Franco Gulà

[PeplumParadise]

Franco Gulà in Dio perdona... Io no! (1967)

Franco Gulà was a bit-part and character actor active in Italian films from at least the early 60's until the early 70's.

A late starter, at least as far as his known roles are concerned, Franco was obviously already in his 60's or 70's when his known film career commenced. While he appeared in many genres, it is undoubtedly for his appearances as mischievous old men in spaghetti westerns that he is best known. Since he was credited as Francesco Gulà on a number of occasions it seems likely that this was his proper name. No biographical details are currently known.

According to the book "Il Teatro La Fenice: cronologia degli spettacoli, 1792-1936" by Michele Girardi and Franco Rossi, it appears that Franco was a theatre actor and maybe singer in the 1930's at Teatro La Fenice in Venice (thanks to FatmanDan for finding this info).

He was short and usually easily recognisable for his floppy white hair and scruffy white beard. He has, however, occasionally appeared clean-shaven, notably in his 2 earliest roles found, giving him a somewhat different appearance, so it's quite possible there will be more clean-shaven roles, maybe earlier ones, to be found. I have found several undocumented roles for him and I'm sure more will follow.


FILMOGRAPHY

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1963

1. Il gattopardo (credited) .... Servant in Don Salina's household
   
   1964
2. Extraconiugale (uncredited) .... Renato's grandfather
   
   1965
3. 30 Winchester per El Diablo (uncredited) .... Telegraph operator
4. Scaramouche (TV mini-series, episodes 3 & 4) (credited as Francesco Gula) .... Role?
5. Un dollaro bucato (uncredited) .... Townsman
6. Uno straniero a Sacramento (credited as Frank Ghula) .... Sourdough
   
   1966
7. 2 once di piombo (uncredited) .... Smith
8. 7 dollari sul rosso (credited) .... Walt
9. Amore all'italiana (uncredited) .... Grandfather
10. Arizona Colt (uncredited) .... Bank clerk
11. El Rojo (uncredited) .... Saloon customer
12. James Tont operazione D.U.E. (credited) .... Mr. Brown
13. Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro (uncredited) .... Farmer
14. Testadirapa (credited) .... Pinzi
15. Uccidete Johnny Ringo (credited as Frank Gulas) .... Whiskey Pete
16. Un fiume di dollari (uncredited) .... Saloon customer
17. Una questione d'onore (credited) .... Agostino Sanna
    
    1967
18. Arrriva Dorellik (credited) .... Pet shop owner
19. Dio perdona... Io no! (credited) .... Gravedigger-clockmaker
20. Il figlio di Django (credited) .... Hotel clerk
21. Il tigre (uncredited) .... Man at the traffic lights
22. Joe l'implacabile (uncredited) .... Telegraph operator
23. Little Rita nel West (credited) .... Lawyer
24. Nato per uccidere (credited) .... John Storm
25. Ric e Gian alla conquista del West (poster credit) .... Medical officer (role unconfirmed)
26. Wanted Johnny Texas (uncredited) .... Morty
    
    1968
27. 20.000 dollari sporchi di sangue (uncredited) .... Saloon customer
28. Barbarella (credited) .... Credit only
29. I lunghi giorni dell'odio (credited) .... John Benson
30. I quattro dell'Ave Maria (uncredited) .... Al
31. Il profeta (uncredited) .... Monk participating in TV debate
32. L'ira di Dio (uncredited) .... Maurice
33. Odia il prossimo tuo (uncredited) .... Doc
34. Oggi a me... domani a te! (uncredited) .... Saloon customer
35. Preparati la bara! (uncredited) .... Deputy
36. Se vuoi vivere... spara! (uncredited) .... Grandpa McGowan
37. T'ammazzo!... Raccomandati a Dio (uncredited) .... Old man being shot at
38. Tre croci per non morire (uncredited) .... Ortega servant
39. Tutto per tutto (uncredited) .... Priest
40. Un minuto per pregare, un istante per morire (uncredited) .... Happy old man
    
    1969
41. Capricci (credited) .... Mosbie
42. Fellini Satyricon (uncredited) .... Old man
43. Il pistolero dell'Ave Maria (credited as Francesco Gula) .... Preacher
44. Satyricon (credited) .... Role?
    
    1970
45. E Dio disse a Caino... (credited) .... Gun dealer
46. Kidnapping! Paga o uccidiamo tuo figlio (uncredited) .... Old drunk
47. L'homme orchestre (uncredited) .... Sicilian family member
48. La lotta dell'uomo per la sua sopravvivenza (TV series, episode 4: "Un'arca nel diluvio: il monachesimo" (credited) .... Monk
49. Una colt in pugno al diavolo (uncredited) .... Old villager
    
    1971
50. I pirati dell'isola verde (credited as Francesco Gula) .... Fisherman
51. Le juge (credited) .... Jeremy
52. Policeman (credited) .... The beggar
    
    1972
53. Un uomo chiamato Dakota (uncredited) .... Old man who gets shot

Additional credits

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• A proposito di 'Arden of Feversham' (1968) Documentary, as himself

Gulà is gone!

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As always there are some titles where he is credited somewhere online, but does not seem to appear. It looks like, in several cases, people have found an unknown old man in a film and have credited it as Franco since he was the only old man they knew.

• Ramon il Messicano (1966) IMDb as Joselito. There is an unfamiliar old man in the role, but it isn't Franco.
• Cosi sia (1972) IMDb. Someone has clearly mistaken him for similar-looking Czech whitebeard Mila Beran.

[PeplumParadise]

Il gattopardo (1963) credited, as Servant in Don Salina's household.

This is currently Franco's earliest confirmed appearance.

[PeplumParadise]

Extraconiugale (1964) as Renato's grandfather, in the segment "La moglie svedese".

[PeplumParadise]

30 Winchester per El Diablo (1965) as Telegraph operator

[PeplumParadise]

Scaramouche (1965) TV mini-series. Franco appears, credited as Francesco Gula, in episodes 3 and 4, role uncertain.

Episode 3

Episode 4, credited but only seen in the background

[PeplumParadise]

Un dollaro bucato (1965) as Townsman

[PeplumParadise]

Uno straniero a Sacramento (1965) credited as Frank Ghula, as Sourdough

[PeplumParadise]

2 once di piombo (1966) as Smith

[PeplumParadise]

7 dollari sul rosso (1966) credited, as Walt

[PeplumParadise]

Amore all'italiana (1966) as Grandfather