Cirillo Konopleff

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

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.

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.

This identification and all biographical informations are the work of Simone Ribeiro of the Tototruffa website.

FILMOGRAPHY

1939

Dora Nelson (uncredited) .... Musician on film set
Imputato alzatevi! (uncredited) .... Nightclub customer whose head is mistaken for a balloon
Torna, caro ideal! (uncredited) .... Audience member at the recital

1940
Centomila dollari (uncredited) .... Man in hotel lobby
Piccolo alpino (uncredited) .... The burgomaster

1941
I mariti (uncredited) .... Guest at the ball / Man at the fox hunt

1942
Il romanzo di un giovane povero (uncredited) .... The general
Vertigine (uncredited) .... Roulette player

1943
Harlem (Knock-out) (uncredited) .... Spectator at boxing match

1945
Il sole di Montecassino (uncredited) .... Zanna's lieutenant

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

1948
Follie per l'opera (uncredited) .... Autograph hunter

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

1950
Totò cerca moglie (uncredited) .... Guest at the embassy party

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

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

1953
Canzone appassionata (uncredited) .... Nightclub customer
Lo scocciatore (Via Padova 46) (uncredited) .... Spectator at airport

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.

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

Piccolo alpino (1940) as The burgomaster

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

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

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

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

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

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, 17:38

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

Post by **PeplumParadise** » 01/09/2020, 11:28

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

Post by **Johan Melle** » 04/10/2020, 17:18

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.