1986(63)
BornJuly 27, 1922
DiedFebruary 19, 1986(63)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 1 win & 2 nominations

Photos23

Sean Connery and Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)
Adolfo Celi in The Borgias (1981)
Alan Bates, Geneviève Bujold, Pierre Brasseur, Jean-Claude Brialy, Adolfo Celi, Françoise Christophe, Julien Guiomar, Micheline Presle, and Michel Serrault in King of Hearts (1966)
Pier Paolo Capponi and Adolfo Celi in King of Hearts (1966)
Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, and Suzy Kendall in Thunderball (1965)
Sean Connery and Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)
Sean Connery and Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)
Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, and Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)
Frank Sinatra, Adolfo Celi, and Sergio Fantoni in Von Ryan's Express (1965)
Frank Sinatra, Adolfo Celi, and Sergio Fantoni in Von Ryan's Express (1965)
Julie Christie and Adolfo Celi in In Search of Gregory (1969)
Mel Ferrer, Adolfo Celi, and Rosanna Schiaffino in El Greco (1966)

Known for:

Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Martine Beswick, Luciana Paluzzi, and Molly Peters in Thunderball (1965)
Thunderball
6.9
  • Largo
  • 1965
Neil Connery in OK Connery (1967)
OK Connery
3.5
  • Mr. Thai - 'Beta'
  • 1967
John Phillip Law and Marisa Mell in Danger: Diabolik (1968)
Danger: Diabolik
6.5
  • Ralph Valmont
  • 1968
Caiçara (1950)
Caiçara
7.6
  • Genovês
  • 1950

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Aeroporto internazionale
    • Il caposcalo
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 1985
  • Aeroporto internazionale (1985)
    Aeroporto internazionale
    • Il caposcalo
    • Frankie Vallino
    • TV Series
    • 1985–1987
  • T.I.R. (1987)
    T.I.R.
    • Oreste
    • TV Series
    • 1987
  • Il giocatore invisibile
    • 1985
  • Adolfo Celi, Renzo Montagnani, Gastone Moschin, and Ugo Tognazzi in Amici miei - Atto III° (1985)
    Amici miei - Atto III°
    • Professor Sassaroli
    • 1985
  • Cenerentola '80 (1984)
    Cenerentola '80
    • Prince Gherardeschi
    • 1984
  • L'occhio di Giuda
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1982
  • Adolfo Celi, Renzo Montagnani, Gastone Moschin, and Ugo Tognazzi in Amici miei - Atto II° (1982)
    Amici miei - Atto II°
    • Professor Alfeo Sassaroli
    • 1982
  • Monsignor (1982)
    Monsignor
    • Vinci
    • 1982
  • La sconosciuta (1982)
    La sconosciuta
    • Taladis
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1982
  • Ornella Muti and Adriano Celentano in Innamorato pazzo (1981)
    Innamorato pazzo
    • Gustavo VI di San Tulipe
    • 1981
  • Adolfo Celi, Oliver Cotton, and Anne-Louise Lambert in The Borgias (1981)
    The Borgias
    • Rodrigo Borgia
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1981
  • Car-Napping - Bestellt, geklaut, geliefert (1980)
    Car-Napping - Bestellt, geklaut, geliefert
    • Head of police in Palermo
    • 1980
  • Café Express (1980)
    Café Express
    • Ispettore Capo Ramacci Pisanelli
    • 1980
  • L'altro Simenon
    • TV Series
    • 1979
  • Professor Kranz tedesco di Germania (1978)
    Professor Kranz tedesco di Germania
    • Carcamano
    • 1978

Director

  • L'alibi (1969)
    L'alibi
    • Director
    • 1969
  • Fernanda Montenegro and Sérgio Britto in Grande Teatro Tupi (1951)
    Grande Teatro Tupi
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1957
  • Tônia Carrero, Anselmo Duarte, and Marisa Prado in Tico-Tico no Fubá (1952)
    Tico-Tico no Fubá
    • Director
    • 1952
  • Caiçara (1950)
    Caiçara
    • Director
    • 1950

Writer

  • L'alibi (1969)
    L'alibi
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 1969
  • Caiçara (1950)
    Caiçara
    • story and screenplay
    • 1950

Videos8

Monsignor
Clip 2:08
Monsignor
Official Trailer
Trailer 4:11
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 3:52
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 3:12
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:07
Official Trailer
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Trailer 2:54
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Thunderball
Trailer 2:58
Thunderball
Grand Prix
Trailer 3:59
Grand Prix

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • July 27, 1922
    • Messina, Sicily, Italy
  • Died
    • February 19, 1986
    • Siena, Tuscany, Italy(aortic aneurysm)
  • Spouses
      Veronica Lazar1966 - February 19, 1986 (his death, 2 children)
  • Children
      Alessandra Celi
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Despite speaking fluent English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German in addition to his native Italian, his voice was dubbed by another actor in most of his movies throughout his career, even in his native Italy, to hide his distinctive Sicillian accent.
  • Trademark
      Premature grey hair

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