RIP Antonio Cantafora

 

Crotone in mourning, painter-actor Antonio Cantafora dies in Rome

Gazzetta del Sud

April 20, 2024

 

The actor Antonio Cantafora, originally from Crotone where he was born on February 2, 1944, died today in Rome at the age of 80.

Cantafora, after studying acting with the renowned Alessandro Fersen, made his debut on the big screen in 1967, but it was in the 1970s that he reached the peak of his fame, thanks to his uncanny resemblance to actor Terence Hill. Paired with Paul L. Smith, he embodied the role of the "handsome" in a series of films inspired by the duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. But his career has not been limited to leading roles. Cantafora was also a character actor, working with some of the most important directors of Italian cinema, including Federico Fellini, Alberto Lattuada, Mauro Bolognini. Films such as Lattuada's "The Cicada", Fellini's "Interview" and Carlo Vanzina's "A Spasso nel Tempo" are testament to his versatility and talent for bringing a wide range of characters to life.

Cantafora was also a prolific artist, with a passion for painting that he developed over the years. He has created hundreds of works of art, which have achieved success not only in Italy, but also abroad. Despite his success and prestige, Cantafora has always remained tied to his homeland, finding inspiration in his Calabrian roots for many of his works. For some time, he had been thinking of giving life to a new project inspired by the figure of Pythagoras, which he hoped to bring to life with the help of the Calabria Film Commission

Mayor Vicenzo Voce expressed condolences for the actor's passing: "Our fellow citizen - he wrote - was an appreciated film and television actor. Despite being far from Crotone, he has never broken his bond with the city. I express to the family - concluded Voce - the condolences of my family, of the administration and of the Crotone community".

CANTAFORA, Antonio

Born: 2/2/1944, Crotone, Calabria, Italy

Died: 4/20/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Antonio Cantafora’s westerns – actor:

The Dirty Outlaws – 1967 (Bill Flannigan)

Joe Dakota – 1967 (Tab)

And God Said to Cain – 1969 (Dick Acombar)

Black Killer – 1971 (Ramon O’Hara)

Shoot Joe, and Shoot Again - 1971 (Jack’s henchman)

A Bounty Hunter for Trinity – 1972 (town council member)

Carambola – 1973 (Coby/Toby/Trinity) [as Michael Coby]

The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby - 1974 (Toby) [as Michael Coby]

We Are No Angels - 1975 (Angel) [as Michael Coby]

Buck and the Magic Bracelet - 1997 (Sergeant O'Connor)