Michael Coby was born Antonio Cantafora on February 2,
1944 in Crotone, Calabria, Italy. Antonio studied acting with Alessandro
Fersen, then made his film debut in 1967 with an uncredited role in one of his
eight Euro-westerns “The Dirty Outlaws” as a saloon patron. Thanks
to a vague resemblance to the actor Terence Hill, in the seventies he starred
with Paul L. Smith in a brief series of successful action-comedy films,
directed by Ferdinando Baldi that reprise the Bud Spencer-Terence Hill style.
Later Cantafora continued his career mainly as a character actor, working with
prominent directors such as Federico Fellini, Jerzy Skolimowski, Bruno Barreto,
Alberto Lattuada, Mauro Bolognini. His last film appearance was as Vice Squad
Chief Marini in “The Card Player” (2004). Cantafora also appeared in such
Euro-westerns as “And God Said to Cain” (1969), “Black Killer” and “Joe Dakota”
(both 1971), “A Bounty Killer at Trinity” (1972), “Carambola!” (1973), “The
Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby” (1974) and “Buck and the Magic Bracelet”
(1997).Today we celebrate Antonio Cantafora’s (aka Michael Coby) 70th birthday.
Biltmore: Very underrated actor.
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