Tomas Milian

(1967), as well as Sergio Corbucci's parody of the genre The White, the Yellow, and the Black (1975), and Dennis Hopper's Western-influenced arthouse film The Last Movie (1971). After the decline of Spaghetti Westerns, Milian transitioned to poliziottesco films. He was acclaimed as a psychotic killer in Almost Human (1974), and appeared in Emergency Squad (1974), The Tough Ones (1976) and The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist (1977). Returning to the United States in 1985, Milian performed supporting roles in movies like JFK (1991), Amistad (1997), Traffic (2000), and The Lost City (2005), and the television series Oz (1997).

• Name — Tomas Milian • Birth Name — Tomás Quintín Rodríguez-Varona Milián Salinas De La Fé y Álvarez De La Campa • Born — 3 March 1933 • Birthplace — Havana, Cuba • Died — 22 March 2017 • Place of death — Miami, Florida, U.S. • Citizenship — * Cuba • United States (after 1955) • Italy (after 1969) • Alma Mater — Actors Studio • Occupation — Actor, musician • Children — 1 • Awards — See below • Website — tomasmilian.it • Years Active — 1957–2017

Milián was born in the Cotorro municipality of Havana in 1933. His father, also named Tomás, was a General in the Machado regime. After the Revolt of the Sergeants and the start of the Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship, the elder Tomás was arrested, jailed, and later committed suicide on New Year's Eve 1946 in the presence of his son. In 1955, after seeing the film East of Eden, Milián decided to leave Cuba and pursue his wishes of being an actor. He moved to the United States, enrolling in the University of Miami. After two years, he moved to New York City to study method acting at the Actors Studio, as a student of Lee Strasberg. Around that time, he became an American citizen.

• Illustration — Milian in Silver Spoon Set (1960) • Illustration — Milian in Day by Day, Desperately (1961). • Illustration — Milian in Almost Human (1974). After starting a career in the United States, Milian went to Italy in 1958 to take part in a theatre festival in Spoleto. In Italy, he was discovered by director Mauro Bolognini and appeared in supporting roles in several drama films during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He eventually decided to relocate to Italy, where he lived for over 25 years, becoming a very successful performer. His first film part in Italy was in the 1959 picture La notte brava. Although his voice was usually dubbed due to his accent, Milián performed his lines in Italian (or in English, depending on the film). He initially starred in arthouse movies and worked with directors such as Mauro Bolognini, Luchino Visconti, and Pier Paolo Pasolini. After five years of making what he deemed "intellectual" movies, Milián was unhappy with his contract with producer Franco Cristaldi and thought of going back to the United States. Needing money to start over, he took the opportunity to star as a bandit in a Spaghetti Western called The Bounty Killer. The film boosted his career, and ultimately resulted in his staying in Italy. He became a star of the Spaghetti Western genre, where he often played Mexican bandits or revolutionaries, roles in which he spoke in his real voice. He starred in The Ugly Ones (1966), The Big Gundown (1966), Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot! (1967), Face to Face (1967), Run, Man, Run (1968), Death Sentence (1968), Tepepa (1969), Compañeros (1970), Sonny and Jed (1972), Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? (1972) and Four of the Apocalypse (1975). In 1969, he became a naturalized Italian citizen. As the Spaghetti Westerns dwindled, Milián remained a star in many genre films, playing both villains and heroes in various polizieschi movies. He starred with Barbara Bouchet in the giallo Don't Torture a Duckling. In addition to his role in Almost Human (1974) and appearances in Emergency Squad (1974), The Tough Ones (1976) and The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist (1977), he also appeared in two film series - Bruno Corbucci's Nico Giraldi series (1976-1984, beginning with The Cop in Blue Jeans) and Umberto Lenzi's Er Monnezza films (1976-1980, beginning with Free Hand for a Tough Cop). His other films during this period include the giallo Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) and the non-genre films The Last Movie (1971), Luna (1979), Identification of a Woman (1982) and Monsignor (1982). He later turned to comedy, playing the recurrent characters of petty thief Monnezza and Serpico-like police officer Nico Giraldi in a variety of crime-comedy pictures. Although his voice was dubbed most of the time by Ferruccio Amendola, Milián wrote his own lines in Roman slang. Milián's inventive use of romanesco (Roman dialect) made him a cult performer in Italy. Bruno Corbucci, the director of many of these films commented, "At the cinemas as soon as Tomás Milián appeared on the screen, when he made a wisecrack and in the heaviest situations, then it was a pandemonium, it was like being at the stadium." As Milián used similar makeups and accents in portraying both characters, Monnezza and Nico were occasionally confused by Italian audiences, who sometimes referred erroneously to them both as Monnezza, or Er Monnezza (Da trash in Roman slang), and still closely associate Milián with these performances. Milián also appeared in non-genre pictures, such as Bernardo Bertolucci's La Luna, for which he won a Nastro d'Argento for Best supporting Actor, and Michelangelo Antonioni's Identification of a Woman. As he grew older, Milián decided to go back to the United States. He appeared in Sydney Pollack's Havana, Steven Spielberg's Amistad, Steven Soderbergh's Traffic as well as Andy García's The Lost City, about Revolutionary Cuba. He has also played many roles on stage. In 2005, he portrayed Generalisimo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina in the film version of Mario Vargas Llosa's novel The Feast of the Goat.

Milián, in addition to his acting career, was also an accomplished musician. In 1966, he founded the Tomas Milian Group with Ray Lovelock (vocals), Maurizio Luzi (guitar), Aldo "Fido" Colangelo (keyboard, vocals), Mario Piccinno (drums), Romeo Piccinno (guitar, vocals), and Peppe Colella (bass). He also wrote and performed the theme songs to several of his films.

Milian was openly bisexual. In a 2014 interview, he stated the first person he came out to was Claudia Cardinale. He married actress Margherita "Rita" Valletti with whom he had a son, Tomaso.

Milian was found dead from a stroke at his home in Miami on March 22, 2017. On October 11, 2017, he received the Leone in Memoriam award at the 7º Almería Western Film Festival. It was picked up by his friend Luis Santeiro.

Tomas Milian television credits • Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 1958 — Decoy — Juan Ortega — Episode: "Fiesta at Midnight" • 1959 — The Millionaire — Sailor — Episode: "The Louise Benton Story" • 1985, 1987 — The Equalizer — Immanuel Pena, Duran — Episodes: "Reign of Terror", "Shadow Play" • 1985 — Miami Vice — Octavio Arroyo — Episode: "Bought and Paid For" • 1991 — L.A. Law — Joseph Sifuentes — Episode: "The Gods Must Be Lawyers" • 1992 — Murder, She Wrote — Enrico Montejano — Episode: "Day of the Dead" • Frannie's Turn — Joseph Escobar — 6 episodes • ScreenPlay — Ramon Cires — Episode: "Bitter Harvest" • 1997 — Oz — Ricardo Alvarez — Episodes: "Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise", "To Your Health" • 2000 — Law & Order — Colonel Emilio Pantoya — Episode: "Vaya Con Dios"

Tomas Milian was recorded at birth as Tomás Quintín Rodríguez. He also worked under the name Tomás Milián. The authorities additionally record the heading Tomas Quintin Rodriguez. His recorded languages were Spanish, English and Italian.

Tomas Milian film credits • Year — Title — Role — Director — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 1959 — Bad Girls Don't Cry — Moretto — Mauro Bolognini — * Italian: La notte brava — | • 1960 — Il bell'Antonio — Edoardo — Mauro Bolognini • Silver Spoon Set — Alberto De Matteis — | Francesco Maselli — * Italian: I Delfini • 1961 — The Mishap — Thomas Plemian — Alberto Lattuada — Italian: L'imprevisto • A Day for Lionhearts — Gino Migliacci — Nanni Loy — Italian: Un giorno da leoni • Day by Day, Desperately — Dario Dominici — Alfredo Giannetti — Italian: Giorno per giorno disperatamente • 1962 — Boccaccio '70 — Conte Ottavio — Luchino Visconti • Disorder — Bruno — Franco Brusati — * Italian: Il disordine — | • La banda Casaroli — Gabriele Ingenis — Florestano Vancini • 1963 — Ro.Go.Pa.G. — Centurione — Pier Paolo Pasolini — Segment: "La ricotta" • 1963 — Mad Sea — Efsio — Renato Castellani — * Italian: Mare matto — | • 1965 — I Kill, You Kill — Lorenzo Berti — Gianni Puccini — * Italian: Io uccido, tu uccidi * Segment: "Il Plenilunio" — | • Time of Indifference — Michele — Francesco Maselli — Italian: Gli indifferenti • The Camp Followers — Lt. Gaetano Martino — Valerio Zurlini — Italian: Le soldatesse • The Agony and the Ecstasy — Raphael — Carol Reed • I soldi — Bob — Gianni Puccini • 1966 — Madamigella di Maupin — Chevalier d'Albert — Mauro Bolognini • The Ugly Ones — José Gómez — Eugenio Martin — * Spanish: El precio de un hombre — | • 1967 — The Big Gundown — Cuchillo Sanchez — Sergio Sollima — Italian: La resa dei conti • Face to Face — Beau Bennet • Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot! — The Stranger — Giulio Questi — * Italian: Faccia a faccia — | • 1968 — Bandits in Milan — Comissario Walter Basevi — Carlo Lizzani — * Italian: Banditi a Milano — | • Death Sentence — O'Hara — Mario Lanfranchi — Italian: Sentenza di morte • Run, Man, Run! — Cuchillo Sanchez — Sergio Sollima — * Italian: Corri uomo corri — | • A Fine Pair — Roger — Francesco Maselli — Italian: Ruba al prossimo tuo • 1969 — Tepepa — Jesus Maria "Tepepa" Moran — Giulio Petroni — * Spanish: Tepepa... Viva La Revolución — | • The Conspiracy of Torture — Olimpio Calvetti — Lucio Fulci — Italian: Beatrice Cenci • Where Are You Going All Naked? — Manfredo — Pasquale Festa Campanile — Italian: Dove vai tutta nuda? • The Year of the Cannibals — Emone — Liliana Cavani — Italian: I cannibali • 1970 — Compañeros — El Vasco — Sergio Corbucci • Viva Cangaceiro — Espedito — Giovanni Fago — * Originally: O' Cangaçeiro — | • 1971 — The Designated Victim — Stefano Augenti — Maurizio Lucidi — * Italian: La vittima designata — | • The Last Movie — the Priest — Dennis Hopper • 1972 — Ripped Off — the Stranger — Franco Prosperi — * Italian: Un uomo dalla pelle dura — | • Sonny and Jed — Jed Trigado — Sergio Corbucci — * Italian: La banda J. & S. - Cronaca criminale del Far-West — | • Don't Torture a Duckling — Andrea Martelli — Lucio Fulci — Italian: Non si sevizia un paperino • Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? — Provvidenza — Giulio Petroni — * Italian: La vita a volte è molto dura, vero Provvidenza? • 1973 — Counselor at Crime — Thomas Accardo — Alberto De Martino — Italian: Il consigliori • 1974 — Emergency Squad — Tomas Ravelli — Stelvio Massi — Italian: Squadra volante • Almost Human — Giulio Sacchi — Umberto Lenzi — * Italian: Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare — | • 1975 — Silent Action — Rienzi — Sergio Martino — * Italian: La polizia accusa: il Servizio Segreto uccide — | • Syndicate Sadists — Rambo — Umberto Lenzi — * Italian: Il giustiziere sfida la città — | • The White, the Yellow, and the Black — Sakura — Sergio Corbucci — * Italian: Il bianco, il giallo, il nero — | • Four of the Apocalypse — Chaco — Lucio Fulci — Italian: I quattro dell'apocalisse • Folle à tuer — Thompson — Yves Boisset • Messalina, Messalina! — Baba — Bruno Corbucci • 1976 — Sex with a Smile — Cavaliere Marelli — Sergio Martino — Italian: 40 gradi all'ombra del lenzuolo • The Tough Ones — Vincenzo Moretto — Umberto Lenzi — * Italian: Roma a mano armata — | • The Cop in Blue Jeans — Nico Giraldi — Bruno Corbucci — Italian: Squadra antiscippo • The Twist — The Detective — Claude Chabrol — French: Folies bourgeoises • Hit Squad — Nico Giraldi — Bruno Corbucci — Italian: Squadra antifurto • Young, Violent, Dangerous — the Commissioner — Romolo Guerrieri — Italian: Liberi armati pericolosi • 1977 — The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist — Luigi Maietto — Umberto Lenzi — Italian: Il cinico, l'infame, il violento • Free Hand for a Tough Cop — Sergio Marazzi — * Italian: Il trucido e lo sbirro — | • Brothers Till We Die — Sergio Marazzi / The Hunchback — Italian: La banda del gobbo • Destruction Force — Sergio Marazzi — Stelvio Massi — * Originally: La banda del trucido — | • Swindle — Nico Giraldi — Bruno Corbucci — * Originally: Squadra antitruffa — | • 1978 — Little Italy — Italian Squadra antimafia • 1979 — The Gang That Sold America — Italian: Squadra antigangsters • Assassinio sul Tevere • La Luna — Giuseppe — Bernardo Bertolucci • Winter Kills — Frank Mayo — William Richert • 1980 — Il lupo e l'agnello — Cuckoo — Francesco Massaro • Delitto a Porta Romana — Nico Giraldi — Bruno Corbucci • 1981 — Manolesta — Gino Quirino — Pasquale Festa Campanile • Crime at the Chinese Restaurant — Nico Giraldi — Bruno Corbucci — Italian: Delitto al ristorante cinese • Uno contro l'altro, praticamente amici — Quinto Cecione • 1982 — Delitto sull'autostrada — Nico Giraldi • Identification of a Woman — Niccolò — Michelangelo Antonioni — Italian: Identificazione di una donna • Monsignor — Father Francisco — Frank Perry • Cat and Dog — Tony Roma — Bruno Corbucci — * Italian: Cane e gatto — | • 1983 — Crime in Formula One — Nico Giraldi — Italian: Delitto in Formula Uno • 1984 — Cop in Drag — Italian: Delitto al Blue Gay • 1985 — King David — Akiss — Bruce Beresford • 1986 — Salomé — Herod II — Claude d'Anna • 1987 — Distant Lights — Bernardo Bernardi — Aurelio Chiesa — Italian: Luci lontane • 1989 — Cat Chaser — Andres DeBoya — Abel Ferrara • Massacre Play — Clem Da Silva — Damiano Damiani — * Italian: Gioco al massacro — | • 1990 — Revenge — Cesar — Tony Scott • Havana — Colonel Menocal — Sydney Pollack • 1991 — Money — Robert Zarra — Steven Hilliard Stern • JFK — Leopoldo — Oliver Stone • 1994 — The Cowboy Way — Manny Huerta — Gregg Champion • 1997 — Fools Rush In — Tomas Fuentes — Andy Tennant • Amistad — Ángel Calderón de la Barca y Belgrano — Steven Spielberg • 2000 — The Yards — Manuel Sequeira — James Gray • Traffic — General Arturo Salazar — Steven Soderbergh • 2001 — The Hire: Ambush — Passenger — John Frankenheimer — Short • 2002 — Washington Heights — Eddie — Alfredo De Villa • 2005 — The Lost City — Don Federico Fellove — Andy García • The Feast of the Goat — Rafael Leonidas Trujillo — Luis Llosa — Spanish: La fiesta del chivo • 2013 — Tomas Milian: Acting on Instinct — Himself — Ozzy Inguanzo — Documentary • 2014 — Fugly! — Gramps — Alfredo De Villa

Tomas Milian television credits • Year — Title — Role — Director — Ref. Reference(s) • 1990 — Drug Wars: The Camarena Story — Florentino Ventura — Brian Gibson • Voglia di vivere — Tony — Lodovico Gasparini • 1992 — Nails — Pedro Herrara — John Flynn • 1993 — Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage — Joe Profaci — John Patterson • Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair — Carlo Rossi — Bradford May • 1994 — The Burning Season — Darli Alves — John Frankenheimer • 2000 — For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story — Sosa — Joseph Sargent