Luigi "Lou" Yaconelli, a talented individual, was born on April 16, 1903, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Carlo and Anna Yaconelli, and was the younger brother of Frank Yaconelli, a renowned B western sidekick.
As a young man, Lou began his acting career in the 1920s, starring as "Earle Douglas" in several silent films directed by his brother Frank and released by Sierra. With the advent of sound films, Lou continued to act, taking on a mix of credited and uncredited roles, mostly playing henchmen in westerns and serials. He used various names, including "Lou Yaconelli", "Earl Douglas", and "Earle Douglas", in his credits, and his last movie role was in 1941.
Before World War II, Lou joined the Navy Reserve and went on to serve in World War II and the Korean War as a combat photographer. He remained in the Navy, rising through the ranks from Chief Petty Officer to Commander, and managed Combat Camera Groups (CCG) and peacetime camera units.
In the 1960s, Lou was in charge of Motion Picture Production at Sandia Base, a nuclear weapons facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sadly, Lou Yaconelli passed away on December 11, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California.
