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    Sadistik stalwart Giovanni Di Benedetto has appeared in over 50 films in over 50 years and has been credited under almost as many names! Born in 1938 as Giovanni De Benedittis, other credits have listed as Gianni De Benedetto,  Gianni Di Benedetto, John Hawkwood and the Presidential-sounding John Benedy.

    He acted in numerous photo-novels, mainly playing the bad guy thanks to his distinctive Jack Palance-like features. His first film, 1954's La Romana (Woman of Rome), starred Gina Lollobrigida. The next year saw him in Ulysses, starring Kirk Douglas was co-directed (without credit) by the talented Mario Bava that began a creative association with the director and Di Benedetto and the first of many period adventure films for the actor.

    Giovanni's first horror film was Et mourir de plaisir in 1960, known as Blood and Roses and directed by Roger Vadim who would later direct Barbarella. Next came a few sword & sandal epics including Barabbas (perhaps more of a Christian epic) in 1962, which starred Anthony Quinn, Jack Palance and Ernest Borgnine along with an international cast.



    After appearing in Bava's classic 1963 La Ragazza Che Sapeva Troppo (aka The Girl who Knew too Much and The Evil Eye in the US), he has an odd credit in the Danny Thomas TV show "Make Room for Daddy," presumably in an episode shot in Italy. (Though of Lebanese origin, many thought Thomas to be Italian).


Trailer for Mario Bava's Evil Eye aka The Girl Who Knew Too Much

    As James Bond came into prominence on the silver screen, Italian filmmakers churned out 007-like films and Giovanni was there (sometimes under the name John Hawkwood). He appeared in two films about the Sette uomini d'oro (Seven Golden Men) and even co-starred with Dana herself, Luciana Paoli, in an unrelated film about Seven Golden Women (Sette donne d'oro contro due 07)!


Dario Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage trailer in English (above) and Italian (below)


    By then he was a regular face in the Sadistik series as the Italian film community moved into the spaghetti western genre and with it, Giovanni. By the early 1970s the 'giallo' slasher/horror films were in vogue. Giovanni shows up in the classic horror trilogy from director Dario Argento, L'Uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, based on Fredric Brown's noir classic The Screaming Mimi), Il Gatto a nove code (The Cat o' Nine Tails) and 4 mosche di velluto grigio (Four Flies on Grey Velvet).


Argento's Cat O' Nine Tails preview also in English and Italian


    The 1970s saw the actor in a series of bloody horror and crime films that were a staple of Italian cinema at that time. Since then, Giovanni has had a steady presence in Italian film and TV including the American films Only You with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. along with Excellent Cadavers featuring Chazz Palminteri and F. Murray Abraham.

    For a while, he lived in Sweden, directing romance photo novels. Currently he lives on a ranch in Puglia, Southern Italy and Giovanni will appear in SS-Sunda's new documentary, The Diabolikal Super Kriminal, discussing his days partying with our favorite skeleton-clad King of Crime!

De Benedetto appeared in Dario Argento's landmark horror trilogy and earlier appeared in The Evil Eye, directed by Mario Bava. Following is an article about the actor originally published in Killing No. 25 (September 1967):


Four Flies on Grey Velvet, part of Argento's giallo trilogy with Gianni.
    Here is another well-known film actor than has not escaped the invitation to participate the adventures of the great Sadistik. Gianni De Benedettis, also known as John Benedy, is an effective personality in the demanding roles of gangster or spy, of a hired killer or federal agent, cold, ruthless, cruel and decisive until… death.

    Gianni De Benedettis, aka John Benedy, is a brilliant film artist. His first large success was for his excellent interpretation in the film Rocco and His Brothers. After that, producers from every part of the world offered him more attractive contracts. Before he was 30, Gianni De Benedettis is already considered one of the most qualified actors of the new generation. In a few years he has acted in some twenty films, many garnering considerable success from critics and the public. There does not exist for John Benedy any role that he cannot interpret. Western, espionage, war, story and love, all good scripts are sharpened by his artistic gift. 

GIOVANNI DE BENEDETTO FILMOGRAPHY
courtesy imdb.com
Sometimes Credited As:
Gianni De Benedetto / Giovanni De Benedittis / Gianni Di Benedetto / John Hawkwood / Gianni di Benedetto / John Benedy (Note: imdb.com lists his John Benedy roles seperately and follows below. Also it does not credit his role in Luchino Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers, which co-starred the director of the Sadistik photo novels, Rosario Borelli.)

Actor - filmography
(2000s) (1990s) (1980s) (1970s) (1960s) (1950s)

  1. Soldati di pace (2003) (TV) .... PADRE DI SILVESTRO
  2. Attentatuni, L' (2001) (TV)
  3. Giraffe, Le (2000)
  4. Excellent Cadavers (1999) .... Michele Greco
    ... aka Falcone (Australia) (Europe: English title: video title)
    ... aka Giudici - vittime eccellenti, I (Italy)
  5. Gallo cedrone (1998) (uncredited)
  6. Only You (1994) .... Pension Concierge
    ... aka Him
    ... aka Just in Time
  7. Daens (1993) .... Cardinal
  8. Atto di dolore (1991) .... Avvocato Maffei
    ... aka Act of Contrition
    ... aka Act of Sorrow (International: English title)
  9. "Indifferenti, Gli" (1988) (mini) TV Series
  10. Morte in Vaticano (1984)
    ... aka Death in the Vatican
    ... aka Muerte en el Vaticano (Spain)
    ... aka Vatican Conspiracy
  11. Guerrieri dell'anno 2072, I (1984) (uncredited) .... Sam
    ... aka Fighting Centurions
    ... aka Rome, 2072 A.D.
    ... aka The New Gladiators
    ... aka Warriors of the Year 2072
  12. ...e la vita continua (1984) (TV)
  13. Dolce... calda Lisa (1980) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
  14. Circuito chiuso (1978) (TV)
  15. Gabbiani volano basso, I (1978) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Seagulls Fly Low (International: English title)
  16. Svastica nel ventre, La (1977) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Living Nightmare
    ... aka Nazi Love Camp 27
  17. Goodbye e amen (1977) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Foreign Secretary
    ... aka Goodbye and Amen
  18. Giustiziere sfida la città, Il (1975) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Police Inspector
    ... aka Final Payment (Canada: English title: cut version)
    ... aka One Just Man (Europe: English title)
    ... aka Rambo's Revenge (USA: dubbed version)
    ... aka Syndicate Sadists (USA)
  19. Uomo della strada fa giustizia, L' (1975) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Journalist
    ... aka The Manhunt (USA)
    ... aka Un flic hors la loi (France)
  20. Ultimo treno della notte, L' (1975) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Stradi's honorable guest
    ... aka Don't Ride on Late Night Trains (UK)
    ... aka Last Stop on the Night Train (USA: dubbed version)
    ... aka Late Night Trains (UK)
    ... aka Night Train Murders (Philippines: English title)
    ... aka Torture Train
    ... aka Violenza sull'ultimo treno della notte (Italy)
  21. Macchie solari (1975) .... Head Coroner
    ... aka Autopsy (USA)
    ... aka Sun Spots
    ... aka Tarot
    ... aka Tension (Europe: cut version)
    ... aka The Magician (UK)
    ... aka The Victim (USA)
  22. Polizia accusa: il servizio segreto uccide, La (1975) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Chopper Squad
    ... aka Silent Action (USA)
  23. Ossessa, L' (1974) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Enter the Devil
    ... aka The Devil Obsession
    ... aka The Eerie Midnight Horror Show
    ... aka The Sexorcist
    ... aka The Tormented
  24. Afyon oppio (1972)
    ... aka The Sicilian Connection (Canada: English title: dubbed version) (USA: dubbed version)
    ... aka Action héroïne (France)
    ... aka Filière, La (France: video title)
  25. 4 mosche di velluto grigio (1971) (uncredited) .... Funeral Exhibition Visitor
    ... aka Four Flies on Grey Velvet (USA)
    ... aka Four Patches of Grey Velvet
    ... aka Quatre mouches de velours gris (France)
  26. Gatto a nove code, Il (1971) (uncredited) .... Chief of Police Salmi
    ... aka Chat à neuf queues, Le (France)
    ... aka Neunschwänzige Katze, Die (West Germany)
    ... aka The Cat o' Nine Tails (USA)
  27. Gli fumavano le Colt... lo chiamavano Camposanto (1971) (as Gianni di Benedetto)
    ... aka Bullet for a Stranger
    ... aka His Pistols Smoked... They Call Him Cemetery (USA)
    ... aka They Call Him Cemetery (USA)
  28. A Man Called Sledge (1970) (as Gianni Di Benedetto) .... Secondino
    ... aka Sledge
  29. Uccello dalle piume di cristallo, L' (1970) (uncredited) .... Professor Rinaldi
    ... aka Bird with the Glass Feathers
    ... aka Geheimnis der schwarzen Handschuhe, Das (West Germany)
    ... aka Phantom of Terror
    ... aka Point of Terror (USA: alternative title)
    ... aka The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (USA)
    ... aka The Gallery Murders
  30. Nero Wolfe: La casa degli attori (1970) (TV) (as Gianni Di Benedetto) .... Avvocato Parker
  31. Così dolce... così perversa (1969) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Monsieur Valmont
    ... aka Si douces, si perverses (France)
    ... aka So Sweet... So Perverse
  32. Barbagia (1969) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Società del malessere, La
    ... aka The Tough and the Mighty
  33. Suo modo di fare, Il (1969) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Tenderly
    ... aka The Girl Who Couldn't Say No (USA)
  34. Amore breve, L' (1969) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Commissioner
    ... aka Besieged (International: English title)
    ... aka Stato d'assedio, Lo (Italy)
  35. Roma come Chicago (1968) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Bandits in Rome (USA)
    ... aka Rome Like Chicago (USA: TV title)
    ... aka The Violent Four (UK)
  36. Nude... si muore (1968) (as John Hawkwood) .... Di Brazzi
    ... aka School Girl Killer
    ... aka Sette vergini per il diavolo
    ... aka The Young, the Evil & the Savage
  37. Preparati la bara! (1968) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Django Sees Red (Canada: English title)
    ... aka Django, Prepare a Coffin (USA)
    ... aka Get the Coffin Ready
    ... aka Viva Django
  38. Grande colpo dei sette uomini d'oro, Il (1967) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka CIA mène la danse, Le (France)
    ... aka Gran golpe de los siete hombres de oro, El (Spain)
    ... aka Seven Golden Men Strike Again (Philippines: English title)
  39. Ragan (1967) (as Gianni Di Benedetto)
    ... aka Devil's Angel
  40. Per 100,000 dollari ti ammazzo (1967) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka For One Hundred Thousand Dollars for a Killing
    ... aka One Hundred Thousand Dollars Per Killing
    ... aka Vengeance Is Mine
  41. Avventuriero, L' (1967) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Lt. Bolt
    ... aka The Rover
  42. Odio per odio (1967) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Hate for Hate (USA)
    ... aka Odio por odio (Spain)
  43. Furia a Marrakech (1966) (as John Hawkwood)
  44. Tecnica di un omicidio (1966) (as John Hawkwood) .... Andrea Ferri
    ... aka Hired Killer (USA)
    ... aka No Tears for a Killer
    ... aka Professional Killer
    ... aka Technique d'un meurtre (France)
  45. Sette donne d'oro contro due 07 (1966) (as Giovanni De Benedittis)
  46. A 077, sfida ai killers (1966) (as John Hawkwood)
    ... aka A 077 défie les tueurs (France)
    ... aka Bob Fleming... Mission Casablanca
    ... aka Killers Are Challenged (USA)
  47. Sette uomini d'oro (1965) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Sept hommes en or (France)
    ... aka Seven Golden Men
    ... aka Siete hombres de oro (Spain)
  48. "Make Room for Daddy"
    ... aka The Danny Thomas Show (USA: new title)
        - The Roman Patriot (1963) TV Episode .... Man
  49. Ragazza che sapeva troppo, La (1963) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Professor Torrani
    ... aka The Evil Eye (USA)
    ... aka The Girl Who Knew Too Much
  50. Ercole sfida Sansone (1963) (as Gianni Di Benedetto)
    ... aka Ercole, Sansone e Maciste (Italy)
    ... aka Hercules, Samson & Ulysses (USA)
  51. Barabbas (1962) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Officer
    ... aka Barabba (Italy)
  52. Romolo e Remo (1961) (uncredited) .... Soldier
    ... aka Duel of the Titans (USA)
  53. Delfini, I (1960) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka Dauphins, Les (France)
    ... aka The Dauphins (International: English title: literal title)
  54. Et mourir de plaisir (1960) (as Gianni De Benedetto) .... Police Marshal
    ... aka Blood and Roses (UK) (USA)
    ... aka Sangue e la rosa, Il (Italy)
    ... aka To Die with Pleasure (International: English title: informal literal title)
  55. Ulisse (1955) (as Gianni Di Benedetto)
    ... aka Ulysses
  56. Arte di arrangiarsi, L' (1955) (as Gianni De Benedetto)
    ... aka The Art of Getting Along (USA)
  57. Romana, La (1954) (as Gianni Di Benedetto) .... Il pittore
    ... aka Woman of Rome (USA)
As John Benedy:

Actor - filmography
(1980s) (1970s) (1960s)

  1. Carcerato (1981)
  2. Patrick vive ancora (1980) .... Peter Suniak
    ... aka Patrick Is Still Alive (USA: video title)
    ... aka Patrick Still Lives
  3. Tua vita per mio figlio, La (1980)

  4. Provincia violenta (1978)

  5. Corpo caldo per l'inferno, Un (1968)