Frank Puglia

Frank Puglia
Frank Puglia
	Frank Puglia in Orphans of the Storm (1921)
Born	Francesco Giuseppe Puglia; 9 March 1892; Linguaglossa, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy
Died	25 October 1975 (aged 83); South Pasadena, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1921–1975
Spouse(s)	Irene Veneroni; (m. 19??; died 1973)

Francesco Giuseppe "Frank" Puglia (9 March 1892 – 25 October 1975) was an Italian actor. He had small, but memorable roles in films including Casablanca (a Moroccan rug merchant), Now, Voyager and The Jungle Book.

Biography[edit]

Born in Linguaglossa, Catania, Sicily, the actor started his career as a teen on stage in Italian operas.^[1] He emigrated to the U.S. in 1907. He left from Naples on the ship Italia.

In New York City he worked in a laundry before joining an Italian language theater group. While appearing on stage, he was discovered by D. W. Griffith, which began an acting career spanning over 150 films.^[2] He usually played ethnic types in films, and claimed to have learned English from reading newspapers.

He was originally cast as the undertaker, Bonasera, in Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Godfather (1972), even participating in Marlon Brando's screen test, but he fell ill before filming could begin. He was replaced by Sicilian actor Salvatore Corsitto.^[3]

He died on October 25, 1975, in South Pasadena, California, and he is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.^[4]

On August 10, 2016, he was celebrated in his hometown, Linguaglossa.^{[citation needed]}

Filmography[edit]

Orphans of the Storm (1921) as Pierre Frochard
Fascination (1922) as Nema
Isn't Life Wonderful (1924) as Theodor
Romola (1924) as Adolfo Spini
The Beautiful City (1925) as Carlo Gillardi
The Man Who Laughs (1928) as Clown (uncredited)
The White Sister (1933) as Celebrating Soldier (uncredited)
Dinner at Eight (1933) as Butler (uncredited)
The Solitaire Man (1933) as Waiter (uncredited)
Men in White (1934) as Dr. Vitale
Viva Villa! (1934) as Pancho Villa's Father
Stamboul Quest (1934) as German Aide (uncredited)
One More River (1934) as Waiter (uncredited)
Chained (1934) as Cafe Headwaiter (uncredited)
Bordertown (1935) as Police Commissioner in Mexico (uncredited)
Red Hot Tires (1935) as Brazilian Radio Announcer (uncredited)
One New York Night (1935) as Louis the Waiter (uncredited)
The Melody Lingers On (1935) as Giuseppe
The Perfect Gentleman (1935) as Waiter (uncredited)
Okay, José (1935 short) as Comandante Capitán Lopez (uncredited)
Captain Blood (1935) as French Officer (uncredited)
Wife vs. Secretary (1935) as Havana Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Fatal Lady (1936) as Felipe (uncredited)
His Brother's Wife (1936) as Jungle Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Bulldog Edition (1936) as Henchman Tony (uncredited)
The Devil Is a Sissy (1936) as 'Grandma'
The Gay Desperado (1936) as López
The Public Pays (1936 short) as Moran's Hood (uncredited)
The Garden of Allah (1936) as Man (uncredited)
Love on the Run (1936) as Waiter (uncredited)
Mama Steps Out (1937) as Robert Dalderder - the Priest
When You're in Love (1937) as Carlos
A Doctor's Diary (1937) as Louie
Seventh Heaven (1937) as Postman (uncredited)
Maytime (1937) as Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
We Have Our Moments (1937) as Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Thin Ice (1937) as First Porter (uncredited)
Song of the City (1937) as Tony
King of Gamblers (1937) as Mike (uncredited)
Exclusive (1937) as Johnny (uncredited)
You Can't Have Everything (1937) as Waiter at Romano's (uncredited)
She's No Lady (1937) as Bartender (uncredited)
The Firefly (1937) as Pablo (uncredited)
The Bride Wore Red (1937) as Alberto
Lancer Spy (1937) as Monk (uncredited)
Beg, Borrow or Steal (1937) as French Detective Looking for Summitt (uncredited)
Mannequin (1937) as Striking Seaman (uncredited)
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937) as Draven Nogais
Change of Heart (1938) as Lucio (uncredited)
Invisible Enemy (1938) as Signor Bramucci
A Trip to Paris (1938) as Waiter (uncredited)
Yellow Jack (1938) as Stagamonte (uncredited)
Rascals (1938) as Florist
Joaquin Murrieta (1938 short) as Bronco (uncredited)
Tropic Holiday (1938) as Co-Pilot (uncredited)
I'll Give a Million (1938) as Citizen #2
Barefoot Boy (1938) as Hank
Spawn of the North (1938) as Red's Gang Member #2 (uncredited)
The Sisters (1938) as Wireless Operator (uncredited)
The Shining Hour (1938) as Maurice - the Headwaiter (uncredited)
Sharpshooters (1938) as Ivan
Dramatic School (1938) as Alphonse
Zaza (1939) as Rug Dealer
Pirates of the Skies (1939) as Jerry Petri
Mystery of the White Room (1939) as Tony
Society Lawyer (1939) as Headwaiter (uncredited)
Forged Passport (1939) as Chief Miguel
Code of the Secret Service (1939) as Train Conductor (uncredited)
The Girl and the Gambler (1939) as Gomez
In Old Caliente (1939) as Don José Vargas
Maisie (1939) as Ernie
The Spellbinder (1939) as Headwaiter (uncredited)
Conspiracy (1939) as Police Capt. Luther (uncredited)
In Name Only (1939) as Manager - Tony's Cafe (uncredited)
Lady of the Tropics (1939) as Telegraph Office Clerk (uncredited)
The Monroe Doctrine (1939 short) as King Ferdinand VII
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) as Handwriting Expert (uncredited)
Charlie Chan in City in Darkness (1939) as Gendarme at Steamship Office (uncredited)
Balalaika (1939) as Ivan (uncredited)
The Fatal Hour (1940) as Harry 'Hardway' Lockett
I Take This Woman (1940) as Milt (scenes deleted)
Castle on the Hudson (1940) as Tony (uncredited)
Charlie Chan in Panama (1940) as Achmed Halide
'Til We Meet Again (1940) as Mexican Bartender (uncredited)
Torrid Zone (1940) as Rodriguez
Love, Honor and Oh-Baby! (1940) as Headwaiter
Argentine Nights (1940) as Police Chief (uncredited)
Rangers of Fortune (1940) as Stefan (uncredited)
Down Argentine Way (1940) as Montero
Arise, My Love (1940) as Father Jacinto
The Flag of Humanity (1940 short) as Henry Dunant (uncredited)
Meet the Wildcat (1940) as Chief of Police
The Mark of Zorro (1940) as Proprietor
No, No, Nanette (1940) as Art Critic (uncredited)
Behind the News (1940) as Tomas Almedo (uncredited)
Tengo fe en ti (1940) as Enrico Buriani
That Night in Rio (1941) as Pedro
Billy the Kid (1941) as Pedro Gonzales
The Parson of Panamint (1941) as Joaquin Fuentes
World Premiere (1941) as Dapper Officer (uncredited)
Law of the Tropics (1941) as Tito
Always in My Heart (1942) as Joe Borelli
Secret Agent of Japan (1942) as Eminescu
Jungle Book (1942) as The Pundit
Who Is Hope Schuyler? (1942) as Baggott
Escape from Hong Kong (1942) as Kosura
Flight Lieutenant (1942) as Father Carlos (uncredited)
The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942) as Silvio Baciagalupi (uncredited)
Now, Voyager (1942) as Giuseppe (uncredited)
Casablanca (1942) as Moroccan Rug Merchant (uncredited)
Journey into Fear (1942) as Colonel Haki's Office Aide (uncredited)
Mission to Moscow (1943) as Trial Judge Ulrich (uncredited)
Action in the North Atlantic (1943) as Captain Carpolis (uncredited)
Pilot No. 5 (1943) as Nikola
Background to Danger (1943) as Syrian Vendor (uncredited)
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) as Captain Gomez
Phantom of the Opera (1943) as Villeneuve
Princess O'Rourke (1943) as Greek Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
Around the World (1943) as Native Dealer (uncredited)
Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943) as Magistrate
Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves (1944) as Prince Cassim
Passage to Marseille (1944) as Older Guard (uncredited)
This Is the Life (1944) as Music Teacher
Dragon Seed (1944) as Wu Lien's Old Clerk (uncredited)
Tall in the Saddle (1944) as Tala (uncredited)
Brazil (1944) as Señor Machado
Together Again (1944) as Leonardo (uncredited)
A Song to Remember (1945) as Monsieur Jollet (uncredited)
Roughly Speaking (1945) as Tony (uncredited)
Blood on the Sun (1945) as Prince Tatsugi
Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) as Emile
Without Reservations (1946) as Ortega
Easy Come, Easy Go (1947) as Italian Grocer (uncredited)
My Favorite Brunette (1947) as Baron Montay
Stallion Road (1947) as Pelon
Fiesta (1947) as Doctor
Brute Force (1947) as Signore Ferrara
Escape Me Never (1947) as The Guide
The Lost Moment (1947) as Pietro
Road to Rio (1947) as Rodrigues
Dream Girl (1948) as Antonio
Joan of Arc (1948) as Nicolas de Houppeville, a Judge
Bride of Vengeance (1949) as Bolfi
Colorado Territory (1949) as Brother Tomas
Special Agent (1949) as Grandfather Devereaux
Bagdad (1949) as Saleel
Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950) as Luigi
Black Hand (1950) as Carlo Sabballera
Federal Agent at Large (1950) as Angelo 'Angel' Badillo
The Desert Hawk (1950) as Ahmed Bey
Walk Softly, Stranger (1950) as A.J. Corelli
Double Crossbones (1951) as Debtor (uncredited)
The Bandits of Corsica (1953) as Riggio
Son of Belle Starr (1953) as Manuel
The Caddy (1953) as Mr. Spezzato
The Steel Lady (1953) as Sheik Taras
Jubilee Trail (1954) as Don Orosco (uncredited)
Casanova's Big Night (1954) as Carabaccio
The Shanghai Story (1954) as Mr. Chen
A Star Is Born (1954) as Bruno (uncredited)
Serenade (1956) as Manuel Montes
The First Texan (1956) as Pepe
The Burning Hills (1956) as Tio Perico
Accused of Murder (1956) as Cesar Cipriano
Duel at Apache Wells (1957) as Señor Valdez
20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) as Dr. Leonardo
The Black Orchid (1959) as Henry Gallo
Cry Tough (1959) as Lavandero
Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) as Papa Stavros
The Sword of Ali Baba (1965) as Cassim
Operation Razzle-Dazzle (1966, TV Movie)
The Spy in the Green Hat (1967) as Padre
A Bell for Adano (1967, TV Movie) as Afronti
Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972, TV Movie) as Mr. Alissandro
Mr. Ricco (1975) as Uncle Enzo

References[edit]

^ "Overview for Frank Puglia". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
^ "Frank Puglia". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
^ Lebo, Harlan (2005) [1997]. The Godfather Legacy: The Untold Story of the Making of the Classic Godfather Trilogy Featuring Never-Before-Published Production Stills. New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 87, 129. ISBN 9780743287777.
^ "Frank Puglia, 83, Actor Of Stage, Screen and TV". The New York Times. November 21, 1975. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 16, 2019.

External links[edit]

[1] "Overview for Frank Puglia". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 16, 2019.

[2] "Frank Puglia". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 16, 2019.

[3] Lebo, Harlan (2005) [1997]. The Godfather Legacy: The Untold Story of the Making of the Classic Godfather Trilogy Featuring Never-Before-Published Production Stills. New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 87, 129. ISBN 9780743287777.

[4] "Frank Puglia, 83, Actor Of Stage, Screen and TV". The New York Times. November 21, 1975. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 16, 2019.

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