RIP Roberto Messina

 

ROBERTO MESSINA, HISTORIC ITALIAN ACTOR, STUNTMAN AND WRESTLER, HAS DIED

Historic actor and stuntman, he played in the Italian ring with his brother Emilio in the 60s and 70s

Zona Wrestling

By Taigermen

February 25, 2024

 

Mourning in the world of Italian cinema and wrestling.

Only today the news of his death, which took place on January 9th, of Roberto Messina, historic Italian actor, stuntman and wrestler, came out.

Between Set and Ring, a life in show business

Born in Casablanca, Morocco on January 2, 1934, Messina, together with his brother Emilio (also born in Casablanca in 1936 and died in Florida in 2007), have had a long career in cinema, including supporting roles, extras and stuntmen, working in dozens of Italian and foreign films, alongside actors loved by the public such as Bud Spencer, Terence Hill, Giuliano Gemma, Tomas Millian and many others.

Few, on the other hand, know the wrestling career of the Messina brothers, who often trod the Italian rings between the 1960s and 1970s, as discovered by the ex-wrestler (and now official Ring Announcer of the MWF) Il Drago, through his research, shared on his FaceBook Page; among other things, Messina and other wrestlers paid homage to their past as wrestlers in a famous sequence of "Even Angels Eat Beans", where Bud Spencer plays the role of a masked wrestler who pays homage to the legendary Italian-French wrestler Black Tulip

The news of his death (the circumstances of which have not been disclosed by his family) has passed quietly both in the film and sports spheres.

The editorial staff of ZonaWrestling expresses its condolences to the family members and fellow actors and wrestlers.

MESSINA, Roberto (Roberto S. Messina)

Born: 1/2/1934, Casablanca, Morocco

Died: 1/9/2024, Venice, Florida, U.S.A.

 

Roberto Messina’s westerns – stuntman, stunt coordinator, actor

Badmen of the West - 1964

The Return of Clay Stone - 1964 (Zeke) [as Bob Messenger]

The Magnificent Brutes of the West – 1964 (Fresno troublemaker)

Three Dollars of Lead – 1964 (Mark) [as Roberto Messanger]

A Golden Sheriff - 1966 (tavern owner) [stunt coordinator]

Bandidos – 1967 (Doc)

The Magnificent Texan – 1967 (deputy)

Son of Django – 1967 (Logan) [as Bob Messenger]

Vengeance is Mine – 1967 (soldier)

Cry of Death – 1968 (Bill Ryan)

One After Another - 1968 (bartender)

Dead for a Dollar – 1968 (Jack)

Drop Them or I'll Shoot – 1968 (Boot ally)

The Longest Hunt – 1968 (Doneghan soldier) [as Red Buchanan]

Lynching – 1968 (Billy Ryan)

No Room to Die – 1969 (Santana henchman)

Sartana the Gravedigger - 1969

Durango Is Coming, Pay or Die - 1970 (Morris) [stunts]

Wanted Sabata – 1970 (Conrad Hilton) [master of arms]

A Bullet for a Stranger - 1971 (hearing attendee)

Django… Adios! – 1971 (Bill Parkinson)

Drummer of Vengeance – 1971 (poker player)

Finders Killers – 1971 (Grendel/Parker henchman)

Return of Sabata – 1971 (McIntock henchman)

Trinity Is STILL My Name! – 1971 (Parker henchman) [stunts]

Vendetta at Dawn – 1971 (saloon brawler)

Man of the East – 1972 (saloon waiter)

Now They Call Him Sacramento - 1972 (saloon patron)

On the Third Day Arrived the Crow – 1972 (Crow henchman)

Bad Kids of the West – 1973 (brawler)

Carambola – 1973 (Clydeson henchman)

Behold the Strange, Stimulating Smell of Dollars - 1973 (bank robber)

The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby – 1975 (racketeer)

Keoma – 1975 (Caldwell henchman)

We are No Angels – 1975 (boxing referee)

White Fang and the Kid – 1977 [stunt coordinator]