Ignazio Balsamo

Ignazio Balsamo (25 October 1912 – 7 August 1994) was an Italian film and stage actor.

Life and career
Born in Catania, Balsamo began his career on stage, being part of several Sicilian language theatrical companies. Discovered by Pietro Germi, who offered him a role of weight in the film In the Name of the Law, following the success of the film Balsamo moved to Rome where he had a long film career as a character actor, mainly cast in roles of Sicilian criminals and villains. He also worked as a production coordinator and a production runner for the companies Fortunia Film and Romana Film. Balsamo was also author of two plays in Sicilian language, Casa Cantoniera and Tila di ragnu.

Selected filmography

 * In the Name of the Law (1949) - Francesco Messana
 * Outlaw Girl (1950) - Ciro Sollima
 * The Fighting Men (1950) - Antonio Schepisi
 * Il caimano del Piave (1951) - Sergente siciliano al fronte
 * Behind Closed Shutters (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited)
 * Tragic Serenade (1951)
 * La vendetta di una pazza (1951)
 * Anna (1951) - Un agente di pubblica sicurezza (uncredited)
 * What Price Innocence? (1952) - Giovanni
 * Ergastolo (1952)
 * Girls Marked Danger (1952) - Il Francese
 * I tre corsari (1952) - Van Stiller
 * Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair (1952) - Van Stiller
 * La carovana del peccato (1953)
 * Addio, figlio mio! (1953) - Martinelli
 * Neapolitan Turk (1953) - Luigi
 * La lupa (1953) - Don Antonio, Imbornone's Secretary
 * The Ship of Condemned Women (1953) - Duràn
 * Genoese Dragnet (1954) - Giovanni Feruglio
 * Letter from Naples (1954) - The Police Commissioner
 * Cuore di mamma (1954) - Biagio Carrino
 * Acque amare (1954) - Police Commissioner
 * It Happened at the Police Station (1954) - Taxi driver
 * La Luciana (1954)
 * Buonanotte... avvocato! (1955) - Commissar
 * The White Angel (1955) - Un poliziotto
 * Suonno d'ammore (1955) - Arturo, Padre di Maria
 * La rossa (1955) - Un brigadiere dei carabinieri
 * Accadde al penitenziario (1955) - Detenuto mafioso
 * La moglie è uguale per tutti (1955) - The Sicilian Passenger on Bus
 * Una sera di maggio (1955)
 * Andalusia Express (1956) - Rubio
 * Arrivano i dollari! (1957) - Ernesto
 * Cavalier in Devil's Castle (1959)
 * Policarpo (1959) - Poliziotto (uncredited)
 * The Magistrate (1959) - The Sea Captain
 * The Pirate and the Slave Girl (1959)
 * The Giant of Marathon (1959) - Ship's Captain
 * Ferdinando I re di Napoli (1959) - The Jailer
 * I baccanali di Tiberio (1960)
 * La Dolce Vita (1960) - (uncredited)
 * Un militare e mezzo (1960) - Porter
 * Knight of 100 Faces (1960) - Aiutante di Fosco
 * Le bal des espions (1960)
 * Pirates of the Coast (1960) - Brook
 * Rapina al quartiere Ovest (1960)
 * Robin Hood e i pirati (1960)
 * Un dollaro di fifa (1960) - Poker Player
 * Garibaldi (1961) - Colonel Pallavicino
 * L'onorata società (1961)
 * The Secret of the Black Falcon (1961) - Sancho
 * Don Camillo: Monsignor (1961) - Un compagno socialista (uncredited)
 * Queen of the Seas (1961) - Captain of the Guard
 * The Vengeance of Ursus (1961) - Andros
 * The Italian Brigands (1961) - Scannamorti
 * Duello nella sila (1962)
 * Odio mortale (1962) - Herrera
 * Gli eroi del doppio gioco (1962) - Partisan
 * Zorro and the Three Musketeers (1963)
 * The Eye of the Needle (1962) - Father of Nicola
 * L'invincibile cavaliere mascherato (1963) - Primo Cittadino appestato
 * Samson and the Slave Queen (1963) - Joaquim
 * Hercules and the Masked Rider (1963)
 * Una spada nell'ombra (1963) - Zingano
 * Hercules and the Black Pirates (1964)
 * Hercules Against Rome (1964) - Tauras
 * Terror in the Crypt (1964) - (uncredited)
 * Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas (1964) - Sergeant (uncredited)
 * Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus (1965) - Messenger
 * Giant of the Evil Island (1965) - Navarro
 * How We Robbed the Bank of Italy (1966) - Fake Nurse
 * Zorro il ribelle (1966) - Salvador
 * Shoot Loud, Louder... I Don't Understand (1966)
 * La notte dell'addio (1966)
 * 7 monaci d'oro (1966) - Brigadiere (uncredited)
 * Danger!! Death Ray (1967) - Henchman 'X2' (uncredited)
 * Il magnifico Texano (1967) - Stark Henchman (uncredited)
 * 2 RRRingos no Texas (1967) - Poker player
 * Non mi dire mai good-bye (1967)
 * Delitto a Posillipo - Londra chiama Napoli (1967) - Rosario (uncredited)
 * Due occhi per uccidere (1968)
 * I 2 pompieri (1968)
 * I 2 deputati (1968) - PCI member
 * Zorro in the Court of England (1969) - Dice gambler
 * Il ragazzo che sorride (1969) - Assistant of engineer
 * Indovina chi viene a merenda? (1969) - Cook (uncredited)
 * Zorro, the Navarra Marquis (1969) - Apothecary
 * I 2 magnifici fresconi (1969) - don Mimì Cannaruta
 * Franco, Ciccio e il pirata Barbanera (1969)
 * Poppea's Hot Nights (1969)
 * Satiricosissimo (1970) - Pedlar (uncredited)
 * Ma chi t'ha dato la patente? (1970)
 * W le donne (1970) - Marshal Palombi
 * Principe coronato cercasi per ricca ereditiera (1970) - Creditor (uncredited)
 * Mezzanotte d'amore (1970) - Prison Guard
 * I due maggiolini più matti del mondo (1970)
 * Due bianchi nell'Africa nera (1970)
 * I due maghi del pallone (1970) - Manager of Ghiandineddese
 * Zorro il cavaliere della vendetta (1971) - (final film role)