Frank Puglia
Francesco Giuseppe "Frank" Puglia was an Italian actor. He had small, but memorable roles in films including Casablanca, Now, Voyager and The Jungle Book.
Biography
Born in Linguaglossa, Catania, Sicily, the actor started his career as a teen on stage in Italian operas. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1907. He left from Naples on the ship Italia.
In New York City he worked in a laundry before joining an Italian language theater group. While appearing on stage, he was discovered by D. W. Griffith, with whom he worked in over 150 films. He usually played ethnic types in films, and claimed to have learned English from reading newspapers.
He was originally cast as the undertaker, Bonasera, in Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Godfather, even participating in Marlon Brando's screen test, but he fell ill before filming could begin. He was replaced by Sicilian actor Salvatore Corsitto.
He died on October 25, 1975, in South Pasadena, California, and he is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.
On August 10, 2016, he was celebrated in his hometown, Linguaglossa.
Filmography
Orphans of the Storm as Pierre FrochardFascination as NemaIsn't Life Wonderful as TheodorRomola as Adolfo SpiniThe Beautiful City as Carlo GillardiThe Man Who Laughs as Clown The White Sister as Celebrating Soldier Dinner at Eight as Butler The Solitaire Man as Waiter Men in White as Dr. VitaleViva Villa! as Pancho Villa's FatherStamboul Quest as German Aide One More River as Waiter Chained as Cafe Headwaiter Bordertown as Police Commissioner in Mexico Red Hot Tires as Brazilian Radio Announcer One New York Night as Louis the Waiter The Melody Lingers On as GiuseppeThe Perfect Gentleman as Waiter Okay, José as Comandante Capitán Lopez Captain Blood as French Officer Wife vs. Secretary as Havana Hotel Clerk Fatal Lady as Felipe His Brother's Wife as Jungle Hotel Clerk Bulldog Edition as Henchman Tony The Devil Is a Sissy as 'Grandma'The Gay Desperado as LópezThe Public Pays as Moran's Hood The Garden of Allah as Man Love on the Run as Waiter Mama Steps Out as Robert Dalderder - the PriestWhen You're in Love as CarlosA Doctor's Diary as LouieSeventh Heaven as Postman Maytime as Orchestra Conductor We Have Our Moments as Customs Inspector Thin Ice as First Porter Song of the City as TonyKing of Gamblers as Mike Exclusive as Johnny You Can't Have Everything as Waiter at Romano's She's No Lady as Bartender The Firefly as Pablo The Bride Wore Red as AlbertoLancer Spy as Monk Beg, Borrow or Steal as French Detective Looking for Summitt Mannequin as Striking Seaman Bulldog Drummond's Revenge as Draven NogaisChange of Heart as Lucio Invisible Enemy as Signor BramucciA Trip to Paris as Waiter Yellow Jack as Stagamonte Rascals as FloristJoaquin Murrieta as Bronco Tropic Holiday as Co-Pilot I'll Give a Million as Citizen #2Barefoot Boy as HankSpawn of the North as Red's Gang Member #2 The Sisters as Wireless Operator The Shining Hour as Maurice - the Headwaiter Sharpshooters as IvanDramatic School as AlphonseZaza as Rug DealerPirates of the Skies as Jerry PetriMystery of the White Room as TonySociety Lawyer as Headwaiter Forged Passport as Chief MiguelCode of the Secret Service as Train Conductor The Girl and the Gambler as GomezIn Old Caliente as Don José VargasMaisie as ErnieThe Spellbinder as Headwaiter Conspiracy as Police Capt. Luther In Name Only as Manager - Tony's Cafe Lady of the Tropics as Telegraph Office Clerk The Monroe Doctrine as King Ferdinand VIIMr. Smith Goes to Washington as Handwriting Expert Charlie Chan in City in Darkness as Gendarme at Steamship Office Balalaika as Ivan The Fatal Hour as Harry 'Hardway' LockettI Take This Woman as Milt Castle on the Hudson as Tony Charlie Chan in Panama as Achmed Halide'Til We Meet Again as Mexican Bartender Torrid Zone as RodriguezLove, Honor and Oh-Baby! as HeadwaiterArgentine Nights as Police Chief Rangers of Fortune as Stefan Down Argentine Way as MonteroArise, My Love as Father JacintoThe Flag of Humanity as Henry Dunant Meet the Wildcat as Chief of PoliceThe Mark of Zorro as ProprietorNo, No, Nanette as Art Critic Behind the News as Tomas Almedo Tengo fe en ti as Enrico BurianiThat Night in Rio as PedroBilly the Kid as Pedro GonzalesThe Parson of Panamint as Joaquin FuentesWorld Premiere as Dapper Officer Law of the Tropics as TitoAlways in My Heart as Joe BorelliSecret Agent of Japan as EminescuJungle Book as The PunditWho Is Hope Schuyler? as BaggottEscape from Hong Kong as KosuraFlight Lieutenant as Father Carlos The Boogie Man Will Get You as Silvio Baciagalupi Now, Voyager as Giuseppe Casablanca as Moroccan Rug Merchant Journey into Fear as Colonel Haki's Office Aide Mission to Moscow as Trial Judge Ulrich Action in the North Atlantic as Captain Carpolis Pilot No. 5 as NikolaBackground to Danger as Syrian Vendor For Whom the Bell Tolls as Captain GomezPhantom of the Opera as VilleneuvePrincess O'Rourke as Greek Cafe Proprietor Around the World as Native Dealer Tarzan's Desert Mystery as MagistrateAli Baba and the Forty Thieves as Prince CassimPassage to Marseille as Older Guard This Is the Life as Music TeacherDragon Seed as Wu Lien's Old Clerk Tall in the Saddle as Tala Brazil as Señor MachadoTogether Again as Leonardo A Song to Remember as Monsieur Jollet Roughly Speaking as Tony Blood on the Sun as Prince TatsugiWeek-End at the Waldorf as EmileWithout Reservations as OrtegaEasy Come, Easy Go as Italian Grocer My Favorite Brunette as Baron MontayStallion Road as PelonFiesta as DoctorBrute Force as FerraraEscape Me Never as The GuideThe Lost Moment as PietroRoad to Rio as RodriguesDream Girl as AntonioJoan of Arc as Nicolas de Houppeville, a JudgeBride of Vengeance as BolfiColorado Territory as Brother TomasSpecial Agent as Grandfather DevereauxBagdad as SaleelCaptain Carey, U.S.A. as LuigiBlack Hand as Carlo SabballeraFederal Agent at Large as Angelo 'Angel' BadilloThe Desert Hawk as Ahmed BeyWalk Softly, Stranger as A.J. CorelliDouble Crossbones as Debtor The Bandits of Corsica as RiggioSon of Belle Starr as ManuelThe Caddy as Mr. SpezzatoThe Steel Lady as Sheik TarasJubilee Trail as Don Orosco Casanova's Big Night as CarabaccioThe Shanghai Story as Mr. ChenA Star Is Born as Bruno Serenade as Manuel MontesThe First Texan as PepeThe Burning Hills as Tio PericoAccused of Murder as Cesar CiprianoDuel at Apache Wells as Señor Valdez20 Million Miles to Earth as Dr. LeonardoThe Black Orchid as Henry GalloCry Tough as LavanderoGirls! Girls! Girls! as Papa StavrosThe Sword of Ali Baba as CassimOperation Razzle-Dazzle The Spy in the Green Hat as PadreA Bell for Adano as AfrontiSay Goodbye, Maggie Cole as Mr. AlissandroMr. Ricco as Uncle Enzo