Tony Russel (born Anthony Russo on November 23, 1925 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA) is a former film, stage, and television actor. He is noted for having worked extensively in the Italian film industry in the mid-1960s, and for his work as a voice actor where he was the founder and president of the English Language Dubbers Association (ELDA) in Italy. He was one of several American actors who turned down the lead of A Fistful of Dollars.After making Burt Topper's War is Hell, he went to Italy first appearing in the title role of La leggenda di Fra Diavolo. He then appeared in several sword and sandal and Eurospy films. Russel played Zorro in Behind the Mask of Zorro; he had originally tested for the role of Walt Disney's Zorro but lost out to Guy Williams. Among Russel's starring roles are parts in the sci-fi epics Wild, Wild Planet and its sequel, War of the Planets filmed concurrently. He left Italy for America in 1967.
Performed live on stage in regional Alley Theater of Houston, Texas, where he appeared in the production of a new work "Wilson" a musical about Woodrow Wilson and the founding of the League of Nations. [October 1974]
Turned down the lead in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars (1964) because he thought the script was terrible and that the idea of an Italian western was ludicrous. Clint Eastwood got the part and became a superstar.
4
Tony tested for the role of TV's Zorro for Walt Disney. He lost out to Guy Williams but, because of his physical agility, was given several roles in the series' episodes.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Anything Goes
1956
French Sailor (uncredited)
Highway Patrol
1955
TV Series
Jimmy Wilson
Jump Into Hell
1955
Radio Operator (uncredited)
The Silver Chalice
1954
Sicarii (uncredited)
The Lone Wolf
1954
TV Series
Assay Clerk
Hiawatha
1952
uncredited
Hearts Are Wild
1992
TV Series
Jacque
The Vegas Strip War
1984
TV Movie
Morgan Steinman
The Mystic Warrior
1984
TV Movie
Red Lake
Vega$
1979
TV Series
Photographer
CHiPs
1977
TV Series
Eduardo
Lou Grant
1977
TV Series
Mr. Hall
The Invasion of Carol Enders
1973
TV Movie
Dan Petrie
Un ufficiale non si arrende mai nemmeno di fronte all'evidenza, firmato Colonnello Buttiglione
1973
as Tony Russo
Hec Ramsey
1973
TV Series
Gentleman Jim Sachet
Soul Hustler
1973
Evin Calder
The Hard Ride
1971
Big Red
Night Gallery
1971
TV Series
Director (segment "Make Me Laugh")
The High Chaparral
1970
TV Series
Ricardo
Death Valley Days
1969
TV Series
Mike Cassidy
Honeymoons Will Kill You
1966
Barone Frescobaldi
Target Goldseven
1966
Alan Milner (as Tony Russell)
Wild, Wild Planet
1966
Cmdr. Mike Halstead (as Tony Russell)
The War of the Planets
1966
Cmdr. Mike Halstead
Behind the Mask of Zorro
1965
Patriciao / Alfonso / Zorro
Sea of Souls
1965
Bud
The Revolt of the Seven
1964
Keros
Secret of the Sphinx
1964
Thomas
L'ultima carica
1964
Rocco Vardarelli (as Tony Russell)
Sword of Damascus
1964
Jesen
The Secret Seven
1963
Leslio
Knights of Terror
1963
Paolo
The Last Charge
1962
Fra Diavolo
War Is Hell
1961
Sgt. Keefer
Last Train from Gun Hill
1959
Pinto (uncredited)
Don't Give Up the Ship
1959
Lieutenant, s.g. (uncredited)
Zorro
1957-1959
TV Series
Carlos Martinez / Pedro Avila
Peter Gunn
1959
TV Series
Michael Delak
King Creole
1958
Chico (uncredited)
Broken Arrow
1958
TV Series
Anaka
26 Men
1957
TV Series
Black Eagle
Telephone Time
1956
TV Series
The Star and the Story
1956
TV Series
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Butterfly Ball
1977
thanks for clicking
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Sign of Zorro
1958
Carlos Martinez (as Tony Russo)
Known for movies
Wild, Wild Planet (1966) as Cmdr. Mike Halstead
The War of the Planets (1966) as Cmdr. Mike Halstead
$1.5 Million
