Ben-Hur (1959)

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 21/05/2023, 16:56

and another - on the left in 194 could possibly be Fausto Signoretti, who we have curiously failed to identify in any new roles since his topic was posted quite a while back. Unfortunately we only have roles identified from 5 years either side of this one, so rather difficult to say for sure

Post by **Johan Melle** » 21/05/2023, 18:16

PeplumParadise wrote: ↑
21/05/2023, 16:34
I don't know Bill Kiehl at all, anybody else know him?.

As for the possible Stefanelli/Martuano, here's some more images, but looking at these I don't really think he is either of them. Facially it doesn't seem at all like Martuano to me and I don't see the familiar lump/scar Stefanelli has above his left eyebrow.
Ben.Hur.1959.1080p.BluRay.H264.AAC-RARBG2-side-down.jpg

Seeing those pictures, I agree it's not Marturano. I now think it really does look a lot like Stefanelli in a lot of the frames. I won't swear to it, but it does seem like him.

Bill (or William) Kiehl was one of the major voice dubbers in Rome in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. He often dubbed the big muscleman stars like Steve Reeves and Reg Park. His biography in a theater playbill from 1972 and a newspaper article on him from 1973 both mention him appearing in Ben-Hur, so he should be in there somewhere. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a lot of on-screen roles. This is him as he looked on the daytime soap Ryan's Hope in 1975

Of course, that's 15 years later, but he apparently didn't change all that much from how he looked in the late 1950s. Here's a picture I've posted before of some ELDA people in 1959. Bill is the one on the far left

Post by **ChristofferSlotte** » 06/08/2023, 13:08

I asked Joe Canutt if he appeared in a part and he said that he was credited as a sportsman (in the pressbook) probably just because they thought he had to be credited somewhere because of his important input. Same probably with Yrigoyen who was listed (in the pressbook) as Egyptian.

I remember that I somewhere saw a photo of Ugo Sasso playing an officer in the scene where Jesus is condemned and carries his cross (about the same scenes where we see Furio Meniconi).

Have anyone spotted Sasso in this film? He could have been just photographed and then someone else got the part.

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 06/08/2023, 13:41

ChristofferSlotte wrote: ↑
06/08/2023, 13:08
I remember that I somewhere saw a photo of Ugo Sasso playing an officer in the scene where Jesus is condemned and carries his cross (about the same scenes where we see Furio Meniconi).

Have anyone spotted Sasso in this film? He could have been just photographed and then someone else got the part.

I have never recognised Sasso in the film and he is someone I know very well from peplums and having identified him in 100 roles for his topic. It would obviously be a big help if a copy of the photo in question could be found.

Post by **ChristofferSlotte** » 02/01/2024, 20:09

[*]Princess Carmen of Spain (real consort of the Austrian prince, born as Russian Princess Irina Wassilchikoff)

Surely Carmen de Hohenlohe was not the same person as Irina Wassilchikoff?

Post by **ChristofferSlotte** » 14/01/2024, 21:02

I was in touch with one from the Ruspoli family and got some info. Edmondo Ruspoli knew William Wyler and lived in the US and spoke fluent English. Also his brother Emanuele spoke English.

The brothers who were in BH were therefore Emanuele and Edmondo Ruspoli (not Raimondo R) and they very much enjoyed this job.

Now I'll contact the Hohenlohes to get more info about them, if I can.