Anthony Steffen
Encyclopedia
Anthony Steffen pseudonym
of Antônio Luiz de Teffé von Hoonholtz, was an Italian Brazilian
actor
who achieved fame as a leading man in over 25 Spaghetti Westerns.
, in the Pamphilj Palace, his family had noble
blood of a long lineage of Count
(von Hoonholtz) originally from Prussia
. His great grandfather was the Great Baron of Tefé. First born among Manoel de Teffe' von Hoonholtz children (Federico de Teffe' and Melissa de Teffe'), a Formula One
racing champion and Brazilian Ambassador
and his grandaunt was Nair de Tefé von Hoonholtz. While still a teenager, Antonio fought in World War II
along the partisans against the Nazis.
.
.
From 1965 to 1975, the newly named Anthony Steffen achieved considerable fame in Europe
, amassing cult status, starring in 27 Spaghetti Westerns. Considered to be an "Italian Clint Eastwood
", he was sometimes unfairly criticized for being a stiff or wooden actor. Several of his movies were sizeable box office hits in Europe. Among them were:
Django The Bastard (aka Stranger's Gundown, 1969) a movie that was produced and written by Steffen, is considered to be an inspiration for Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter
. In several of his movies, Steffen starred alongside other Spaghetti Western luminaries such as Gianni Garko
, Peter Lee Lawrence
, and William Berger. Outside of the Spaghetti western genre, Steffen also appeared in several Giallo
movies including The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
(1971). His roles and status diminished as the Spaghetti Western genre fell into decline. Amassing a considerable fortune from his career as an actor, Steffen embarked on a jet set
lifestyle.
In his career Steffen performed alongside Sophia Loren
, Gina Lollobrigida
, Claudia Cardinale
, Elke Sommer
, Giuliano Gemma
, Franco Nero
, Gian Maria Volonté
and with many other stars of the American and Italian cinema.
Steffen returned to Rio de Janeiro
where he died of cancer in 2004. He has maintained cult-status among fans of Italian Cinema for being perhaps the most prolific Spaghetti Western Leading actor.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Antônio Luiz de Teffé von Hoonholtz, was an Italian Brazilian
Italian Brazilian
-Italian immigration to Brazil:The Italian government claims there are 25 million Brazilians of Italian descent, which would be the largest population of Italian background outside of Italy itself. There are no actual surveys, or even verifiable calculations supporting such claims. According to...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who achieved fame as a leading man in over 25 Spaghetti Westerns.
Early life
Born Antonio Luiz de Teffé von Hoonholtz at the Brazilian embassy in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, in the Pamphilj Palace, his family had noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
blood of a long lineage of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
(von Hoonholtz) originally from Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. His great grandfather was the Great Baron of Tefé. First born among Manoel de Teffe' von Hoonholtz children (Federico de Teffe' and Melissa de Teffe'), a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing champion and Brazilian Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
and his grandaunt was Nair de Tefé von Hoonholtz. While still a teenager, Antonio fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
along the partisans against the Nazis.
Early career
Under the name Antonio de Teffé, he worked behind the scenes in several Italian productions in the early 50's and later acted in several movies, but never really achieving stardom. In 1962, he had a bit part in Sodom and GomorrahSodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis and later expounded upon throughout the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and Deuterocanonical sources....
.
Career
An early appearance of his was in the 1955 Gli SbandatiThe Abandoned (1955 film)
Abandoned. The Runaways or The Abandoned was the United States title for the 1955 Italian film Gli Sbandati, set during the aftermath of the Allied invasion of Italy in 1943 during World War II .-Cast:*Lucia Bosé - Lucia...
.
From 1965 to 1975, the newly named Anthony Steffen achieved considerable fame in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, amassing cult status, starring in 27 Spaghetti Westerns. Considered to be an "Italian Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
", he was sometimes unfairly criticized for being a stiff or wooden actor. Several of his movies were sizeable box office hits in Europe. Among them were:
- Ragazzi del Juke-BoxRagazzi del Juke-BoxRagazzi del Juke-Box is a 1959 Italian musical film directed by Lucio Fulci and starring Mario Carotenuto, Elke Sommer and Anthony Steffen. The young daughter of a record company boss takes over the company following her father's arest, and uses it to promote the bands she likes.-Cast:* Mario...
(1959) - Sodom and Gomorrah (1963)
- Blood at Sundown (1966)
- Seven Dollars on the RedSeven Dollars on the RedSette dollari sul rosso is a 1966 Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Alberto Cardone. Its stars Anthony Steffen as the main character....
(1966) - Gentleman Killer (1967)
- Killer Kid (1967)
- Why Go On Killing? (1965)
- No Room to Die (1969)
- Garringo (1969)
Django The Bastard (aka Stranger's Gundown, 1969) a movie that was produced and written by Steffen, is considered to be an inspiration for Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter
High Plains Drifter
High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film, with a hint of the supernatural, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Pictures. Eastwood plays a mysterious gunfighter hired by the residents of a corrupt frontier mining town...
. In several of his movies, Steffen starred alongside other Spaghetti Western luminaries such as Gianni Garko
Gianni Garko
Gianni Garko is an Italian actor who found much fame as a leading man in Spaghetti Westerns...
, Peter Lee Lawrence
Peter Lee Lawrence
Peter Lee Lawrence born Karl Hirenbach, , was a German actor. He enjoyed brief fame as a prolific leading man of Spaghetti Westerns before dying at the age of 29....
, and William Berger. Outside of the Spaghetti western genre, Steffen also appeared in several Giallo
Giallo
Giallo is an Italian 20th century genre of literature and film, which in Italian indicates crime fiction and mystery. In the English language it refers to a genre similar to the French fantastique genre and includes elements of horror fiction and eroticism...
movies including The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave
The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Emilio Miraglia. It was released in 1971.-Plot:The film tells the story of Alan , a man whose obsession with his disloyal dead wife, Evelyn, causes him to prey upon sexy redheads, including Erika Blanc, who in a...
(1971). His roles and status diminished as the Spaghetti Western genre fell into decline. Amassing a considerable fortune from his career as an actor, Steffen embarked on a jet set
Jet set
"Jet set" is a journalistic term that was used to describe an international social group of wealthy people, organizing and participating all around the world in social activities that are unreachable to ordinary people...
lifestyle.
In his career Steffen performed alongside Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
, Gina Lollobrigida
Gina Lollobrigida
Gina Lollobrigida is an Italian actress, photojournalist and sculptress. She was one of the most popular European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was also an iconic sex symbol of the 1950s. Today, she remains an active supporter of Italian and Italian American causes, particularly the...
, Claudia Cardinale
Claudia Cardinale
Claudia Cardinale is an Italian actress, and has appeared in some of the most prominent European films of the 1960s and 1970s. The majority of Cardinale's films have been either Italian or French...
, Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer , born Baroness Elke Schletz, is a German actress, entertainer and artist.-Career:Sommer was born in Berlin to a Lutheran minister and his wife...
, Giuliano Gemma
Giuliano Gemma
-Biography:Born in Rome, Gemma first worked as a stuntman, then was offered real acting parts by director Duccio Tessari, starting with the film Arrivano i titani . He also made an appearance in Luchino Visconti's Il Gattopardo as Garibaldi's General...
, Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
, Gian Maria Volonté
Gian Maria Volontè
Gian Maria Volonté was an Italian actor. He is perhaps most famous outside of Italy for his roles as the main villain in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More.-Early life:Volonté was born in Milan, and graduated in Rome in 1957...
and with many other stars of the American and Italian cinema.
Steffen returned to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
where he died of cancer in 2004. He has maintained cult-status among fans of Italian Cinema for being perhaps the most prolific Spaghetti Western Leading actor.