Bendandi, Poldo


Less-known performers of the European Cult Movies
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Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 21:27

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Poldo Bendandi in Il gatto di Brooklyn aspirante detective (1973)

Leopoldo Bendandi, almost always credited as "Poldo", was a rugged character actor, active in Italian films from 1964-1973, with one known later appearance from 1981.

All websites seem agreed that he was born on June 8th 1920 in Ravenna, Italy. Most websites list him as still living and currently aged 101, however there are a couple that give a date of death as being September 14th 2004. These dates should be regarded as unconfirmed. From an interview in Radiocorriere we learn that he had a wife, Laura, who worked as a lawyer, and children, Maria Clelia and Giulio.

Few biographical details are known, however the Westerns all'Italiana! blog contains the information that he operated a restaurant called "Wimpys Grill" in San Bartolo Fiorenzuola until it closed in 1963. The Radiocorriere interview adds that he studied agriculture at the university of Bologna, then law in Urbino some years later. At the time of the interview in 1967 he was operating a restaurant near Piazza del Popolo in Rome.

His known film career began with 4 roles in 1964, after which he worked steadily for the next decade, including a number of productions shot in other countries such as Germany, Czechoslovakia, Spain and Mexico. His rather unique looks, most notably a heavily pock-marked face, made him a popular choice for playing tough guy roles, often as a straight foil for comic actors like Franco and Ciccio. From the interview we learn that he shot many episodes of Caroselli. His acting career seems to have ended in 1973, apart from one known small cameo role in 1981.

While his looks should make him easily identifiable, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that there could be a few further roles to be found.

Filmography

1964
  1. 002 agenti segretissimi .... Dimitri Tovarisc (credited)
  2. I due evasi di Sing Sing .... Joachin Enriquez, known as "The Scarred" (credited)
  3. I due pericoli pubblici .... Il Mancino (credited)
  4. La donna è una cosa meravigliosa .... Thug (no credit info - unconfirmed role)

    1965
  5. Viva Maria! .... Werther (credited)

    1966
  6. 7 magnifiche pistole .... Corky (credited)
  7. Die Schatzinsel (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3 & 4 .... Gordon Tusley (credited)
  8. Pan Tau (TV movie) .... Strong man (credited)

    1967
  9. Colpo doppio del camaleonte d'oro .... "Ora Pro Nobis" (credited)
  10. Gungala, la vergine della giungla .... Wolff (credited)
  11. Il triangolo rosso (TV series) - season 1, ep. 6: “Il guardiano notturno" .... Dominici (credited)
  12. L'indomabile Angelica .... Angelique's buyer (uncredited)

    1968
  13. Don Chisciotte e Sancio Panza .... First innkeeper (credited as "Leopoldo Bendandi")
  14. I 2 pompieri .... Cucurucù (credited)

    1969
  15. Candidato per un assassinio .... Sidi (credited)
  16. Capricci .... Killer (credited)

    1970
  17. Frau Wirtin bläst auch gern Trompete (Le piacevoli notti di Justine) .... Krispin (credited)

    1971
  18. Giù la testa .... Revolutionary (credited)
  19. Kapt'n Rauhbein aus St.Pauli .... Chief tax officer (no credit info - unconfirmed role)

    1972
  20. El más fabuloso golpe del Far-West (Nevada) .... Deputy Ronnie (credited)
  21. Man of La Mancha .... Muleteer (credited)
  22. Uomo avvisato mezzo ammazzato... Parola di Spirito Santo .... General Ubarte (credited)

    1973
  23. All'ultimo minuto (TV series) S.3, E.3: "Il bulldozer" …. Alfredo (credited)
  24. I racconti di Viterbury - Le più allegre storie del '300 .... Jacopo de Monteroni (credited)
  25. Il gatto di Brooklyn aspirante detective .... Porter (credited as "Leopoldo Bendandi")

    1981
  26. Fracchia la belva umana .... Waiter (uncredited)

Other appearances
  • 1967: advertisement Mister X la formula magica, (episode 99) .... Truck driver

No Poldo!
Titles where Poldo is credited as appearing somewhere online, but cannot be found.
  • Dove si spara di più (1967) IMDb as Campos henchman. Not found by myself or Carlos.
  • Pecos è qui: prega e muori! (1967) IMDb as "Man". Even with such a helpful role description he was not found by myself or Carlos.
  • Gungala la pantera nuda (1968) IMDb. Most probably mixed-up with the first Gungala film.
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 08/02/2023, 20:17, edited 22 times in total.

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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 21:32

002 agenti segretissimi (1964) credited, as Dimitri Tovarisc
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 21:39

I due evasi di Sing Sing (1964) credited, as Joachin Enriquez, known as "The Scarred".
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 21:44

I due pericoli pubblici (1964) credited, as Il Mancino
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:08

Viva Maria! (1965) credited, as Werther.

For this one Poldo travelled to Mexico with Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau.
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:18

Die Schatzinsel (1966 TV mini-series) Poldo appears and is credited in episodes 2, 3 and 4 (of 4), as Gordon Tusley.

This was a German TV adaptation of the much-filmed Treasure Island. Poldo is rather under-used as one of the pirate crew and only really makes any impression in the last episode.

Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:23

Pan Tau (1966 TV movie) credited, as Strong man.

This was a half-hour TV movie from Czechoslovakia.
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:25

7 magnifiche pistole (1966) credited, as Corky
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:29

Colpo doppio del camaleonte d'oro (1967) credited, as "Ora Pro Nobis"
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Re: Bendandi, Poldo

Post by PeplumParadise » 29/10/2021, 22:40

Gungala, la vergine della giungla (1967) credited, as Wolff
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