Romano Kristoff
Encyclopedia
Romano Kristoff was a Spanish-born B-movie
actor (and occasional writer/director) working in the Philippines
in the 80's and early 90's. He was also credited as Rom Kristoff, Ron Kristoff, Run Kristoff, Ron Krastoff, and other similar variants. Very little info on him can be found anywhere, except that he was Spanish
by birth, a martial artist (apparently holding a black belt
in karate
), ex-Foreign Legionnaire
and had some legitimate training as an actor.
He appeared mostly in low-budget action and martial arts
films such as Jungle Rats (1987), and Black Fire (1985), during the 80's, often directed by Teddy Page
and John Gale (director)
. The vast majority of Kristoff's films were produced by K.Y. Lim's Silver Star Film Company (also called Kinavesa in the Philippines), a prolific, if somewhat notorious producer of Filipino action films. The Silver Star films usually recycled the same cast of American
and Europe
an Z-movie workhorses from one film to another. Some of the recurring faces were Mike Monty
, James Gaines
, Mike Cohen, Gwendolyn Hung, Frank Juhas and Ronnie Patterson, and Kristoff acted with all of them. He became something of a star for Silver Star, appearing in several leading roles throughout the 80's, most prominently in Slash (1984), a film influenced by the Rambo films of Sylvester Stallone
to the point of plagiarism.
In 1981 Kristoff was cast as a supporting player in the Richard Harrison
vehicle Intrusion Cambodia, directed by John Gale. The two became friends and Kristoff was later invited to Italy
by Harrison to co-write and act in the 1986 film Three Men On Fire, which Harrison directed and starred in. Three Men On Fire was Kristoff's only film shot outside the Philippines. Kristoff also co-wrote the script to Ninja's Force (1985) with Ken Watanabe (not to be confused with the more famous Ken Watanabe), another member of the Silver Star entourage.
He also appeared in some Italian productions made in the Philippines, such as the Vietnam war
actioner Tornado (1983), directed by Antonio Margheriti
and starring Giancarlo Prete and Antonio Marsina. Other Italian films he acted in were The Last Hunter, (1980), also directed by Margheriti, and Ferdinando Baldi
films Warbus (1985), Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission
(1988), and Just A Damn Soldier (1988).
When the Filipino film industry dwindled at the turn of the 90's, so did the careers of many expatriate
actors working in the Philippines. Kristoff, like Monty, Gaines and others, faded to obscurity as the 90's progressed. Although he wasn't a great actor, Romano Kristoff can definitely be called one of the more talented Silver Star stars and did possess a fair amount of physical charisma. Outside the Philippines, he could possibly have had a more successful career in action and martial arts films.
He seems to be now mostly retired from film, having made only the occasional appearance over the past fifteen years. Kristoff's most recent notable role was a small part in the Italian-Filipino Brigitte Nielsen
actioner Doomsdayer (2000), directed by Michael J. Sarna and also starring former TV Tarzan
actor Joe Lara and Udo Kier. According to an interview of Nick Nicholson
on the French B-movie site Nanarland, Kristoff is currently managing a restaurant in the Philippines.
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
actor (and occasional writer/director) working in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in the 80's and early 90's. He was also credited as Rom Kristoff, Ron Kristoff, Run Kristoff, Ron Krastoff, and other similar variants. Very little info on him can be found anywhere, except that he was Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by birth, a martial artist (apparently holding a black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
), ex-Foreign Legionnaire
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and had some legitimate training as an actor.
He appeared mostly in low-budget action and martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
films such as Jungle Rats (1987), and Black Fire (1985), during the 80's, often directed by Teddy Page
Teddy Page
Teddy Page is a Filipino film director and occasional writer. Page, whose real name is Teddy Chiu, began his career as a young man in the early 1980s, directing low-budget action movies for producer K.Y...
and John Gale (director)
John Gale (director)
John Gale, born Jun Gallardo, was a Filipino B-movie director, who started his career with martial arts movies in the 70's and continued to Z-movie actioners in the 80's, often produced by K.Y. Lim's Silver Star Film Company...
. The vast majority of Kristoff's films were produced by K.Y. Lim's Silver Star Film Company (also called Kinavesa in the Philippines), a prolific, if somewhat notorious producer of Filipino action films. The Silver Star films usually recycled the same cast of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 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...
an Z-movie workhorses from one film to another. Some of the recurring faces were Mike Monty
Mike Monty
Mike Monty was an American character actor, born in 1936 in Chattanooga, Tennessee as Michael O'Donahue but he changed his name to Mike Monty late in life....
, James Gaines
James Gaines
James Gaines, birth name James Larry M. Gaines Jr., is an African-American-Filipino character actor, writer and director with dual nationality, born on May 18, 1955, in Maui, Hawaii. He was sometimes also credited as Jaimes Gaines, Jim Gaines, and James Gainers...
, Mike Cohen, Gwendolyn Hung, Frank Juhas and Ronnie Patterson, and Kristoff acted with all of them. He became something of a star for Silver Star, appearing in several leading roles throughout the 80's, most prominently in Slash (1984), a film influenced by the Rambo films of Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
to the point of plagiarism.
In 1981 Kristoff was cast as a supporting player in the Richard Harrison
Richard Harrison (actor)
Richard Harrison is an American B-movie actor and occasionally a writer/director/producer.Harrison was very prolific and worked with most of the better-known names in European B-movies during the 1960s and 1970s, branching out to exploitation films shot all over the world in the early 1970s...
vehicle Intrusion Cambodia, directed by John Gale. The two became friends and Kristoff was later invited to 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...
by Harrison to co-write and act in the 1986 film Three Men On Fire, which Harrison directed and starred in. Three Men On Fire was Kristoff's only film shot outside the Philippines. Kristoff also co-wrote the script to Ninja's Force (1985) with Ken Watanabe (not to be confused with the more famous Ken Watanabe), another member of the Silver Star entourage.
He also appeared in some Italian productions made in the Philippines, such as the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
actioner Tornado (1983), directed by Antonio Margheriti
Antonio Margheriti
Antonio Margheriti , also known under the pseudonym Anthony M. Dawson, was a prolific Italian filmmaker. He was born in Rome and died in 2002 from a heart attack in Monterosi, Viterbo, near Rome at the age of 72....
and starring Giancarlo Prete and Antonio Marsina. Other Italian films he acted in were The Last Hunter, (1980), also directed by Margheriti, and Ferdinando Baldi
Ferdinando Baldi
Ferdinando Baldi was an Italian film director, film producer and screenwriter. He was born on 19 May 1927 in Cava dei Tirreni, in the Province of Salerno.-Career:...
films Warbus (1985), Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission
Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission
Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission is a 1988 North Korean/Italian film, co-directed by Ferdinando Baldi and Pak Jong-ju under the pseudonym "Ted Kaplan". An action/spy film in the English language, Ten Zan was shot in North Korea using Western actors...
(1988), and Just A Damn Soldier (1988).
When the Filipino film industry dwindled at the turn of the 90's, so did the careers of many expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
actors working in the Philippines. Kristoff, like Monty, Gaines and others, faded to obscurity as the 90's progressed. Although he wasn't a great actor, Romano Kristoff can definitely be called one of the more talented Silver Star stars and did possess a fair amount of physical charisma. Outside the Philippines, he could possibly have had a more successful career in action and martial arts films.
He seems to be now mostly retired from film, having made only the occasional appearance over the past fifteen years. Kristoff's most recent notable role was a small part in the Italian-Filipino Brigitte Nielsen
Brigitte Nielsen
Brigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja and Rocky IV and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone...
actioner Doomsdayer (2000), directed by Michael J. Sarna and also starring former TV Tarzan
Tarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
actor Joe Lara and Udo Kier. According to an interview of Nick Nicholson
Nick Nicholson
Daniel Patrick Nicholson, better known as Nick Nicholson, is an American expatriate character actor working in the Philippines. Since the early 1980s, Nicholson has appeared in both big-budget Hollywood productions shot in the archipelago and low-budget, Filipino action movies.He has acted in...
on the French B-movie site Nanarland, Kristoff is currently managing a restaurant in the Philippines.
External links
- Romano Kristoff on IMDb. Many of the years listed for the Silver Star films may be incorrect.
- Romano Kristoff profile on Nanarland.com (in french)