Who Are Those Guys? - Luciano Bonanni

 

Luciano Bonanni was born in Garbatella, Rome, Lazio, Italy on May 21, 1927. After a long apprenticeship in the theater during the years of fascism, he began appearing as an extra in many films shot in the capital beginning in the early 1950s.

 

Luciano later on appeared in big films like “Il federale” (1961) directed by Luciano Salce and “Totò contro i Quattro” (1963) directed by Steno. Like many of his colleagues at the time, he frequently used the Americanize pseudonym Larry Bona.

 

Bonanni continued to appear in stage roles while making films. In 1962 he joined the cast of the first edition of the famous “Rugantino” by Garinei and Giovannini, in which he played Burinello; his opera debut was at the Teatro Sistina in Rome, on December 15th.

 

Most of Bonanni’s Euro-western roles came about during the mid-1960s to mid-1970s. He often appeared in small cameo or supporting roles as saloon patrons, townsmen or store owners where his face was easily recognized by Italian audiences. Luciano appeared in sixteen westerns.

 

But it is in the seventies that his career on the big screen grew and continued unabated: he was able to take part in thirty to forty films a year, often comedies, among which were “Fantozzi” (1975) directed by Luciano Salce and “Febbre da cavallo” (1976) directed by Steno.

 

In the 1981 film “Pierino medico della Saub” he appears in the role of Renato Cecioni aka "Capoccio", along with another great character actor of the time, Ennio Antonelli, in the part of Uncle Nando; both are dubbed in this movie.

 

He retired in the mid 1978s due to health problems, Bonanni was called upon to interpret himself in the film “Grandi magazzini” (1986) directed by Castellano and Pipolo.

After several years of inactivity, Luciano died in Rome on January 11, 1997, at age of 70, when he suffered a sudden heart attack .

 

 

BONANNI, Luciano (aka Luciano Bonami, Larry Bona) [5/21/1927, Garbatella, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 1/11/ 1997, Rome, Lazio, Italy (heart attack)] – stage, TV actor.                    
Halleluja for Django - 1966 (saloon patron)

Johnny Yuma - 1966

Bang Bang Kid - 1967 (barber)

If You Want to Live… Then Shoot! - 1967

This Man Can’t Die - 1967

Vengeance – 1967 (Jimmy) [as Larry Bona]

And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars - 1968 (townsman)

Black Jack – 1968 (Mexican)

Blood Calls to Blood – 1968 (Guard Dog) [as Lucki Bonanno]

Kill Them All and Come Back Alone - 1968

My Name is Pecos - 1968

Saguaro – 1968 (Julie’s father)

Vengeance - 1968 (Jimmy) [Larry Bona]

God Will Forgive My Gun – 1969

It Can be Done Amigo - 1972

White Fang to the Rescue – 1974