Stelio Candelli, a dashing Italian actor, was born in Trieste to a family of Civil Servants, and his striking ash blonde hair became a defining feature of his career. He began his formal training in drama at the prestigious Accademia d'Arte Drammatica in Rome, where he honed his craft between 1954 and 1957.
Candelli made his film debut in Alberto Lattuada's "Guendalina" (1957),but it was his role in "Le notti di Lucrezia Borgia" (1959) that brought him commercial recognition. This Renaissance costume drama, featuring ill-fated British actress Belinda Lee, showcased Candelli's versatility and marked the beginning of his success in the 'Sword n' Sandal' Cinecitta epics of the early 1960s.
One of his most notable roles during this period was in "Le sette folgori di Assur" (1962),opposite Hollywood actor Howard Duff, a film that showcased Candelli's range and ability to adapt to different genres.
In 1965, Candelli co-starred in Mario Bava's seminal Alien sci-fi flick, "Terrore nello spazio" aka "Planet of the Vampires". This groundbreaking film further cemented Candelli's reputation as a talented and versatile actor.
The James Bond spy boom of the mid-1960s offered Candelli the lead roles in "Agente segreto 777" (1965) and "Suicide Mission To Singapore" (1966),in which he briefly changed his screen name to 'Stanley Kent'. This name change brought him to the notice of the BBC, who were casting for a lead character in a Mafia-based TV series entitled "Vendetta", to be filmed in London and Malta.
With hit theme music composed by John Barry, "Vendetta" became highly popular, running from 1966 to 1968. Candelli played a deadly hunter of all things Mafia by the name of Danny Scipio, and the series now enjoys cult status. Unbelievably, the BBC has still to release available episodes on DVD.
A series of so-so spaghetti westerns, some opposite his friend Anthony Steffen, followed, including "Viva Django" (1971). While these films were clearly fun to make, Candelli shone more in contemporary fare such as the English-shot giallo, "La muerte llama a las 10" aka "The Killer Wore Gloves" (1974).
Another BBC TV series, "Circus" (1975),brought a welcome return to London and British Television screens, followed by a few years later by a guest spot in an episode of the Ian Ogilvy series, "Return of the Saint" (1979).
The least said about "Orinoco - prigioniere del sesso" (1980) the better. In the Hollywood "Winds of War" epic series, Candelli had a memorable role as a sinister scar-faced Gestapo agent, but it was a rather mundane part in Lamberto Bava's cult horror movie, "Demons" (1985) that often brings him most recognition internationally.
