Ignazio Balsamo

Ignazio Balsamo (25 October 1912 – 7 August 1994) was an Italian film and stage actor.

Life and career Born in Catania, Balsamo began his career on stage, being part of several Sicilian language theatrical companies. Discovered by Pietro Germi, who offered him a role of weight in the film In the Name of the Law, following the success of the film Balsamo moved to Rome where he had a long film career as a character actor, mainly cast in roles of Sicilian criminals and villains. He also worked as a production coordinator and a production runner for the companies Fortunia Film and Romana Film. Balsamo was also author of two plays in Sicilian language, Casa Cantoniera and Tila di ragnu.

Selected filmography

In the Name of the Law (1949) - Francesco Messana Outlaw Girl (1950) - Ciro Sollima The Fighting Men (1950) - Antonio Schepisi Il caimano del Piave (1951) - Sergente siciliano al fronte Behind Closed Shutters (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited) Tragic Serenade (1951) La vendetta di una pazza (1951) Anna (1951) - Un agente di pubblica sicurezza (uncredited) What Price Innocence? (1952) - Giovanni Ergastolo (1952) Girls Marked Danger (1952) - Il Francese I tre corsari (1952) - Van Stiller Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair (1952) - Van Stiller La carovana del peccato (1953) Addio, figlio mio! (1953) - Martinelli Neapolitan Turk (1953) - Luigi La lupa (1953) - Don Antonio, Imbornone's Secretary The Ship of Condemned Women (1953) - Duràn Genoese Dragnet (1954) - Giovanni Feruglio Letter from Naples (1954) - The Police Commissioner Cuore di mamma (1954) - Biagio Carrino Acque amare (1954) - Police Commissioner It Happened at the Police Station (1954) - Taxi driver La Luciana (1954) Buonanotte... avvocato! (1955) - Commissar The White Angel (1955) - Un poliziotto Suonno d'ammore (1955) - Arturo, Padre di Maria La rossa (1955) - Un brigadiere dei carabinieri Accadde al penitenziario (1955) - Detenuto mafioso La moglie è uguale per tutti (1955) - The Sicilian Passenger on Bus Una sera di maggio (1955) Andalusia Express (1956) - Rubio Arrivano i dollari! (1957) - Ernesto Cavalier in Devil's Castle (1959) Policarpo (1959) - Poliziotto (uncredited) The Magistrate (1959) - The Sea Captain The Pirate and the Slave Girl (1959) The Giant of Marathon (1959) - Ship's Captain Ferdinando I re di Napoli (1959) - The Jailer I baccanali di Tiberio (1960) La Dolce Vita (1960) - (uncredited) Un militare e mezzo (1960) - Porter Knight of 100 Faces (1960) - Aiutante di Fosco Le bal des espions (1960) Pirates of the Coast (1960) - Brook Rapina al quartiere Ovest (1960) Robin Hood e i pirati (1960) Un dollaro di fifa (1960) - Poker Player Garibaldi (1961) - Colonel Pallavicino L'onorata società (1961) The Secret of the Black Falcon (1961) - Sancho Don Camillo: Monsignor (1961) - Un compagno socialista (uncredited) Queen of the Seas (1961) - Captain of the Guard The Vengeance of Ursus (1961) - Andros The Italian Brigands (1961) - Scannamorti Duello nella sila (1962) Odio mortale (1962) - Herrera Gli eroi del doppio gioco (1962) - Partisan Zorro and the Three Musketeers (1963) The Eye of the Needle (1962) - Father of Nicola L'invincibile cavaliere mascherato (1963) - Primo Cittadino appestato Samson and the Slave Queen (1963) - Joaquim Hercules and the Masked Rider (1963) Una spada nell'ombra (1963) - Zingano Hercules and the Black Pirates (1964) Hercules Against Rome (1964) - Tauras Terror in the Crypt (1964) - (uncredited) Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas (1964) - Sergeant (uncredited) Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus (1965) - Messenger Giant of the Evil Island (1965) - Navarro How We Robbed the Bank of Italy (1966) - Fake Nurse Zorro il ribelle (1966) - Salvador Shoot Loud, Louder... I Don't Understand (1966) La notte dell'addio (1966) 7 monaci d'oro (1966) - Brigadiere (uncredited) Danger!! Death Ray (1967) - Henchman 'X2' (uncredited) The Magnificent Texan (1967) - Stark Henchman (uncredited) 2 RRRingos no Texas (1967) - Poker player Non mi dire mai good-bye (1967) Delitto a Posillipo - Londra chiama Napoli (1967) - Rosario (uncredited) Due occhi per uccidere (1968) I 2 pompieri (1968) I 2 deputati (1968) - PCI member Zorro in the Court of England (1969) - Dice gambler Il ragazzo che sorride (1969) - Assistant of engineer Indovina chi viene a merenda? (1969) - Cook (uncredited) Zorro, the Navarra Marquis (1969) - Apothecary I 2 magnifici fresconi (1969) - don Mimì Cannaruta Franco, Ciccio e il pirata Barbanera (1969) Poppea's Hot Nights (1969) Satiricosissimo (1970) - Pedlar (uncredited) Ma chi t'ha dato la patente? (1970) W le donne (1970) - Marshal Palombi Principe coronato cercasi per ricca ereditiera (1970) - Creditor (uncredited) Mezzanotte d'amore (1970) - Prison Guard I due maggiolini più matti del mondo (1970) Due bianchi nell'Africa nera (1970) I due maghi del pallone (1970) - Manager of Ghiandineddese Zorro il cavaliere della vendetta (1971) - (final film role)