RIP Ken Wood

 

"Goodbye to you too". Mourning in Italian cinema, another symbolic actor leaves

la Republica

October 31, 2024

 

Actor and stuntman Giovanni Cianfriglia, famous face of Italian action films and beloved spaghetti westerns, has passed away at the age of 89 in Anzio, the city that had given him birth on April 5, 1935. With an impressive career behind him, Cianfriglia was a central figure of Italian entertainment cinema, embodying a versatility that made him known in the detective genres, Italian westerns and peplum films, of which he was one of the main interpreters and stunt doubles in the golden years of Cinecittà.

His debut in the world of cinema took place with the film "The Labors of Hercules" (1958), where Cianfriglia lent his athletic physique as a stunt double for Steve Reeves, protagonist of the famous peplum. From that moment, his stage presence and ability to take on physically demanding roles led him to achieve a solid career both as an actor and as a stuntman. "Cianfriglia often acted under several pseudonyms, including Ken Wood and John Richmond", expedients with which he adapted to various genres and roles, winning the admiration of directors and colleagues for his professionalism.

Throughout his career, Cianfriglia shared the set with big names in Italian action cinema, such as Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, to whom he remained linked for 17 films, often playing secondary characters but of great impact in the memorable fight scenes. Among his most famous appearances are roles in iconic films such as "Even Angels Eat Beans" (1973), the films of the series "Piedone" (1973-1980), "... otherwise we get angry!" (1974), "The Two Almost Flat Superfeet" (1977), "They Call Me Bulldozer" (1978), "Odd and Even" (1978), "Watch the Pen" (1981), "Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure" (1981) and "Banana Joe" (1982).

"He shared the set with his brother Domenico, also a stuntman and actor," building a family legacy in the world of stunts, which characterized the Italian action cinema of the time. With a repertoire of 173 films shot in Italy, France and the United States, Cianfriglia collaborated with important directors such as Sergio Corbucci, Michele Lupo, Enzo G. Castellari and Umberto Lenzi, great exponents of genre cinema that exploded in Italy in those years.

Giovanni Cianfriglia was a silent protagonist of a golden age of Italian cinema, bringing the grit and physicality of the classic action hero to the screen. His roles ranged from the period films of his beginnings — such as "The Pirate of the Black Sparrowhawk" (1958), "Morgan the Pirate" (1960), "The Trojan War" (1961), "Romulus and Remus" (1961), "The Son of Spartacus" (1962) and "A Queen for Caesar" (1962) — to the spaghetti westerns of the Sixties such as "The Gunslinger Marked by God" (1968), "To the Last Blood" (1968) and "Three Crosses not to die" (1968), and to the subsequent detective films where he joined the actor Maurizio Merli, a symbol of Italian detective stories.

His long career and ability to adapt to different film genres have made him an admired figure for generations of viewers, who continue to remember him as a symbol of Italian entertainment cinema. Giovanni Cianfriglia leaves a rich legacy in the world of Italian cinema, a tribute to the versatility and passion he dedicated to each of his performances, giving fans an impressive series of films that will remain in the history of the big screen.

WOOD, Ken (Giovanni Cianfriglia)

Born: 4/5/1935, Anzio, Lazio, Italy

Died: 10/30/2024, Anzio, Lazio, Italy

 

Ken Wood’s westerns – stuntman, actor:

The Relentless Four – 1965 (deputy)

5 Giants from Texas – 1966 (Jesus/Indios)

Ringo and His Golden Pistol – 1966 (Sebastian) [as Ken Wood]

The Tramplers – 1966 (Cordeen henchman)

Ballad of a Gunman – 1967 (gambler)

If You Want to Live... Shoot! – 1967 (Stark) [as Ken Wood]

Killer Kid – 1967 (Ramirez) [as Ken Wood]

Bury Them Deep – 1968 (Billy Gunn) [as Ken Wood]

Kill Them All and Come Back Alone – 1968 (Blade) [as Ken Wood]

No Graves on Boot Hill – 1968 (Reno) [as Ken Wood]

Three Crosses Not to Die – 1968 (Reno) [as Ken Wood]

Two Pistols and a Coward – 1968 (Ron Eloy) [as Ken Wood]

Western, Italian Style – 1968 [archive footage]

The Unholy Four – 1969 (saloon brawler)

Adiós, Sabata – 1970 (Austrian agent)

Amen – 1970 [as Ken Wood]

Durango Is Coming, Pay or Die - 1970 (stagecoach robber)

The Unholy Four – 1970

Wanted Sabata – 1970 (Mexican bounty hunter)

You're Jinxed, Friend You've Met Sacramento – 1970 (Murdock henchman)

Blindman – 1971 (Mexican soldier) [stunts]

Django... Adios! - 1971 (Spirito Santo henchman)

Drummer of Vengeance – 1971 (Blackie) [as Ken Wood]

A Man Called Django – 1971 (Blackie)

Return of Sabata – 1971 (McIntock henchman)

Bada alla tua pelle Spirito Santo! - 1972 (Garibaldino) [as Ken Wood]

The Ballad of Ben and Charlie – 1972 (casino bouncer)

The Grand Duel – 1972

Gunmen and the Holy Ghost – 1972 (Garibaldi/Il Garibaldino) [as Ken Wood]

Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? – 1972 (The Challenger) [as Ken Wood]

Man of the East – 1972 (saloon brawler)

Return of the Holy Ghost – 1972 (Garibaldi/‘Il Garibaldino’) [as Ken Wood]

Sentence of God – 1972 [as Ken Wood]

They Call Me Providence – 1972 (‘The Challenger’) [as Ken Wood]

Where the Bullets Fly – 1972 (barn brawler)

Blood River – 1973 (Indian)

Keoma – 1975 (Caldwell henchmen) [as Ken Wood]

Buddy Goes West – 1981 (Jack Bold) [stunts]

America in Rome – 1998 [himself]

Denn sie kennen kein erbarmen - Der Italowestern (TV) – 2005 [himself]