- Guy Williams, Zorro, TV, 1957-1961. Because it was for Walt Disney, who had just made a big star out of Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, the first casting call in March 1957, was answered by 130 Zorro wannabes! Including many of Hispanic parentage. Russel was more Italian, though claiming his family’s roots were in Spain. He lost the hero and played various roles in the series – and was hospitalised with a bad eye injury received in a duel with Williams. After a guest shot in the Broken Arrow series with another Zorro hopeful, John Lupton, Tony tried his luck in Italy for six years…. And finally became the myththic avenger in Spanish director Ricardo Blasco’s Spanish-Italian El Zorro cabalga otra vez (US: Behind the Mask of Zorro) in 1965.
Awaiting poster photo for this caption
* Missing the mark… of Zorro, Guy Williams (in his Walt Disneyesque moustache) won the 50s’ TV series. Tony Russel did not. He later won three guest shots during 1957-1959 and became a Spanish movie Zorro in 1965. [© Duca/Duce Compagnia Film/Hispamer Films-Rhodes Cinematografica, 1965]
- Clint Eastwood, Per un pugno di dollari/A Fistful of Dollars, Italy-Spain-Germany, 1964.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2