Alan Furlan
Encyclopedia
Biography
Born Aleardo Furlan in Farla, in the North FriuliFriuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Furlan acted in films in Europe and the United States, on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and in commercials.
On Broadway he appeared in productions such as Holiday for Lovers (1957), The Best House in Naples (1956), Idiot's Delight (1951) and Romeo and Juliet (1951) starring Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
. In the late 40s, he performed in Chicago area summer stock
Summer Stock
For the article about the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.Summer Stock is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical made in 1950. The film was directed by Charles Walters and stars Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers...
theaters with actors such as Richard Kiley.
Furlan played the role of Giancarlo in the Italian film Donatella
Donatella
Donatella is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival Elsa Martinelli won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.-Cast:* Elsa Martinelli - Donatella* Gabriele Ferzetti - Maurizio...
(1956) which was selected for competition at the Berlin Film Festival. He appeared in numerous live broadcast anthology drama television series with lead roles in episodes of Police Call
Police Call
Police Report is a weekend RTHK programme in Hong Kong, similar to Crimewatch in the UK or America's Most Wanted in the United States. It is broadcast in English and Cantonese versions , and each episode differ only in broadcast language and cast...
, one of the top grossing television series released in 1955, as well as a supporting role in the Producers' Showcase
Producers' Showcase
Producers' Showcase is an American anthology television series that was telecast live during the 1950s in compatible color by NBC. With top talent, the 90-minute episodes, covering a wide variety of genres, aired under the title every fourth Monday at 8 p.m. ET for three seasons, beginning October...
production (1957) of the melodramatic comedic Broadway play The Great Sebastians, starring Alfred Lunt
Alfred Lunt
Alfred Lunt was an American stage director and actor, often identified for a long-time professional partnership with his wife, actress Lynn Fontanne...
and Lynn Fontanne
Lynn Fontanne
Lynn Fontanne was a British actress and major stage star in the United States for over 40 years. She teamed with her husband Alfred Lunt.She lived in the United States for more than 60 years but never relinquished her British citizenship. Lunt and Fontanne shared a special Tony Award in 1970...
and the Armstrong Circle Theatre
Armstrong Circle Theatre
Armstrong Circle Theatre is an American anthology drama television series which ran from 1950 to 1957 on NBC, and then until 1963 on CBS. It alternated weekly with The U.S. Steel Hour.-Synopsis:...
episode The Sound of Violence: The Jukebox Racket (1959).
He toured with Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
as her Latin lover in Come On Up, Ring Twice and performed in the TV version of the Moon and Sixpence with Laurence Oliver (1959).
Furlan later became the mentor of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
's Sunset Playhouse where he remained artistic director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
for 28 years.
Filmography
- The Sinner (1959), aka La peccatrice del deserto (original title Italy); aka Desert Desperados (USA title)
- Armstrong Circle TheatreArmstrong Circle TheatreArmstrong Circle Theatre is an American anthology drama television series which ran from 1950 to 1957 on NBC, and then until 1963 on CBS. It alternated weekly with The U.S. Steel Hour.-Synopsis:...
, (1959) The Sound of Violence: The Jukebox Racket - Producers' ShowcaseProducers' ShowcaseProducers' Showcase is an American anthology television series that was telecast live during the 1950s in compatible color by NBC. With top talent, the 90-minute episodes, covering a wide variety of genres, aired under the title every fourth Monday at 8 p.m. ET for three seasons, beginning October...
, The Great Sebastians (1957) - Defend My Love (1956), aka Difendo il mio amore (original title Italy)
- War and Peace (1956 film)War and Peace (1956 film)War and Peace is the first English-language film version of the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. It is an American/Italian version, directed by King Vidor and produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti. The music score was by Nino Rota and the cinematography by Jack Cardiff...
- I tre moschettieri (1956, TV series); aka The Three Musketeers (USA title)
- DonatellaDonatellaDonatella is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival Elsa Martinelli won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.-Cast:* Elsa Martinelli - Donatella* Gabriele Ferzetti - Maurizio...
(1956) - Police CallPolice CallPolice Report is a weekend RTHK programme in Hong Kong, similar to Crimewatch in the UK or America's Most Wanted in the United States. It is broadcast in English and Cantonese versions , and each episode differ only in broadcast language and cast...
(1955) - La tua donna (1954)
- Orient ExpressOrient Express (anthology)Orient Express is a 1953 anthology drama television series filmed in Europe and syndicated in the United States. Each episode ties-in with a story connected to the famed railroad from which the series takes its name...
(1953); episode His Son (aka His Boy)
Broadway stage work
- Holiday for Lovers (1957)
- The Best House in Naples (1956)
- Idiot's DelightIdiot's Delight (play)Idiot's Delight is a 1936 play written by American playwright Robert E. Sherwood. The original Broadway production was presented by The Theatre Guild and starred Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. It was awarded the 1936 Pulitzer Prize for drama, the first of three that Sherwood received...
(1951) - Romeo and Juliet (1951)