Fabrizio, Arnaldo

[PeplumParadise]

Arnaldo Fabrizio in Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo (1963)

Arnaldo Fabrizio was a dwarf actor active in Italian films throughout the 1960's.

His mischievous smile endeared him to the makers of peplums, where he enjoyed some degree of success in the mid-60's. Unfortunately when the popularity of that genre declined in the second half of the decade, so did Arnaldo's career - there wasn't much call for dwarf actors in westerns and eurospies. His last known appearance was in 1970, excepting what looks to be a one-off appearance for Fellini in 1986.

He passed away at the age of 77, on August 8, 2021 at the "Ss Annunziata" hospital in Chieti where he had been hospitalized for some time[1].

Like most of the dwarf actors of Italian cinema, sadly, no other biographical details are currently known.

I have found one undocumented appearance by Arnaldo, so there could always be more.

Filmography

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1961

1. Barabba .... Dwarf in the arena (uncredited)
2. Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai .... Dwarf wrestler (uncredited)
   
   1963
3. Gidget goes to Rome .... Dwarf in crowd chasing Gidget (uncredited)
4. I dieci gladiatori .... Dwarf servant of Glaucous (credited)
5. Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo .... Little Goliath (credited)
6. Mondo cane 2 .... "Instrument" at the slapping concert (uncredited)
   
   1964
7. Gli schiavi più forti del mondo .... Goliath (credited)
8. L'ultimo gladiatore .... Caligula's dwarf (uncredited)
9. La donna è una cosa meravigliosa .... Eros (credited? - role unconfirmed)
   
   1965
10. Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili .... Nikon (credited)
11. Sette contro tutti .... Goliath (credited as "Little Goliath")
    
    1966
12. Il Natale che quasi non fu .... Elf (credited as "Fabrizio Arnaldo")
    
    1968
13. Giarrettiera Colt .... Lulu's 'Baby' (credited as "Fabrizio Arnaldo")
14. Non cantare spara (TV mini-series) - ep. 2 .... Dwarf townsman (uncredited)
    
    1969
15. La collina degli stivali .... Dwarf clown musician (credited)
    
    1970
16. Brancaleone alle Crociate .... Cippa (credited)
    
    1986
17. Ginger e Fred .... Member of dwarf cabaret troupe (uncredited)

Filmography to check

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• ...E intorno a lui fu morte (1968) IMDb. Given that this film was shot in Spain an uncredited appearance by Arnaldo seems unlikely, and I suspect he has been confused with credited actor Fabrizio Mondello, but it still needs checking to be sure

No Arnaldo!

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Films where Arnaldo is credited somewhere online, but cannot be found

• Dio perdoni la mia pistola (1969) ANICA/IMDb as Burt. This is the role played by Salvatore Furnari.
• ...E si salvò solo l'Aretino Pietro... con una mano avanti e l'altra dietro (1972) ANICA as Tartarello. IMDb credits Furnari with a similar-sounding role here, but as far as I could find there are no dwarf actors in the film.
• Stanza 17-17 palazzo delle tasse ufficio imposte (1971) ANICA as Dwarf from the distillery. There are 2 dwarf actors in the distillery scene, but there was agreement that neither of them appear to be Arnaldo.
• Il vangelo secondo Simone e Matteo (1976) IMDb as Safari boss. Once again he has been confused with Salvatore Furnari.

References

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1. San Salvo.net, ecoaltomolise.net.

[PeplumParadise]

Barabba (1961) as Dwarf in the arena, at bottom left in the images

[PeplumParadise]

Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai (1961) as Dwarf wrestler

[PeplumParadise]

I dieci gladiatori (1963) credited, as Dwarf servant of Glaucous

[PeplumParadise]

Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo (1963) credited, as Goliath.

Arnaldo even finishes the film with a love interest, played by an unidentified dwarf actress, of which there weren't many.

Images upgraded

[PeplumParadise]

Gli schiavi più forti del mondo (1964) credited, as Goliath

Images upgraded

[PeplumParadise]

L'ultimo gladiatore (1964) as Caligula's dwarf

[PeplumParadise]

La donna è una cosa meravigliosa (1964) Arnaldo appears on the fotobusta and in images found online from the film. He was identified with the images as playing the character of Eros, but this needs to be confirmed.

[PeplumParadise]

Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili (1965) credited, as Nikon

[PeplumParadise]

Sette contro tutti (1965) credited as "Little Goliath", as Goliath