Borgese, Salvatore

[PeplumParadise]

Salvatore Borgese in Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di... (1970)

Salvatore Borgese, often billed as "Sal", is a stuntman, actor and stunt coordinator active in Italian and European films from the start of the 1960's until the present.

Sal was born in Rome on March 5th 1937 to Calabrian parents. At the time of writing he is still living and working. Some sources give his full name as Giuseppe Salvatore Borgese. His son, Alessandro, has followed his father into the business as a stuntman and master of arms.

Sal began his career in peplums at the start of the 60's and worked steadily in small action roles throughout the first half of the decade. When the popularity of peplums declined he segued into eurospies (where he was sometimes billed as "Mark Trevor"), then westerns, with the size of his roles slowly growing.

Sal was always at his best when working as part of an ensemble and given the opportunity to display both his acrobatic and comedic talents. In 1968 he replaced Aldo Canti in the second in the popular "3 Supermen" series of films. From this point onward his roles grew larger and he was almost always credited. From the 70's he became a regular collaborator in the films of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. His work at this time took him to many European countries including Germany, Spain and Turkey.

Sal has continued working steadily right up until the present, both as an actor and behind the scenes as a stunt coordinator. In recent years he has frequently appeared as an interviewee in documentaries and featurettes as well as being a regular guest at genre film conventions.

I have found a number of undocumented early roles in peplums, so it is quite possible that there are still a few more to be discovered.

Filmography as actor

---

1960

1. Il terrore della maschera rossa .... Guard (uncredited)
   
   1961
2. Barabba .... Gladiator (uncredited)
3. Ursus nella valle dei leoni .... Man aiding escape of the baby king / Guard / Prisoner (uncredited)
   
   1962
4. Arrivano i titani .... Soldier (uncredited)
5. I sette gladiatori .... Guard (uncredited)
6. Maciste, il gladiatore più forte del mondo .... Gladiator / Soldier (uncredited)
7. Marte, dio della guerra .... Guard (uncredited)
8. Odio mortale .... Pirate (uncredited)
9. Sodoma e Gomorra .... Hebrew destroying the dam (uncredited)
   
   1963
10. Brenno il nemico di Roma .... Soldier of Brenno (uncredited)
11. Cleopatra .... Roman soldier (uncredited)
12. Cyrano e D'Artagnan .... Duellist with Cyrano / Challenger in the street duel (uncredited)
13. Ercole contro Moloch .... Soldier (uncredited)
14. Ercole sfida Sansone .... Ship crew member / Danite (uncredited)
15. Finché dura la tempesta .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
16. Giacobbe, l'uomo che lottò con Dio .... Man fighting in the river (uncredited)
17. Golia e il cavaliere mascherato .... Gypsy (uncredited)
18. I dieci gladiatori .... Milo (credited)
19. I mostri .... The debutant writer (credited)
20. Il boia di Venezia .... Man watching dancer in the tavern (uncredited)
21. Il magnifico avventuriero .... Fighter in the tavern (uncredited)
22. Il monaco di Monza .... unknown role (uncredited)
23. Io Semiramide .... Guard (uncredited)
24. La cieca di Sorrento .... Guard fighting Welby (uncredited)
25. Zorro contro Maciste .... Fighter in the tavern (uncredited)
    
    1964
26. Coriolano eroe senza patria .... Tullio (uncredited)
27. Ercole contro i tiranni di Babilonia .... Henchman of Malik / Babylonian soldier (uncredited)
28. Ercole contro Roma .... Mirko / Praetorian (credited)
29. Gli invincibili dieci gladiatori .... Nino (credited as "Sal Borgese")
30. Golia alla conquista di Bagdad .... Arab (uncredited)
31. I misteri della giungla nera .... Thug guard (uncredited)
32. Il trionfo dei dieci gladiatori .... Nino (credited as "Sal Borgese")
33. La rivolta dei barbari .... Soldier (uncredited)
34. Maciste e la regina di Samar .... Ambusher (uncredited)
35. Sandok, il Maciste della giungla .... Sect member (uncredited)
36. Sandokan alla riscossa .... Assassin (uncredited)
37. Sansone contro il corsaro nero .... Pirate (uncredited)
38. The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Gladiator (uncredited)
    
    1965
39. A 008 operazione sterminio .... Killer with the black glove (credited as "Mark Trevor")
40. Agente 3S3: Passaporto per l'inferno .... Thug in the Vienna bar (credited as "Sal Borgese")
41. Il gladiatore che sfidò l'impero .... Gladiator (uncredited)
42. Il mistero dell'isola maledetta .... Crow (credited)
43. Un dollaro bucato .... Head henchman (uncredited)
    
    1966
44. 2 once di piombo .... Slim (uncredited)
45. 1000 dollari sul nero .... Mexican in the saloon (uncredited)
46. Agente 3S3, massacro al sole .... Paco (credited as "Sal Borgese")
47. Inferno a Caracas .... Kidnapper (credited)
48. Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro .... Scott henchman (uncredited)
49. Le spie amano i fiori .... Henchman (credited as "Mark Trevor")
50. Un milione di dollari per sette assassini .... Sharp-dressed henchman (credited as "Mark Trevor")
    
    1967
51. I fantastici 3 $upermen .... Hitman (credited as "Squadra acrobatica Italiana")
52. Kommissar X - Drei grüne Hunde / Strategic command chiama Jo Walker .... Bedouin warder (uncredited)
53. La più grande rapina del west .... Jarrett henchman (credited)
54. Trappola per 4 .... Jojo (credited)
    
    1968
55. 3 Supermen a Tokio .... Dick (credited as "Dick Gordon")
56. Il pistolero segnato da Dio .... Coleman henchman (credited as "Borgese Salvatore")
57. Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte .... El Moreno (uncredited as actor)
    
    1969
58. 5 per l'inferno .... Al Siracusa (credited as "Sal Borgese")
59. I quattro del pater noster .... One of the Jackson brothers (credited)
60. Isabella, duchessa dei diavoli .... Diego Mendoza (credited)
61. La battaglia di El Alamein .... Kapow (credited)
62. Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino .... Sheriff Fisher (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1970
63. Che fanno i nostri supermen tra le vergini della jungla? .... Dick (credited)
64. Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di.. .... Septembre (credited as "Sal Borgese")
65. Una nuvola di polvere... un grido di morte... arriva Sartana .... The informer (credited)
    
    1971
66. I pirati dell'isola verde .... Araña (credited as "Sal Borgese")
67. Il corsaro nero .... Martin (credited as "Sal Borgese")
68. Mania di grandezza .... One-Eye (credited)
69. Un posto ideale per uccidere .... Agostino's friend (credited)
    
    1972
70. E poi lo chiamarono il magnifico .... Bounty hunter (credited)
71. Processo a un atto di valore (TV movie) .... Musella (credited)
72. Si può fare... amigo .... Deputy (credited as "Sal Borgese")
73. Sotto a chi tocca! .... Bitonto (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1973
74. Crash! Che botte... strippo strappo stroppio .... Jerry (credited as "Sal Borgese")
75. Diario di una vergine romana .... Fighter (uncredited - re-used footage)
76. ...e così divennero i 3 supermen del West .... Sal (credited as "Sal Borgese")
77. Ein Käfer auf Extratour .... Aldo Regozzani (credited as "Sal Borgese")
78. Fuori uno... sotto un altro, arriva il Passatore .... Mangiabisce (credited as "Sal Borgese")
79. Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia .... Zoppas henchman (credited as "Sal Borgese")
80. L'onorata famiglia - Uccidere è cosa nostra .... Turi Nannisco (credited as "Sal Borgese")
81. Lo chiamavano Tresette... giocava sempre col morto .... Salvatore Pappalardo (credited as "Sal Borgese")
82. Passi di danza su una lama di rasoio .... Asdrubale Magno (credited)
83. Revolver .... Suicidal prisoner (credited as "Sal Borgese")
84. Storia di karatè, pugni e fagioli .... Ken Goldenhand (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1974
85. I figli di Zanna Bianca .... Alberto Bellati (credited as "Sal Borgese")
86. La pazienza ha un limite... noi no! .... Pistolero" Duke McDonald (credited)
87. Pasqualino Cammarata... capitano di fregata .... Naval cadet (credited, as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1975
88. Das verrückteste Auto der Welt .... Aldo Regozzani (credited)
89. Fango bollente .... The custodian (credited as "Sal Borgese")
90. Los hijos de Scaramouche .... Sal (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1976
91. Bluff storia di truffe e di imbroglioni .... Belle Duke henchman (credited as "Sal Borgese")
92. Con la rabbia agli occhi .... Vincent (credited as "Sal Borgese")
93. Il Corsaro Nero .... Carmaux (credited as "Sal Borgese")
94. Il grande racket .... Salvatore Velasci (credited)
95. Le avventure e gli amori di Scaramouche .... Chagrin (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1977
96. Ecco noi per esempio... .... Mafioso at the hippodrome (credited)
97. La tigre è ancora viva: Sandokan alla riscossa! (TV movie) .... Kammamuri (credited as "Sal Borgese")
98. Messalina, Messalina! .... Mevius (credited as "Sal Borgese")
    
    1978
99. La banda del gobbo .... Milo Dragovic (credited as "Sal Borgese")
100. La mazzetta .... Tonino (credited as "Sal Borgese")
101. Pari e dispari .... Ninfus (credited)
     
     1979
102. 3 Supermen contro il Padrino .... Sal (credited as "Sal Borgese")
103. La poliziotta della squadra del buon costume .... Pierre La Turraine (credited as "Sal Borgese")
104. Sabato, domenica e venerdì .... Fred henchman (credited as "Sal Borgese")
105. Zwei tolle Käfer räumen auf .... Sal (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1980
106. Il casinista .... The Palestinian (credited as "Sal Borgese")
107. La settimana bianca .... The Sardinian (credited as "Sal Borgese")
108. Mi faccio la barca .... Fugitive (credited as "Sal Borgese")
109. Poliziotto superpiù .... Paradise Alley (credited as "Sal Borgese")
110. Zucchero, miele e peperoncino .... Alfio (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1981
111. Car Crash .... Al Costa (credited as "Sal Borgese")
112. Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro .... Anulu (credited as "Sal Borgese")
113. Il marchese del Grillo .... Card player (uncredited)
114. Pierino il fichissimo .... Arab (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1982
115. Bingo Bongo .... Doctor searching for Bingo Bongo (credited for "acrobazie" as "Sal Borgese")
116. Ciao nemico .... Salvatore Ficuzza (credited as "Sal Borgese")
117. La figlia della giungla .... Dupré (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1983
118. I sette magnifici gladiatori .... Glafiro (credited as "Michael Franz")
     
     1984
119. A tu per tu .... Mafioso (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1985
120. Cristoforo Colombo (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3 .... Juan (credited in 4 episodes)
121. I cinque del Condor .... Paco (credited as "Sal Borgese")
122. Joan Lui - Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì .... Frank (uncredited as actor)
     
     1986
123. 3 Supermen in Santo Domingo .... Sal (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1987
124. I picari .... Galley guard (credited as "Sal Borgese")
125. L'inchiesta .... Nathan (credited as "Sal Borgese")
126. L'isola del tesoro (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3, 4, 5 .... Paddy (credited as "Sal Borgese")
127. Uomo contro uomo (TV movie) .... Agent Zigari (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1988
128. I giorni del commissario Ambrosio .... Reggiani (uncredited)
129. Il segreto del Sahara (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 2, 3 .... Achmet (credited in 4 episodes)
130. La notte degli squali .... Garcia (credited as "Sal Borgese")
131. Paradiso infernale .... Not found (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1990
132. Dimenticare Palermo .... Horse cab driver (credited as "Sal Borgese")
133. Il sole buio .... Police officer (credited as "Sal Borgese")
134. Le comiche.... Benzinaio (credited)
135. The Godfather Part III .... Lucchesi's door guard (uncredited)
136. Un cane sciolto (TV movie) .... Mechanic (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1991
137. Johnny Stecchino .... Taxi driver (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1992
138. La corsa dell'innocente .... Vito's father (credited, as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1994
139. Passioni (TV series) .... unknown role (credited as "Sal Borgese")
140. The Maharaja's Daughter (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 2, 3 .... Sindhia (credited, as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1997
141. Linda e il brigadiere (TV series) Season 1, ep. 2: "Caccia e pesca" .... Assassin (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     1998
142. Frigidaire - Il film .... Jack the Frenchman (poster credit as "Sal Borgese" - unconfirmed role)
143. I guardiani del cielo (TV movie) .... Husuf (credited, as "Sal Borgese")
     
     2000
144. Don Matteo (TV series) Season 1, ep. 5: "La strategia dello scorpione" .... Gaetano Serraville (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     2003
145. Enzo Ferrari (TV movie) .... Ferrari's assistant (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     2006
146. Don Matteo (TV series) Season 5, ep. 24: "Falsa partenza" .... Bernardo (credited as "Sal Borgese")
     
     2011
147. Anche se è amore non si vede .... Orazio's father (credited as "Sal Borgese")

Filmography behind the camera

---

1967

1. La più grande rapina del west .... credited as Master of Arms
   
   1968
2. Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte .... credited as Stunt Director
   
   1969
3. I quattro del pater noster .... credited as Master of Arms
   
   1972
4. E poi lo chiamarono il magnifico .... credited as Master of Arms
   
   1974
5. Pasqualino Cammarata... capitano di fregata .... credited as Master of Arms, as "Sal Borgese"
   
   1976
6. Bluff storia di truffe e di imbroglioni .... credited as Master of Arms, as "Sal Borgese"
   
   1980
7. Zucchero, miele e peperoncino .... credited as Master of Arms, as "Sal Borgese"
   
   1984
8. Don Camillo .... credited as Stunt Coordinator, as "Sal Borgese"
   
   1985
9. Joan Lui - Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì .... credited for "acrobatic scenes", as "Sal Borgese"
   
   1987
10. Giulia e Giulia .... credited as Stunt Coordinator, as "Sal Borgese"
    
    1992
11. La corsa dell'innocente .... credited as Master of Arms as "Sal Borgese"
12. Ultimo respiro .... credited as Master of Arms, as "Sal Borgese"
    
    1993
13. Voyage (TV movie) .... credited as Stunt Coordinator
    
    1994
14. Mario und der Zauberer .... credited as Stunt Coordinator, as "Sal Borgese"
15. The Maharaja's Daughter (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 2, 3 .... credited as Stunt Coordinator, as "Sal Borgese"
    
    1998
16. I guardiani del cielo (TV movie) .... credited as Head stuntman, as "Sal Borgese"
    
    2001
17. Mari del sud .... credited as Stunt Coordinator, as "Sal Borgese"
    
    2007
18. Mio fratello è figlio unico .... credited as Master of Arms
    
    2017
19. Inspector Coliandro (TV series) Season 6, ep. 1: "Mortal Club" .... credited as Stunt Coordinator

Additional credits

• Helder von der Hölle (2008) Documentary featurette as Interviewee
• L'urlo di Chen terrorizza ancora l'occidente - Dragonland (2008) Feature-length documentary as Interviewee
• Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s (2012) Feature-length documentary as Interviewee
• Sie nannten ihn Spencer (2017) Feature-length documentary as Interviewee
• Piedone nyomában (2018) Documentary as Interviewee
• Stracult (date and episode unknown) TV series as Interviewee

More Borgese!

Filmography to check

• La vendetta dei barbari (1960) IMDb as Gothic warrior. Not found, however available prints are rather dark so he could have been missed, but equally could have been mis-identified.
• I gangsters dalla faccia pulita (1968) IMDb
• Köpfchen in das Wasser, Schwänzchen in die Höh (1969) IMDb as Director
• Bello mio bellezza mia (1982) IMDb as Cicciuzzo
• Al centro dell'area di rigore (1996) IMDb
• La rumbera (1998) IMDb as Rodrigo
• L'amore oltre la vita (1999) IMDb
• I cento passi (2000) IMDb as "Stunts" - may not appear
• Una vita sottile (2003 TV movie) IMDb as "Armourer" - may not appear

Sans Salvatore!

Films where Sal is credited as appearing somewhere online, but cannot be found.

• Ursus gladiatore ribelle (1962) IMDb as Gladiator. Not found, I suspect he's been mis-identified for similar-looking Ivan Basta.
• Uccidete agente segreto 777 - stop (1964) IMDb as Barter henchman. I couldn't find him.
• Quién sabe? (1967) IMDb as Bandit. There's someone similar looking as a bandit, but it's not Sal.
• Tecnica per un massacro (1967) IMDb, no role. I couldn't find him anywhere.
• Vado... l'ammazzo e torno (1967) IMDb as Prison guard. Once again I couldn't find him in this role.

[PeplumParadise]

Il terrore della maschera rossa (1960) as Guard.

This is the earliest role I've found for Salvatore so far.

IMDb omits this title, but does list him as playing a "Gothic warrior" in La vendetta dei barbari the same year. I haven't found him in this film, but the available prints are quite dark so I don't rule out the possibility that he may be found if a better print appears, however I think it's equally possible that he's been mis-identified, possibly for Bruno Arie, who has a similar look here.

[PeplumParadise]

Barabba (1961) as Gladiator.

Sal is seen quite prominently in this high-profile peplum.

[PeplumParadise]

Ursus nella valle dei leoni (1961) He has 3 roles here as a Man aiding the escape of the baby king, a Guard and a Prisoner (which could feasibly be the same as the first role, but since the costume and wig are different then I think not).

[PeplumParadise]

Arrivano i titani (1962) as Soldier

[PeplumParadise]

I sette gladiatori (1962) as Guard

Images upgraded, impossible to get a clear shot of him as he never stops moving

[PeplumParadise]

Maciste, il gladiatore più forte del mondo (1962) in what I would say are dual roles as a Gladiator and a Soldier

Images upgraded

[PeplumParadise]

Marte, dio della guerra (1962) as Guard

[PeplumParadise]

Odio mortale (1962) as Pirate

[PeplumParadise]

Sodoma e Gomorra (1962) as Hebrew destroying the dam

Images upgraded