RIP Roberto Messina

Assistant director, stunt coordinator, stuntman, master of arms, film, TV, voice actor Roberto Messina died in Venice, Florida on January 9, 2024. He was 90. Roberto was the brother of stuntman and actor Emilio Messina [1936-2007]. Roberto’s grandson posted on Facebook of his passing. Along with his brother Emilio, alongside whom he often appeared, he first appeared in peplums, then continued working steadily through the cycles of the eurospy, spaghetti western and police genres. On those occasions where he was credited it was often under the pseudonym of Bob or Robert Messenger. He also worked as an Italian dubbing artist for Italian films and later as a stunt coordinator. At the start of the 1980’s both brothers relocated to Venice, Florida, and throughout the next decade he continued to work as a stuntman and stunt coordinator, predominantly for Italian productions shot in Florida. Roberto appeared in 35 Spaghetti westerns from “Badmen of the West” in 1964 to “White Fang and the Kid” in 1977.