Paul Stassino obit

Greek Actor Paul Stassino Has Died 

He was not on the list.

Stassino was born in Platres, Greece and grew up in nearby Limassol, but spent most of his acting career in England. He had moved there at the age of 18 to study law. Without telling his parents, he got a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.           

He appeared in many British films, in British TV dramas such as Danger Man and The Saint. He appeared in Coronation Street in 1968, as Hungarian demolition contractor Miklos Zadic who had a brief relationship with Emily Nugent (played by Eileen Derbyshire).

Possibly his best known performance was when he played two parts, Major François Derval and Angelo Palazzi, in the James Bond film Thunderball (see List of James Bond henchmen in Thunderball).

Other roles include "Le Pirate" in That Riviera Touch, and the first officer of the Colombian ship Paloma in Tiger Bay.

In 1972 he moved to Athens, where he worked as a director in the casino in Athens, and then because of his great love for his island, he moved to his birthplace in Cyprus where he worked in the Public Theatre in Nicosia as an actor and as a director, where after he retired he moved to his beloved Limassol. He died on 28 June 2012 in Limassol and was buried in the cemetery of Limassol Sfalagiotisa.

Filmography

 

Ill Met by Moonlight (1957) - Yani Katsias

Interpol (1957) - Customs Inspector

Miracle in Soho (1957) - Paulo

Ice Cold in Alex (1958) - Barman

The Great Van Robbery (1959) - Toni

The Man Who Liked Funerals (1959) - Nick Morelli

Tiger Bay (1959) - 'POLOMA' 1st. Officer

The Bandit of Zhobe (1959) - Hatti

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) - Lt. Silver

Moment of Danger (1960) - Juan Montoya

Sands of the Desert (1960) - Pilot

The Criminal (1960) - Alfredo Fanucci

Exodus (1960) - Driver-guide on Cyprus

Man Detained (1961) - James Helder

The Secret Partner (1961) - Man in Soho Street

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) - Stefano - The Barber

Echo of Barbara (1961) - Caledonia

Sammy Going South (1963) - Spyros Dracandopolous

Stolen Hours (1963) - Dalporto

The Long Ships (1964) - Raschid

The Moon-Spinners (1964) - Lambis

The Verdict (Edgar Wallace Mysteries) (1964) - Danny Thorne

The Saint Season 3 Episode 9 "The Death Penalty"

The Saint Season 5 Episode 2 "Interlude in Venice"

The High Bright Sun (1965) - Alkis

Thunderball (1965) - François Derval / Angelo Palazzi

Where the Spies Are (1965) - Simmias

That Riviera Touch (1966) - Le Pirate

Sands of Beersheba (1966) - Salim

The Magus (1968) - Meli

You Can't Win 'Em All (1970) - Gunner major (uncredited)

A Touch of the Other (1970) - Connelly

Die Screaming, Marianne (1971) - Portuguese Police Detective

Escape to Athena (1979) - Zeno's Man (final film role)