Tomas Milian, an American actor born in Cuba; was trained at the Actors Studio. He appeared in a few plays on Broadway, as well as in a show by Jean Cocteau’ in Spolene. Mauro Bolognini noticed him and that was the starting point of a rather rich cinematographic career in Italy, where he played in all genres.
He interpreted a mad psychopath in The Ugly Ones (1967) (aka “Bounty Killer”), a role he would then improve and diversify into an impressive gallery of neurotic and sadistic killers, first in “spaghetti westerns” (many directed by Bruno Corbucci), and then in violent action and police thrillers (many directed by Umberto Lenzi). His films gradually evolved into action comedies, as he played the recurrent characters of thief “Monnezza” and cop Nico Giraldi (the latter being originally based on the lead character in Serpico (1973)), two typically Roman characters who enjoyed great popularity in the ’70s and ’80s.
His father was an army general under Machado Cuban dictatorship. In 1933 the dictatorship was overthrown and his father arrested. He committed suicide in 1945 in his home, with Tomas as an eyewitness.
He decided to become a movie actor after seeing James Dean in East of Eden (1955).
Discovered by director Mauro Bolognini after appearing on stage in Italy. Tomas began in Italian features playing sensitive, spoiled bourgeoisie.
After the tremendous success of Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars (1964) starring Clint Eastwood, Milian grubbed up his own image and propelled himself to stardom in like fashion in such classic “spaghetti westerns” as The Ugly Ones (1967), The Big Gundown (1966) with Lee Van Cleef, Face to Face (1967), Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! (1967) and Run, Man, Run (1968).
http://youtu.be/KZ_7br_3y54
A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS TRAILER.
In the 1970s he specialized in playing lone-wolf anti-heroes in giallos and crime features. He started an extremely successful series of tough, violent films as the small-time crook Er. Monnezza (3 times) and police detective Nico Giraldi (12 times).
Returned to the US in the late 80s and has played ethnic bad guys for the most part.
In most of his Italian comedies from the 1970s, his voice was dubbed by Ferruccio Amendola, who provided a strong Roman accent. However, Milian had real knowledge of Roman slang and generally wrote his own lines.
Personal Life.
Spouse, Rita Valletti (1964 – present), they have one child.
Longtime friend of fellow actor Ray Lovelock.
Agencies/Various/IMDb/Morin/InternetPhotos/youtube/thecubanhistory.com
The Cuban History, Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor.