Mario Brega

Mario Brega (25 March 1923 – 23 July 1994) was an Italian character actor. His heavy build meant that he regularly portrayed a thug in his films, particularly earlier in his career in westerns. Later in his career, however, he featured in numerous Italian comedy films. Brega stood at and well over at his heaviest but after the 1960s slimmed down significantly.

Biography Brega was born in Rome. He was a butcher before he drifted into acting, where his heavy physique ensured him a plethora of character roles. Debuting with director Dino Risi, he then played some minor roles in Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western movies: A Fistful of Dollars, as Chico; For a Few Dollars More, as Niño; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as Corporal Wallace; and also as a gangster in Once Upon a Time in America. He appeared in many other Spaghetti Westerns, including Death Rides a Horse, The Great Silence, and My Name is Nobody. Later in his career he had comical roles with director Carlo Verdone, such as in Un sacco bello and Talcum Powder.

He died of a heart attack in Rome in 1994.

Filmography

La mascotte dei diavoli blu (1947) A Man of Straw (1958) – Man who blocks Andrea davanti versus the driver (uncredited) World of Miracles (1959) – Man with a black eye (uncredited) Gli scontenti (1961) Day by Day, Desperately (1961) Eighteen in the Sun (1962) I motorizzati (1962) – Edoardo March on Rome of Dino Risi (1962) – Mitraglia The Girl from Parma (1963) – Brega – policeman (uncredited) Uno strano tipo (1963) The Hours of Love (1963) The Scapegoat (1963) I mostri (episodio La nobile arte) (1963) – Rocchetti (segment "La nobile Arte") Let's Talk About Women (1964) Two Mafiamen in the Far West (1964) – Uomo con Rio A Fistful of Dollars (1964, by Sergio Leone) – Chico Buffalo Bill, Hero of the Far West (1964) – Big Sam Donaldson I complessi (1965) – (segment "Il complesso della schiava nubiana") For a Few Dollars More (1965, by Sergio Leone) – Nino (Indio's Gang) An Angel for Satan (1966) – Carlo Lionesi The Ugly Ones (1966) – Miguel The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966, by Sergio Leone) – Corporal Wallace Date for a Murder (1967) – Mario Galante No Diamonds for Ursula (1967) – Sansone Death Rides a Horse by Giulio Petroni (1967) – Walcott's Henchman in Waistcoat Hallelujah for Django (1967) – Andreas / Yanaro A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (1968) – Krant Il suo nome gridava vendetta (1968) – Dirty The Girl Who Couldn't Say No (1968) – Cripple The Great Silence by Sergio Corbucci (1968) – Martin A Noose for Django (1969) – Brandon's Partner Death Knocks Twice (1969) – Riccardo Beni The Reward's Yours... The Man's Mine di Edoardo Mulargia (1969) – Tim The Divorce (1970) – Newsvendor Cannabis (1970) Gang War (1971) – Bellacque Se t'incontro t'ammazzo (1971) – Grendel Return of Sabata (1971) – Cameo (uncredited) In Prison Awaiting Trial (1971) – Detenuto amico di Scalia (uncredited) A Girl in Australia (1971) – Cameriere italiano a Brisbane (uncredited) Decameron No. 2 - Le altre novelle del Boccaccio di Mino Guerrini (1972) – Ferondo Sotto a chi Tocca! (1972) – Fregonese Le mille e una notte e un'altra ancora… (1973) – Vizier I racconti di Canterbury N. 2 (1973) Even Angels Eat Beans (1973) – Angelo's Weapon Master (uncredited) Da Scaramouche or se vuoi l'assoluzione baciar devi sto... cordone! (1973) My Name Is Nobody (1973) – Pedro Basta con la guerra, facciamo l'amore (1974) – Garozzi Charleston (1974) – Barman I sette del gruppo selvaggio by Gianni Crea (1975) – Tornado Convoy Buddies di Giuliano Carnimeo (1975) – Gang Member Due cuori, una cappella (1975) – Il macellaio Quant'è bella la Bernarda, tutta nera, tutta calda by Lucio Dandolo (1975) – Mirafiore (segment "Il Cavalier Mirafiore") A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975) – Officer at Fort The Last Round (1976) – Bobo Belmondo Destruction Force (1977) – Questore Alberti The Cat (1977) – Killer Agonas horis telos (1978) A Dangerous Toy (1979) – Un rapinatore Fun Is Beautiful di Carlo Verdone (1980) – Mario Bianco, rosso e Verdone by Carlo Verdone (1981) – The 'Prince' Una vacanza del cactus (1981) – Zio Michele, zio di Augusto Pierino la Peste alla riscossa (1982) – Giulio, padre di Pierino Talcum Powder by Carlo Verdone (1982) – Augusto Pè sempe (1982) – Don Enrico Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio (segment: Il mago, 1983) – Alberigo Vacanze di Natale (1983) – Arturo Marchetti Amarsi un po' (1984) – Augusto Coccia Sogni e bisogni (1984) – Er Policlinico Once Upon a Time in America by Sergio Leone (1984) – Mandy Troppo forte di Carlo Verdone (1986) – Sergio Detective School Dropouts (1986) – Don Lombardi Montecarlo Gran Casinò (1987) – Luciano Crack (1991) – (final film role)