Nale, Spartaco

[PeplumParadise]

Spartaco Nale in "Marco Polo" (1962)

Easily recognisable from his short and stocky build, bald head and beard, Spartaco Nale's earliest known film appearance was in Visconti's Senso (1954), after which there is a 3 year gap before his next found credit. From 1957-1962 he worked steadily in peplum and historical features, including a number of credited supporting roles in high profile productions, after which he seems to have vanished completely.

Filmography

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1954

1. L'arte di arrangiarsi .... Artist friend of Casaletti (uncredited)
2. Senso .... Austrian officer (uncredited)
   
   1957
3. La venere di Cheronea .... One of Armodio's guards (uncredited)
4. Peppino, le modelle e.... ''chella llà'' .... Restaurant customer (uncredited)
5. Rascel-Fifì .... Hypnotist (uncredited)
   
   1958
6. La tempesta .... Cossack at banquet (uncredited)
7. Le fatiche di Ercole .... King Aison (credited)
   
   1959
8. Cartagine in fiamme .... Sidone's guard (uncredited)
9. Ercole e la regina di Lidia .... Courtier (uncredited)
10. I Reali di Francia .... One of Basirocco's men (uncredited)
11. Il terrore dei barbari .... Barbarian (uncredited)
12. La battaglia di Maratona .... Guard holding Andromeda (uncredited)
    
    1960
13. I cosacchi .... Cossack (uncredited)
14. La vendetta di Ercole .... Eurito's bodyguard (uncredited)
15. Messalina, Venere imperatrice .... Tibuleno (credited)
16. La strada dei giganti .... Trouble-making miner (credited)
17. Il terrore della maschera rossa .... Guard (uncredited)
    
    1961
18. Barabba .... Guard in sulphur mines (credited)
19. Costantino il Grande .... One of Constantine's commanders (credited)
20. I Tartari .... Body double for Orson Welles as Burundai (uncredited - uncertain identification)
21. Le meraviglie di Aladino .... Henchman (uncredited)
22. Rosmunda e Alboino .... Army captain (credited)
23. Sodoma e Gomorra .... Sodomite officer (uncredited)
    
    1962
24. Marco Polo .... Prison guard (credited)

Titles to check!

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• Canzoni a tempo di twist (1962)

A couple of oddities!

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There are 2 films found in some filmographies online that date from many years after Nale's career seemingly ended.

• Catacombs (1988) - contains a credit for a "Sparco Nale" as Present-day monk. None of the monks who are of an appropriate age look anything like Spartaco, even allowing for 25 years of aging, so I would say certainly that this is not him.
• Ricky & Barabba (1992) - ANICA and IMDb credit Spartaco with no role given. I have not been able to find a copy of this one to check, but I would say his appearance would be unlikely.

[PeplumParadise]

Senso (1954) as Austrian officer

Spartaco has his first known role, a small part, in this Visconti classic. Some sources say he should be credited, but the Criterion blu-ray I watched was taken from an Italian print and he does not appear in the opening credits, while the closing credits list no additional actors, so I would say "uncredited" unless someone has evidence otherwise.

[PeplumParadise]

La venere di Cheronea (1957) as One of Armodio's guards

Images upgraded

[PeplumParadise]

Le fatiche di Ercole (1958) credited, as King Aison

Images upgraded

[PeplumParadise]

I Reali di Francia (1959) as One of Basirocco's men

[PeplumParadise]

Cartagine in fiamme (1959) as Sidone's guard

[PeplumParadise]

La battaglia di Maratona (1959) as Guard holding Andromeda

Images upgraded - Nick

[PeplumParadise]

I cosacchi (1960) as Cossack

Images upgraded
You get a better shot of Spartaco in this US lobby card than you do in the film

[PeplumParadise]

La vendetta di Ercole (1960) as Eurito's bodyguard

[PeplumParadise]

Messalina, Venere imperatrice (1960) credited, as Tibuleno