Enzo Fiermonte
Enzo Fiermonte, sometimes credited as William Bird, was an Italian actor and boxer.
Early life
Vincenzo "Enzo" Fiermonte was born on 17 July 1908 in Casamassima, a rural village near Bari, in southern Italy to Donato and Lucrezia Fiermonte.
Career
From 1925 to 1934, he was a professional boxer, with a lifetime record of 47 wins, 17 losses, and 2 draws. On June 22, 1943, he announced his permanent retirement from boxing.
In 1937, he entered his Maserati in the Vanderbilt Cup auto race in Westbury, New York, but was not allowed to participate because he had no formal auto racing experience.
Acting career
In 1940, he starred as a boxer in Dino De Laurentiis' first film, L'ultimo Combattimento, directed by Pietro Ballerini. Between the 1940s and the 1980s, he had acting roles in at least 116 films.
Personal life
Fiermonte was married to Tosca Manetti. In June 1933, Fiermonte's wife announced that he was seeking a divorce so he could wed Madeleine Talmage Force, the former wife of John Jacob Astor IV, who died aboard the RMS Titanic.
Fiermonte married Madeleine on 27 November 1933 in New York City, shortly after her divorce from her second husband, William Dick, on 21 July 1933. In 1935, they bought the former Dixie Plantation, a 600-acre estate in Charleston, South Carolina overlooking the Stono River.
They were divorced on 11 June 1938. He was only four years older than his stepson, John Jacob Astor VI, during the marriage. In 1944, he allegedly got engaged in Italy to Princess, but they never married.
Fiermonte died in March 1993 in Mentana, Italy.
Selected filmography
L'ultimo combattimento - Bruno Dal MonteBeatrice Cenci - Olimpio CalvettiIl chiromante - PaoloIl mercante di schiave - AlìThe Adventures of Fra Diavolo - Michele Pezza / Fra' DiavoloSpie fra le eliche - L'ispettore Enzo MassaThe Champion - MassimoThe Last Wagon - Roberto Pinelli, l'autistaFinalmente sì - Il conte AlbertoNo Turning Back - Mario PonteL'abito nero da sposa - Giuliano de MediciNon canto più - Il tenore Guido ReviTehran Uno tra la folla - MarcoL'atleta di cristallo - Franco Adami - pugileBuried Alive - BrunoBuffalo Bill a Roma - Buffalo BillSon of d'Artagnan - Visconte di LanglassHawk of the Nile - Sceicco RachidThe Two Sisters - Barone EnricoQuo Vadis - Mounted Captain O.K. Nerone - GladiatorThe Small Miracle - Sergeant of Swiss GuardsThe Mistress of Treves - Il barone DragoWhen in Rome - Harbor Policeman Lieutenant Giorgio - Antonio Esposito The Shameless Sex Milady and the Musketeers I Piombi di Venezia It Was She Who Wanted It! - FiermonteLasciateci in pace I misteri della giungla nera - Sergeant ClaridgeBlack Devils of Kali - Sgt. ClaridgeCose da pazzi - PaoloThe Last Race - FilippoRomeo and Juliet - TybaltAngela - Sgt. CollinsLoves of Three Queens - I cavalieri della regina - Prince of CondéBarrier of the Law Sultana Safiyè Altair The Knight of the Black Sword - MarioThe King's Musketeers - BrissacLa spada imbattibile - BrissacThe Goddess of Love Amarti è il mio destino - JuanIl cocco di mamma - Michele, Vasco's fatherIl cielo brucia The Naked Maja - Navarra Herod the Great Head of a Tyrant Poor Millionaires - Vittorio, Alice's Chauffeur Ben-Hur - Galley Officer Hannibal - Announcer in SenateThe Cossacks - Shamil's ConfidentConspiracy of Hearts - Italian Soldier #2Rocco and His Brothers - BoxerPirates of the Coast - MascellaThe Pharaohs' Woman The Bacchantes - Policrates Revolt of the Mercenaries - CizzaniaDamon and Pythias The Slave - Gulbar - slave wrestling RandusEva - EnzoSodom and Gomorrah - EberThe Avenger - AcateCatherine of Russia - general MunicSandokan the Great - Sergente MitchellTemple of the White Elephant - Sgt. Major Messalina vs. the Son of Hercules The Lion of Thebes - Ufficiale di TutmèsThe Triumph of Hercules - RetoThe Two Gladiators - Gen. Ottavio CraticoThe Secret Invasion - Gen. QuadriTriumph of the Ten Gladiators - RizioSpartacus and the Ten Gladiators - Gladiator RizioKidnapped to Mystery Island I due toreri - Capitano NaveI predoni del Sahara - James StantonWild, Wild Planet - General FowlerWar of the Planets - Gen. HalsteadWar Between the Planets - Gen. NortonAfter the Fox - RaymondThe Ugly Ones - NovakGrand Prix - GuidoSnow Devils - General NortonHalleluja for Django - Sheriff Martin CooneyFantabulous Inc. - General Van PeltA Long Ride from Hell - Baldy MorrisBeyond the Law - Sheriff John FergusonA Minute to Pray, a Second to Die - Dr. ChaseA Black Veil for Lisa - SiegertThe Magnificent Tony Carrera - ArnaldoCandy - Al PapponeI quattro del pater noster Camille 2000 - GamblerThe Forgotten Pistolero - Friar Boot Hill - SharpChuck Moll - SheriffL'asino d'oro: processo per fatti strani contro Lucius Apuleius cittadino romano - ProconsulStrogoff - Colonel with general DubeltDefeat of the Mafia - Count TorreguardiaThe Tigers of Mompracem - SergeantLady Caliph - L'operaio sindacalistaLes Aveux les plus doux Vengeance Is a Dish Served Cold - George BridgerScipio the African - senatore QuintoTrinity Is Still My Name - Perla's FatherMy Dear Killer - Jib crane ownerLo chiamavano Verità Man of the East - Frank OlsenThe Mechanic - The MarkThose Dirty Dogs - Doctor AdamsDagli archivi della polizia criminale - Inspector VernonAnche gli angeli tirano di destro - Joe Bendaggio The Beast - Matteo ZaghiMannaja - Government AgentA Spiral of Mist - Mr. MarinoniCalifornia - Father of northern soldierI Am the Law 6000 km di paura The Iron Commissioner - EngineerLife Is Beautiful - Zhozo