Frank Puglia
About
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Also Known As
Franco Puglia
Birth Place
Italy
Born
March 09, 1892
Died
October 25, 1975
Biography
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When he was just 13 years old, Frank Puglia was appearing in Italian operas. When he was 15, in 1907, he left Italy and came to the United States and, soon after, joined an Italian opera company there. In 1921, while he was performing in a production of the stage drama "The Two Orphans," he was spotted by the legendary director D.W. Griffith, who hired him to reprise the role in the film...
Biography
When he was just 13 years old, Frank Puglia was appearing in Italian operas. When he was 15, in 1907, he left Italy and came to the United States and, soon after, joined an Italian opera company there. In 1921, while he was performing in a production of the stage drama "The Two Orphans," he was spotted by the legendary director D.W. Griffith, who hired him to reprise the role in the film version of the play, entitled "Orphans of the Storm." In the original play, Puglia's character dies in the end sequence, but in Griffith's movie, test audiences did not react well to the death, so the ending was reshot, with the character surviving. Puglia often capitalized on his Italian heritage by playing a variety of "ethnic" roles. He could be seen playing characters like waiters, soldiers, gangsters, musicians, and priests. He appeared in over 150 roles. One of his most memorable characters was a Moroccan rug vendor in Humphrey Bogart's most famous film, "Casablanca," in 1942. Some other films he appeared in include "Jungle Book" in 1942, "The Phantom of the Opera" in 1943, and "20 Million Miles to Earth" in 1957.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Mr. Ricco
(1975)
Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole
(1972)
Mr Alessandro
The Spy in the Green Hat
(1966)
The Sword of Ali Baba
(1965)
Prince Cassim
Girls! Girls! Girls!
(1962)
Alexander Stavros
Cry Tough
(1959)
Lavandero
The Black Orchid
(1959)
Henry Gallo
20 Million Miles to Earth
(1957)
Dr. Leonardo
Duel at Apache Wells
(1957)
Señor Valdez
Serenade
(1956)
Manuel
The Burning Hills
(1956)
Tio Perico
The First Texan
(1956)
Pepe
Accused of Murder
(1956)
Caesar Cipriano
The Shanghai Story
(1954)
Mr. Chen
Jubilee Trail
(1954)
Orosco
A Star Is Born
(1954)
Headwaiter
Casanova's Big Night
(1954)
Carabaccio
The Caddy
(1953)
Mr. Spezzato
Bandits of Corsica
(1953)
Riggio
The Steel Lady
(1953)
Sheik Taras
Son of Belle Starr
(1953)
Manuel
The Desert Hawk
(1950)
Ahmed Bey
Walk Softly, Stranger
(1950)
A. J. Corelli
Captain Carey, U.S.A.
(1950)
Luigi
Federal Agent at Large
(1950)
Angelo "Angel" Badillo
Black Hand
(1950)
Carlo Sabballera
Colorado Territory
(1949)
Brother Tomas
Special Agent
(1949)
Grandfather Devereaux
Bagdad
(1949)
Saleel
Bride of Vengeance
(1949)
Bolfi
Joan of Arc
(1948)
Nicolas de Houppeville, judge
Dream Girl
(1948)
Antonio
Brute Force
(1947)
Ferrara
Escape Me Never
(1947)
The guide
Fiesta
(1947)
Doctor
My Favorite Brunette
(1947)
Baron Montay
Stallion Road
(1947)
Pelon
Road to Rio
(1947)
Rodrigues
The Lost Moment
(1947)
Pietro
Easy Come, Easy Go
(1947)
Italian grocer
Without Reservations
(1946)
Ortega
Blood on the Sun
(1945)
Prince Tatsugi
A Song to Remember
(1945)
Monsieur Jollet
Week-End at the Waldorf
(1945)
Emile
Roughly Speaking
(1945)
Tony
Passage to Marseille
(1944)
Older guard
Dragon Seed
(1944)
Old clerk
The Story of Dr. Wassell
(1944)
Javanese temple guide
Around the World
(1944)
Native dealer
This Is the Life
(1944)
Music teacher
Together Again
(1944)
Leonardo
Brazil
(1944)
Señor Machada
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
(1944)
[Prince] Cassim
Tall in the Saddle
(1944)
Tala
Action in the North Atlantic
(1943)
Captain Carpolis
Background to Danger
(1943)
Syrian vendor
Pilot #5
(1943)
Nikola [Alessandro]
Phantom of the Opera
(1943)
Villeneuve
Tarzan's Desert Mystery
(1943)
Princess O'Rourke
(1943)
Greek
For Whom the Bell Tolls
(1943)
Captain Gomez
The Iron Major
(1943)
French major
Mission to Moscow
(1943)
Judge Ulrich
Casablanca
(1942)
Arab vendor
Who Is Hope Schuyler?
(1942)
Baggott
Secret Agent of Japan
(1942)
[Victor] Eminescu
Always in My Heart
(1942)
Joe Borelli
The Boogie Man Will Get You
(1942)
Silvio Bacigalupi
Escape from Hong Kong
(1942)
Kosura [also known as Yang T'Sueh-Lin]
Flight Lieutenant
(1942)
Father Carlos
Now, Voyager
(1942)
Giovanni
Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book
(1942)
The pundit
World Premiere
(1941)
Dapper officer
Billy the Kid
(1941)
Pedro Gonzales
The Parson of Panamint
(1941)
Joaquin
That Night in Rio
(1941)
Pedro
Law of the Tropics
(1941)
Tito
Torrid Zone
(1940)
[Juan] Rodriguez
Love, Honor, and Oh-Baby!
(1940)
Headwaiter
Meet the Wildcat
(1940)
Chief of police
Arise, My Love
(1940)
Father Jacinto
The Fatal Hour
(1940)
Hardway Harry Lockett
The Mark of Zorro
(1940)
Proprietor
Behind the News
(1940)
Tomas Olmedo
Charlie Chan in Panama
(1940)
Achmed Halide
Rangers of Fortune
(1940)
Stefan
Argentine Nights
(1940)
Police chief
Down Argentine Way
(1940)
Montero
Castle on the Hudson
(1940)
Tony
Tengo fe en ti
(1940)
Enrico Buriani
Mystery of the White Room
(1939)
Tony
Forged Passport
(1939)
Chief Miguel
Code of the Secret Service
(1939)
Conductor
Pirates of the Skies
(1939)
Jerry [Petri]
The Girl and the Gambler
(1939)
Gomez
In Old Caliente
(1939)
Don Jose
Lady of the Tropics
(1939)
Telegraph office clerk
Maisie
(1939)
Ernie
In Name Only
(1939)
Manager
Society Lawyer
(1939)
Headwaiter
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
(1939)
Handwriting expert
Yellow Jack
(1938)
The Sisters
(1938)
Wireless operator
A Trip to Paris
(1938)
Waiter
Barefoot Boy
(1938)
Hank
Sharpshooters
(1938)
Ivan
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge
(1938)
Draven Nogais
Invisible Enemy
(1938)
Signor Bramucci
The Shining Hour
(1938)
Headwaiter
Rascals
(1938)
Florist
Dramatic School
(1938)
Alphonse
Tropic Holiday
(1938)
Co-pilot
I'll Give a Million
(1938)
Citizen
Change of Heart
(1938)
Lucio
Spawn of the North
(1938)
Second Red's gang
Exclusive
(1937)
Johnny
Maytime
(1937)
Orchestra conductor
Lancer Spy
(1937)
Monk
Thin Ice
(1937)
First porter
King of Gamblers
(1937)
Barber
The Bride Wore Red
(1937)
Alberto
Song of the City
(1937)
Tony
She's No Lady
(1937)
Bartender
When You're in Love
(1937)
Carlos
Mama Steps Out
(1937)
Priest
Mannequin
(1937)
Seaman
A Doctor's Diary
(1937)
Louie
Beg Borrow or Steal
(1937)
Summitt's Detective
You Can't Have Everything
(1937)
Waiter
Seventh Heaven
(1937)
Postman
We Have Our Moments
(1937)
Customs inspector
The Firefly
(1937)
Pablo
The Garden of Allah
(1936)
Love on the Run
(1936)
Waiter
The Gay Desperado
(1936)
Lopez
Bulldog Edition
(1936)
Tony
Fatal Lady
(1936)
Felipe
The Devil Is a Sissy
(1936)
"Grandma"
Wife Vs. Secretary
(1936)
Hotel clerk
The Melody Lingers On
(1935)
Guiseppe
One More River
(1934)
Waiter
Viva Villa
(1934)
Villa's father
Men in White
(1934)
Dr. Vitale
Stamboul Quest
(1934)
German aide
Il grande sentiero
(1931)
The Man Who Laughs
(1928)
Romola
(1925)
Adolpo Spini
The Beautiful City
(1925)
Carlo Gillardi
Isn't Life Wonderful
(1924)
Theodor
Fascination
(1922)
Nema
Orphans of the Storm
(1921)
Pierre Frochard
Cast (Short)
The Flag of Humanity
(1940)
The Monroe Doctrine
(1939)
Joaquin Murrieta
(1938)
The Public Pays
(1936)
Okay, José
(1935)
Life Events
1907
Immigrated to the U.S.
Videos
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