Gianni Bonagura
Gianfelice "Gianni" Bonagura was an Italian actor and voice actor.
Life and career
Born in Milan, Bonagura was active on film, stage, television and radio. He appeared in 40 films between 1950 and 2001. He arrived at the threshold of a degree in philosophy, then in 1946 he abandoned his studies to attend the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts. Essentially a stage actor, Bonagura became popular in the second half of the fifties as a radio actor, protagonist of vignettes together with Nino Manfredi and Paolo Ferrari. In cinema and television, he was only used as a character actor, with the exception of the role of Dr. Watson in the 1968 RAI television series Sherlock Holmes.
Bonagura also worked as a voice actor. He occasionally dubbed over the voices of Danny DeVito, Mel Brooks and Ian Holm for Italian-language versions of foreign films. One of his most popular dubbing roles includes providing the Italian voice of Palpatine's alter ego, Darth Sidious in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. In his animated roles, he dubbed the voices of Uncle Waldo in The Aristocats and Mr. Snoops in The Rescuers.
Death
Bonagura died in Milan on 8 October 2017, 19 days before his 92nd birthday.
Partial filmography
Against the Law Fugitive in Trieste Susanna Whipped Cream - Un complice del ladroFemmine tre volte - Cesare, il sindicalistaCarmela è una bambola - The ProsecutorThe Employee - Amedeo - Totocalcio AccountantAudace colpo dei soliti ignoti - Pippetto aka Father FilippoLe signore Le pillole di Ercole - Un medico al congresso di gerontologiaThe Passionate Thief Behind Closed Doors - L'avvocato difensoreDamon and Pythias - PhylemonLe pillole di Ercole - CerrocchiI cuori infranti - Filippini I soldi Marcia nuziale - Veterinario CoribaldoChe notte ragazzi! - Direttore dell'albergoLa notte è fatta per... rubare - Notaio Jacques GaspardLes cracks - PifarelliSherlock Holmes - Dr. WatsonThe Adventures of Pinocchio - The Coachman In Prison Awaiting Trial - Avv. Sallustio GiordanaLa Tosca - SciarroneMy Darling Slave - BalzariniThe Great Kidnapping - Il commissario ZenoniIl figlioccio del padrino - RAI-TV General ManagerSex Pot - ReceptionistSegni particolari: bellissimo - ProfessoreI Am an ESP - De AngelisGrandi magazzini - Dott. GruberMia moglie è una bestia - Professore di scienze naturaliTre colonne in cronaca - PetroniIn the Name of the Sovereign People - Pio IXPrestazione straordinaria - MercantoniFerdinando and Carolina - Austrian AmbassadorPadre Pio: Miracle Man - Padre Benedetto