Gulà, Franco

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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

1963

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

Additional credits

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

Gulà is gone!

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.

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

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30 Winchester per El Diablo (1965) as Telegraph operator

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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

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Un dollaro bucato (1965) as Townsman

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

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2 once di piombo (1966) as Smith

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7 dollari sul rosso (1966) credited, as Walt

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Amore all'italiana (1966) as Grandfather