Livio Lorenzon

Livio Lorenzon (6 May 1923 – 23 December 1971) was an Italian film actor whose career thrived in the post‑war era, especially throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Born in Trieste, then part of the Kingdom of Italy, he entered the cinematic world in the early 1950s, quickly becoming a reliable character actor noted for his robust, masculine presence and his ability to adapt to diverse historical and genre settings. His early roles included minor parts in commedia all'Italiana classics directed by Dino Risi and Mario Monicelli, where his subtle performances added depth to ensemble casts. Lorenzon’s versatility shone as he moved from the sandals and lorica of Roman centurions in sword‑and‑sandal epics to the sombrero‑clad desperados of Spaghetti Westerns, and even to the stern sergeant in La Grande Guerra (The Great War). In the mid‑1960s he appeared in internationally renowned Westerns such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (as the baker) and The Secret Seven, solidifying his reputation as a dependable supporting actor. He also took part in pirate adventures like Queen of the Pirates and Terror on the Seas, often portraying tough, “as‑hard‑as‑nails” villains or authority figures. Over his career, Lorenzon contributed to roughly 75 films between 1952 and 1969, a testament to his hectic work schedule and the high demand for his reliable screen presence. Despite his on‑screen gravitas, his voice was frequently re‑dubbed by professional dubbers such as Renato Turi, a common practice in Italian cinema of the period. Lorenzon’s life was cut short when he died of cirrhosis at the age of 48 in Latisana, Friuli, leaving behind a substantial body of work that continues to be appreciated by genre enthusiasts and film historians alike.