Konopleff, Cirillo

Post by **Johan Melle** » 18/03/2020, 19:40

: Cirillo Konopleff in "Centomila dollari" (1940)

Cirillo Konopleff was born as Kirill Grigor'evič on 9 June 1882 in Abastumani (then a part of the Russian empire) and died on either 29 July or 1 August 1956 in Rome, Italy.[1] He lived in Rome, in Via Palestro, 69.[2]

A very distinctive-looking man with a bald head, large moustache and often seen with monocle, he was a family friend of the last tsar of Russia, for whom he also served as a cavalry colonel in the army. Following the October revolution of 1917, he sought shelter in Italy, where he ended up appearing as a generico in several films made during the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Filmography

1939

Dora Nelson .... Musician on film set (uncredited)
Imputato alzatevi! .... Nightclub customer whose head is mistaken for a balloon (uncredited)
Retroscena .... Audience member at concert (uncredited)
Torna, caro ideal! .... Audience member at the recital (uncredited)
Un'avventura di Salvator Rosa .... Nobleman (uncredited)

1940
Centomila dollari .... Man in hotel lobby (uncredited)
Piccolo alpino .... The burgomaster (uncredited)
Rose scarlatte .... Man at the funeral (uncredited)

1941
I mariti .... Guest at the ball / Man at the fox hunt (uncredited)
I pirati della Malesia .... British officer at the party (uncredited)

1942
Acque di primavera .... Guest at wedding reception (uncredited)
Il romanzo di un giovane povero .... The general (uncredited)
Vertigine .... Roulette player (uncredited)

1943
Harlem (Knock-out) .... Spectator at boxing match (uncredited)
Non mi muovo! .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)

1945
Il sole di Montecassino .... Zanna's lieutenant (uncredited)
Nessuno torna indietro .... Audience member at the conference (uncredited)

1947
I due orfanelli .... Member of the suicide club (uncredited)

1948
Amanti senza amore .... A professor (uncredited)
Follie per l'opera .... Autograph hunter (uncredited)

1949
Al diavolo la celebrità .... Polish delegate (uncredited)

1950
Alina .... Man at the casino (uncredited)
La bellezza del diavolo .... Guest at the ball (uncredited)
Totò cerca moglie .... Guest at the embassy party (uncredited)

1951
Maracatumba... ma non è una rumba! .... Angry man waiting in line outside the restaurant (uncredited)

1952
Carica eroica .... Man singing in the tavern (uncredited)
I morti non pagano le tasse .... Witness at the signing of the documents (uncredited)

1953
Canzone appassionata .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
Lo scocciatore (Via Padova 46) .... Spectator at airport (uncredited)
Roman Holiday .... Prince von und zu Lichtenstichenholz (uncredited)

1954
Appassionatamente .... Man in the hallway at the opera (uncredited)
Mambo .... Witness at the reading of the will (uncredited)

Additional credits

Melodrammore (1978) contains re-used footage of Cirillo from Appassionatamente (1954)

More Cirillo!

Some further titles that Cirillo is supposed to appear in, but for which I've not been able to find copies...

Hanno rapito un uomo (1938) ANICA
Batticuore (1939) Tototruffa, as Guest at the embassy ball
Castelli in aria (1939) ANICA
Terra di fuoco (1939) ANICA

Cirillo is missing!

As is apparently always the case, there are some titles where Cirillo is listed as appearing, but in which I can't find him...

Giuseppe Verdi (1938) Listed by ANICA with no role given. I couldn't spot him anywhere, but there's an endless crowd of audience members in some of the opera scenes and most of them are never clearly seen, so it's very much possible that he appears in some of those scenes but without being visible on-screen.

Notes and sources

1. Identification and biographical informations provided by Simone Ribeiro of the Tototruffa website.
2. Dante Lazzaro. Cineguida 1943.

Post by **Johan Melle** » 18/03/2020, 19:41

Piccolo alpino (1940) as The burgomaster

Post by **Johan Melle** » 18/03/2020, 19:42

Maracatumba... ma non è una rumba! (1951) as Angry man waiting in line outside the restaurant

Post by **Johan Melle** » 18/03/2020, 19:44

I morti non pagano le tasse (1952) as Witness at the signing of the documents

Post by **Johan Melle** » 18/03/2020, 19:46

Canzone appassionata (1953) as Nightclub customer

Pic by PeplumParadise

Lo scocciatore (Via Padove 46) (1953) as Spectator at the airport

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 07/08/2020, 19:38

Harlem (Knock-out) (1943) as Spectator at boxing match

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 01/09/2020, 13:28

Torna, caro ideal! (1939) as Audience member at the recital

Post by **Johan Melle** » 04/10/2020, 19:18

Pretty cool and humorous role for him Imputato alzatevi! (1939) as Nightclub customer

His big moment comes when Erminio Macario is popping balloons with a sharp pin, and then mistakes our man's bald head for a balloon and stings him, provoking a furious reaction. This gag was later imitated nearly 20 years later in Totò a Parigi (1958) - this time with Franz Colangelo as the bald-headed victim.