Fernando Jose Hilbeck Gavalda, a character actor known for his thin and gaunt face, was born on July 7, 1933, in Madrid, Spain, to an English father. He spent his formative years studying in Peru, where he earned a degree in Humanities from the University of Lima.
Hilbeck's early career began on stage, where he was a member of the prestigious Prandello y De Servi theatre for two years. He later moved to Rome, Italy, and started acting in films. His cinematic debut came in 1961 with a role in Michael Curtiz's "Francis of Assisi."
After returning to Spain, Hilbeck embarked on a diverse and distinguished thirty-plus year film career, which spanned multiple genres, including Westerns, dramas, thrillers, comedies, and horror features. He worked with acclaimed directors, such as Orson Welles, and appeared in notable films like "Chimes at Midnight."
Hilbeck was a favorite of writer/director Sidney W. Pink, and collaborated with him on several projects, including "Pyro," "The Tall Woman," "The Christmas Kid," and "Madigan's Millions." Throughout his career, he played a wide range of memorable roles, including the unsettling zombie Guthrie in "The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue," the twitchy nuclear holocaust survivor Arthur in "Refuge of Fear," and the hypocritical priest Father Damian in the enjoyable Paul Naschy horror vehicle "Howl of the Devil."
Fernando Hilbeck passed away on April 25, 2009, at the age of 75, due to natural causes, in Madrid, Spain, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and versatile character actor.
