RIP Tony Kendall

Tony Kendall, whose real name was Luciano Stella, died November 28 in Rome in a hospital in Trigoria, after a serious illness. He was born August 22, 1936, and had to his credit over 50 popular films from the sixties until the eighties after starting his career as a model and in fotoromanzi.  He changed his name to Tony Kendall at the suggestion of Vittorio De Sica.

He made his debut in 1959, acting under his own name in “Femminie Tre Volte”, but then had to wait some years for a major role, in “Brennus Enemy of Rome”,1963, where he first used the Tony Kendall name. He was also known as a part of a double act with Brad Harris in several action movies, starting with “The Pirates of the Mississippi”. After the success of the Bond films and the German Jerry Cotton series, Kendall became a star in the seven films in which he played a private eye Joe Walker, aka Commissioner X, while Harris played his foil, police captain Tom Rowland.

Then, following the successful television series of “Batman”, Harris and Kendall were together again in “The Three Fantastic Superman”, 1967. Kendall’s work ranged across numerous genres, from horror to giallo, with his last appearances being in “On the Dark Continent” in 1993 and “Alex l’ariete” in 2000.

Tony Kendall's Eurowestern filmography:
River Pirates of the Mississippi – 1963 (Black Eagle)
Black Eagle of Santa Fe – 1965 (Chief Black Eagle)
Hate is My God – 1969 (Il Nero/Carl)
Brother Outlaw – 1970 (Dakota Thompson)
Django Defies Sartana – 1970 (Django)
The Twilight Avengers – 1970 (Tony/John Garrison)
Gunman of 100 Crosses – 1971 (Santana/Django/Sartana)
White Fang and the Kid – 1977 (Franky James)