Remembering Daniel Vargas

Daniel Pitani was born on April 20, 1922 in Bolgna, Italy. After attending high school along with Pier Paolo Pasolini, he enrolled in medical school in Bologna, and graduated as a practicing physician; he later left the profession to follow his passion: acting and the cinema. Pitani left for Rome, and began working in film taking small roles in costume dramas which were in vogue during the late 1950's, succeeding in a short time as Daniel Vargas he became a most sought after character actor, especially in villainous roles. In 1961 he worked for Dino Risi making the film “Una vita difficile” where he played the part of the Marquis Cafferoni. Some of his most well-known roles were in “Avere vent'Anni” (1978) by Fernando Di Leo, where he played the part of the Commissioner and was remembered for playing the director in the episode: "Saturday" of the film “Saturday, Sunday and Friday” in 1979, and the judge in the film “Spaghetti at Midnight” in 1982. He appeared with Toto, “Totò, Peppino e...la dolce vita” where he was the young Roman nobleman Daniele Maria de Fortinbras' Pythons. Later in life Vargas became a voice dubber for example, Pietro Tordi in “Decameroticus”. Vargas appeared in eleven Euro-westerns from “Degueyo” (1966) to “Those Dirty Dogs” (1973). He’s probably best remembered for his role as Will Rogers, patriarch of the Rogers clan in “Cemetery Without Crosses” starring Robert Hossein and Michèle Mercier. Vargas died in Rome sometime in 1992. Today we remember Daniele Vargas on what would have been his 90^th birthday.