Messina, Roberto
Posted: 25/05/2020, 11:28
Roberto Messina was a stuntman, actor and stunt co-ordinator active in Italian films from the start of the 60’s until the end of the 70’s and in international films into the early 90’s.
Roberto was born in Casablanca, Morocco on January 2nd 1934. He was the older brother of stuntman Emilio Messina.
Along with his brother Emilio, alongside whom he often appeared, he first appeared in peplums, then continued working steadily through the cycles of the eurospy, spaghetti western and poliziotteschi genres. On those occasions where he was credited it was often under the pseudonym of Bob or Robert Messenger. He also worked as an Italian dubbing artist for Italian films and later as a stunt co-ordinator.
At the start of the 80’s both brothers relocated to Florida, USA and throughout the next decade he continued to work as a stuntman and stunt co-ordinator, predominantly for Italian productions shot in Florida.
News has come via Facebook, reportedly originating from Roberto's grandson, that he passed away on January 9th 2024, aged 90.
Filmography as actor
- L'ira di Achille .... Soldier (uncredited)
- Maciste, il gladiatore più forte del mondo .... Gladiator / Tavern brawler (uncredited)
- Sodoma e Gomorra .... Hebrew (credited as "Emilio and Roberto Messina")
1963 - Ercole contro Moloch .... Gladiator prisoner (uncredited)
- I dieci gladiatori .... Praetorian / Gladiator (uncredited)
- Il duca nero .... Soldier (uncredited)
- Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo .... Prison guard (uncredited)
1964 - Ercole l'invincibile .... Guard / Liberated prisoner (uncredited)
- Gli invincibili dieci gladiatori .... Man in Spartacus' camp (uncredited)
- I magnifici brutos del West .... One of Tom's men (uncredited)
- I tre centurioni .... Wrestler (uncredited)
- Il colosso di Roma .... Guard outside Porsenna's tent (uncredited)
- Il magnifico gladiatore .... Dacian prisoner (uncredited)
- Il trionfo dei dieci gladiatori .... Soldier / Gladiator / Freedom fighter (uncredited)
- Il trionfo di Ercole .... Golden fighter (uncredited)
- L'ultimo gladiatore .... Guard at the arena (uncredited)
- La spia che venne dall'ovest .... Furio (uncredited)
- Le maledette pistole di Dallas .... Zeke (credited as "Rob Messanger")
- Maciste gladiatore di Sparta .... Gladiator (uncredited)
- Queste pazze pazze donne .... Thug in disco brawl (uncredited)
- The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Gladiator (uncredited)
- Tre dollari di piombo .... Mark (credited as "Rob Messanger")
1965 - Asso di picche - Operazione controspionaggio .... Oakes henchman (uncredited)
- Il boia scarlatto .... One of Anderson's henchmen (credited as "Robert Messenger")
- La magnifica sfida .... unknown role (credited)
- Operazione poker .... Omar, OS-10 (credited as "Bob Messenger")
- Superseven chiama Cairo .... Trainer (uncredited)
1966 - Agente segreto 070 thunderbay missione grasshopper .... Sgt. Bear of Scotland Yard (credited as "Bob Messanger")
- James Tont operazione D.U.E. .... Spring henchman (uncredited)
- L'affare Beckett.... Hammond (credited as "Bob Messenger")
- Le spie amano i fiori .... Henchman in street fight (uncredited)
- Uno sceriffo tutto d'oro .... Jane's husband (credited as "Bob Messenger")
- Un angelo per Satana .... Villager (uncredited)
1967 - Bandidos .... Doc (credited)
- Il figlio di Django .... Logan (credited as "Bob Messenger")
- Il magnifico Texano .... Deputy (uncredited)
- Kommissar X - Drei grüne Hunde / Strategic command chiama Jo Walker .... Khemal hanchman (uncredited)
- Per 100.000 dollari t'ammazzo .... Soldier (uncredited)
- Un colpo da re .... Truefinger (unconfirmed role - credited as "Bob Messenger")
1968 - Angelica e il gran sultano .... Seaman (uncredited)
- Carogne si nasce .... Bill Ryan (uncredited)
- L'invincibile Superman .... Wrestler fighting Superargo (uncredited)
- Niente rose per OSS 117 .... Assistant to OSS 117 (uncredited)
- T'ammazzo!... Raccomandati a Dio .... Ralph (credited)
- Uno dopo l'altro .... Bartender (uncredited)
1969 - 5 per l'inferno .... German soldier (uncredited)
- Gli specialisti .... One of Boot's friends (uncredited)
- Le calde notti di Poppea .... One of Druso's men (uncredited)
- Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino .... Gunman (uncredited)
- Una lunga fila di croci .... Rodriguez (uncredited)
1970 - Le Mans - Scorciatoia per l'inferno .... Race car driver (uncredited)
- Lo chiamavano Trinità... .... Brawler (uncredited)
- Wanted Sabata .... Conrad Hilton (credited)
1971 - Arriva Durango... pago o muori .... Morris (credited)
- Continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità .... Monastery attack henchman (uncredited)
- È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta! .... McLintock henchman (uncredited)
- Il diavolo a sette facce .... Driver in car chase (credited)
- Il giorno del giudizio .... Poker player (uncredited)
- Il ritorno del gladiatore più forte del mondo .... Soldier at the tavern (uncredited)
- Kommissar X jagt die roten Tiger / F.B.I. operazione Pakistan .... Bosco (credited)
- Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti .... Barroom brawler (uncredited)
- Se t'incontro t'ammazzo .... Outlaw (uncredited)
1972 - Afyon oppio .... Henchman (credited)
- E poi lo chiamarono il magnifico .... Barman (uncredited)
- I bandoleros della dodicesima ora .... Saloon diner (uncredited)
- Il prode Anselmo e il suo scudiero .... One of Ottone's men (uncredited)
- Io monaca... per tre carogne e sette peccatrici .... One of Shaw's brawlers (credited)
- Poppea... una prostituta al servizio dell'impero .... Cook in first tavern / Gladiator / Thermae brawler (uncredited)
- Seminò morte... lo chiamavano il Castigo di Dio! .... Miller henchman (credited)
- Sotto a chi tocca .... unknown role (uncredited)
1973 - Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli .... Tag wrestler (uncredited)
- Dagli archivi della polizia criminale .... unknown role
- ...E il terzo giorno arrivò il corvo .... Gunman (uncredited) (re-used footage)
- Kid il monello del west .... Saloon brawler (uncredited)
- Ming, ragazzi! .... Footballer (uncredited)
- Piazza pulita .... Pole henchman (uncredited)
- Piedone lo sbirro .... Tunis fighter (uncredited)
- Provaci anche tu, Lionel .... Goran henchman (credited)
- Sentivano uno strano, eccitante, pericoloso puzzo di dollari .... Bank employee-henchman (uncredited)
1974 - ...altrimenti ci arrabbiamo! .... Gymnast (uncredited)
- Arrivano Joe e Margherito .... Henchman (credited)
- Carambola .... Clydeson henchman (uncredited)
- Il bestione .... Thug (uncredited)
- Le amanti del mostro .... Farmer (uncredited)
- Processo per direttissima .... Assailant of Laura Baldini (uncredited)
- Quelli che contano .... Henchman in red (uncredited)
- The Arena / La rivolta delle gladiatrici .... Gladiator (uncredited)
1975 - Carambola, filotto... tutti in buca .... Bakery brawler (uncredited as actor)
- Colpo in canna .... Don Calo henchman (uncredited)
- L'esorciccio .... Man in Pasquale's garage (uncredited)
- Noi non siamo angeli .... Boxing referee (credited as Stunt man)
- Simone e Matteo - Un gioco da ragazzi .... Henchman on ship (uncredited as actor)
1976 - Il vangelo secondo Simone e Matteo .... Cook (uncredited)
- Keoma .... Caldwell henchman / Caldwell henchman (uncredited)
- Quelli della calibro 38 .... Saro Nistri's henchman (uncredited)
- Squadra antifurto .... Commissioner Tozzi (credited)
- Squadra antiscippo .... Commissioner Tozzi (credited)
1977 - Cuibul salamandrelor .... Fred (credited)
- I due superpiedi quasi piatti .... Fred henchman (credited)
- La malavita attacca. La polizia risponde .... Gunman at the Alicomo (uncredited)
- La polizia è sconfitta .... Friend of the Tunisian (uncredited)
- Mannaja .... Rebelling miner (uncredited)
- Squadra antitruffa .... Commissioner Tozzi (credited)
- Zanna Bianca e il grande Kid .... Miner (uncredited as actor)
1978 - Battaglie negli spazi stellari .... Guard (uncredited)
- Il commissario di ferro .... Kidnapper who collects the ransom money (uncredited)
- Il figlio dello sceicco .... Bedouin leader (credited)
- Non sparate sui bambini .... Beaumont henchman (uncredited)
- Piedone l'africano .... Police nun (uncredited)
- Quel maledetto treno blindato .... American prisoner (uncredited)
- Sam & Sally (TV series) - season 1, ep. 2: "Bedelia" .... Henchman (uncredited)
- Scontri stellari oltre la terza dimensione .... Soldier (uncredited)
- Squadra antimafia .... Commissioner Tozzi (credited)
- Un poliziotto scomodo .... Corchi henchman (uncredited)
1979 - Return of the Saint (TV series) - ep. 19: "Murder Cartel" .... Mario (credited)
- Sette uomini d'oro nello spazio .... Boxing match referee (uncredited)
- Torino centrale del vizio .... Henchman (uncredited)
1980 - Popeye .... Gozo (credited)
1981 - Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro .... Pirate (uncredited)
1983 - Cane e gatto .... One of Don Salvatore's men (uncredited)
1984 - Jungle Warriors .... (credit only)
1985 - Miami supercops .... Duran henchman (uncredited)
1989 - Bersaglio sull'autostrada .... Bodyguard (credited)
1992 - Out of Control .... Collins (credited as "Robert Messina")
Roberto's Production Credits
- Le maledette pistole di Dallas .... Credited as Consulenze acrobatiche
1965 - Operazione poker …. Credited for Special Effects
1966 - Uno sceriffo tutto d'oro .... Credited as Maestro d'armi
1970 - Wanted Sabata .... Credited as Master of Arms
1971 - Arriva Durango... pago o muori .... Credited as Master of Arms
1972 - Io monaca... per tre carogne e sette peccatrici .... Credited as Stunt coordinator
- Seminò morte... lo chiamavano il Castigo di Dio! .... Credited as Master of Arms
1975 - Carambola, filotto... tutti in buca .... Credited as Maestro d'armi
- Simone e Matteo - Un gioco da ragazzi .... Credited for Special effects
1977 - Zanna Bianca e il grande Kid .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
1980 - Popeye .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
1981 - Freddie of the Jungle .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
1984 - Jungle Warriors .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
1985 - Final Justice .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
1989 - Bersaglio sull'autostrada .... Credited as Director of 2nd unit
- Cat Chaser .... Credited as Stunt co-ordinator
- Curse II: The Bite .... Credited as "Robert Messina", as Stunt co-ordinator
- Sonny Boy .... Credited as "Robert Messina", as Stunts
1992 - Out of Control .... Credited as "Robert Messina", as Stunt co-ordinator
1994 - Botte di Natale.... Credited as Stunt
More Roberto!
There are still a few movies where Roberto is credited by various online sources, so if anybody has images of him in the films below you know what to do.
- Quel giorno Dio non c'era (Il caso Defregger) (1969) - IMDb, ANICA
- La modification (1970) - IMDb as Policeman
- Senza famiglia, nullatenenti cercano affetto (1972). He plays a rioter, identifiable from his unique comb-over, but I couldn't get any usable shots of him from the rather soft "HD" copy on You Tube.
- S+H+E (1980) I'm pretty certain he plays one of the henchmen who make a human bridge, but it would take a good quality copy to confirm this and to get images.
Messina is missing!
As often seems to be the case we also have a selection of films where Roberto is credited by some online resource, but where we have been unable to find him.
- Asso di picche - Operazione controspionaggio (1965) - IMDb with no role given, Emilio appears but Roberto doesn't.
- Spara, Gringo, spara (1968) - IMDb as Soldier in Doneghan's Army. Not found.
- Gli fumavano le Colt... lo chiamavano Camposanto (1971) - IMDb as Saloon patron. Searched for by several people, but not found.