Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Paul Ellis

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Paul Ellis was an alias used by Benjamin Italo Jose Ingenito Paralupi O'Higgins an Argentine actor who appeared in American, Spanish, Argentine and Mexican films. For the first half of his career, he worked under the names Paul Ellis and Manuel Granado.

He was born in Buenos Aires on November 6, 1896. He made his film debut in the Metro-Goldwyn film “The Bandolero” in 1924 under the name Manuel Granado. He was signed to a contract by Louis B. Mayer and listed as a Metro-Goldwyn principal player in the same year. An April 1925 article by Harry Carr for Motion Picture dubbed him 'Hollywood's New Sheik.' Like other Latino actors in silent-era Hollywood, he had adapted a WASPy screen name, which stood in contrast to his dark features, a look that was popular at the time. Despite this, he was still cast almost exclusively as secondary ethnic characters, unlike his contemporaries in silent-era Hollywood like Gilbert Roland and Barry Norton (a fellow Argentine). He was singled out for praise by The Los Angeles Herald Examiner and other Los Angeles newspapers after the 1926 premiere of “The Dancer of Paris”.

The coming of sound found Paul Ellis relegated to bit parts, though he did secure some substantial roles in Spanish-language versions of English-language films such as “La Voluntad del muerto” (1930). In 1930, he also wrote and appeared in the film “Alma De Gaucho”. Ellis also appeared in “Charros, gauchos y manolas”, a musical directed by Xavier Cugat. These films were usually released in Spanish-language territories only. He continued to appear in American films for another ten years, mostly in brief uncredited roles, though he is remembered by some for his appearance in “Marihuana” (1936), which retains a small cult following. He made his last American film, “Whistling in the Dark”, in 1941.

Still using the name Paul Ellis, he next shows up in films in 1947 in Argentina, and continued to appear in films in Argentina. He appeared in the Mexican/Argentine co-production “La Tierra del Fuego se apaga”. He died in Mar del Plata, Argentina on January 30, 1974 at the age of 77.

As Paul Ellis ha appeared in one Spaghetti western, “Rebeldes en Canada” (Rebels in Canada) as Maurice Touret in 1965.

ELLIS, Paul (aka Manolo Granada, Manuel Granada, Manuel Renaldo Granado, Manuel Granado) (Benjamin Italo Jose Ingenito Paralupi O'Higgins) [11/6/1896, Buenos Aires, Argentina – 1/30/1974, Mar del Plata, Argentina] – producer, writer, film, TV actor.

Rebels in Canada – 1965 (Maurice Touret)