Gian Maria Volonté facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gian Maria Volonté
Gian Maria Volonté in his later years
Born	(1933-04-09)9 April 1933 Milan, Italy
Died	6 December 1994(1994-12-06) (aged 61) Florina, Greece
Other names	John Wells, Johnny Wels
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1957–1993
Spouse(s)	Armenia Balducci
Partner(s)	Carla Gravina Angelica Ippolito (1977-his death)
Children	1
Relatives	Claudio Camaso (brother)

Gian Maria Volonté (born April 9, 1933 – died December 6, 1994) was a very famous Italian actor. People remember him for being able to play many different kinds of characters. He was also known for his strong beliefs about social issues and his powerful acting style.

Outside Italy, he was most famous for his roles in four "Spaghetti Western" movies. These include Ramón Rojo in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and El Indio in For a Few Dollars More (1965). Both were directed by Sergio Leone. He also played El Chuncho Munoz in A Bullet for the General (1966) and Professor Brad Fletcher in Face to Face (1967).

In Italy and Europe, he was well-known for his parts in important social dramas. These films showed the political and social changes happening in Italy during the 1960s and 1970s. Some of these movies were Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970) and The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1971). He also acted in Le Cercle Rouge (1970) and Sacco & Vanzetti (1971).

Early Life and Training

Gian Maria Volonté was born in Milan, Italy. He grew up in a city called Turin. His younger brother, Claudio Camaso, also became an actor.

Volonté moved to Rome to study acting. He attended the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico. He left the school in 1957. After his training, he worked in television for a short time. He also performed in plays by famous writers like William Shakespeare and Carlo Goldoni on stage. Soon after, he began his successful film career.

A Career in Film

Volonté started his film career in 1960. His first movie was Sotto dieci bandiere. Just four years later, he became widely known for his roles in Western films. He played "Ramón Rojo" in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and "El Indio" in For a Few Dollars More (1965).

At first, Volonté took these roles mainly for the money. He did not think they were very serious acting jobs. However, both films were directed by the then-unknown Sergio Leone. Volonté's performances in these movies made him famous around the world, especially with American audiences.

Homage to Gian Maria Volonté (seen in his role as Carlo Levi in Christ Stopped at Eboli) by Reginald Gray

Volonté also played Carlo Levi in Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979). This film was based on Levi's true story about being exiled to southern Italy in the 1930s. Volonté also played the memorable character El Chuncho, a bandit who becomes a guerrilla fighter, in A Bullet for the General (1966).

His strong performances made him internationally famous. He often played characters who were intense or leaders of groups like bandits or revolutionaries. Volonté also acted in comedies, like A cavallo della tigre (1961). This showed he could play many different types of roles.

He found his most important roles in dramatic films. These included Banditi a Milano (1968), Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1972), and The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1972).

Awards and Recognition

Gian Maria Volonté won many awards for his acting. In 1968, he won a Silver Ribbon award for best actor for the film A ciascuno il suo. He won this award again for two other performances. One was for Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1971), which won an Academy Award for best foreign film. Many people consider this his best work.

In 1983, he won the Best Actor award at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival for La Mort de Mario Ricci. Four years later, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival for Il caso Moro. In 1990, Volonté was named Best European Actor for Porte aperte. In 1991, he received a special Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival for his entire career. Volonté also acted in many films outside of Italy.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Volonté was a very active person who cared deeply about social and political issues. He was known for supporting ideas that aimed to create a more equal society. For example, in 1981, he helped a person named Oreste Scalzone escape from Italy to Denmark.

He was in a relationship with Italian actress Carla Gravina for almost 10 years. They met in 1960 while acting together in a play called Romeo and Juliet. They had a daughter named Giovanna. Later, actress Angelica Ippolito was his partner from 1977 until his death in 1994.

Death

Gian Maria Volonté passed away at the age of 61 in 1994. He had a heart attack while filming Ulysses' Gaze in Florina, Greece. Another actor, Erland Josephson, took his place in the movie. Volonté's grave is in a small cemetery on the island of La Maddalena in Sardinia. This was done according to his wishes.

Selected Filmography

Gian Maria Volonté as Police Inspector in Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

See also

In Spanish: Gian Maria Volonté para niños