Jacques Sernas obit

Jacques Sernas Has Died

 He was not on the list.

With eye-catching good looks, blond Lithuanian-born actor Jacques Sernas (aka Jack Sernas) is best known for cutting a fine figure in European costumers and spectacles in the 1950s and 1960s. Born on July 30, 1925, his father died when he was a year old and the boy would be raised by his mother in Paris. After schooling there he joined up as a French Resistance fighter during W.W.II. Captured by German forces and imprisoned for over a year in Buchenwald, he was eventually freed.

Sernas originally studied medicine in the early postwar years but acting soon caught his fancy. He made an unbilled movie debut in the French film Miroir (1947) starring Jean Gabin. In the years to come Italian/European action films would dominate his screen time. Audience attention grew in proportion with a variety of comedies, dramas, costumers and adventures including Lost Youth (1948) [Lost Youth]; Stolen Affections (1948) [Stolen Affections]; Il falco rosso (1949) [The Red Falcon] in which he played the title role; Bluebeard (1951); the costumed romancer Anita Garibaldi (1952) [Anita Garibaldi]; and Lulù (1953) co-starring with Valentina Cortese.

The actor hit major international attention after being cast as Paris opposite sex sirens Rossana Podestà and Brigitte Bardot in Helen of Troy (1956) and Hollywood itself took brief notice, handing him a starring role in the Warner Bros. war film Jump Into Hell (1955) and a few TV guest parts. When nothing came of it, he returned to Italy and was for the most part relegated to supporting characters, making one lasting impression as a fading matinée idol in Fellini's masterpiece La Dolce Vita (1960).

Other Italian/European films in and around this decade included Goddess of Love (1957) co-starring Belinda Lee; The Nights of Lucretia Borgia (1959); Duel of Champions (1961) starring Alan Ladd; The Centurion (1961) in which he co-starred with John Drew Barrymore; Duel of the Titans (1961) starring musclemen Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott; 55 Days at Peking (1963) starring Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner, which filmed in Spain; The Secret Agents (1965) [aka The Dirty Game] starring Henry Fonda, which filmed in Germany; the "spaghetti western" Fort Yuma Gold (1966), Midas Run (1969) starring Fred Astaire and Richard Crenna, which filmed in Italy and England; and the Italian/US co-production Hornets' Nest (1970), a war drama starring Rock Hudson.

As the years rolled by Sernas was seen less and less on film and more and more on Italian TV. Into the millennium he appeared in a few elderly roles, one being a 2003 TV movie about Pope John XXIII. Jacques died at age 89 on July 3, 2015 in Rome.

 

Actor

Tutti pazzi per amore (2008)

Tutti pazzi per amore

7.3

TV Series

2010

1 episode

 

Neri Marcorè in Pope John Paul I: The Smile of God (2006)

Pope John Paul I: The Smile of God

7.9

TV Series

Monsignor Marcinkus

2006

 

Manuela Arcuri and Giorgio Lupano in Regina dei fiori (2005)

Regina dei fiori

5.2

TV Movie

Ambasciatore

2005

 

Edward Asner in Papa Giovanni: Ioannes XXIII (2002)

Papa Giovanni: Ioannes XXIII

7.4

TV Series

Cardinale Feltin

2002

 

Il ritorno del piccolo Lord (2000)

Il ritorno del piccolo Lord

5.0

TV Movie

Dr. Van Kleest

2000

 

Peter Stormare, Simona Cavallari, and Anna Galiena in Love in the Mirror (1999)

Love in the Mirror

5.9

Principe Bassompierre

1999

 

Enrico Montesano and Sergio Sivori in L'ispettore Giusti (1999)

L'ispettore Giusti

6.6

TV Series

Kramer

1999

1 episode

 

Coppia omicida (1998)

Coppia omicida

4.3

Godard

1998

 

Il maresciallo Rocca (1996)

Il maresciallo Rocca

6.9

TV Series

Hans Bitosso

1996

1 episode

 

Alta tensione (1993)

Alta tensione

5.7

TV Mini Series

Monsieur Miraz

1993

1 episode

 

Edwige Fenech in Il coraggio di Anna (1992)

Il coraggio di Anna

5.1

TV Series

1992

 

Caldo soffocante (1991)

Caldo soffocante

6.2

Il presidente

1991

 

Stefania Sandrelli and Barbara Sukowa in L'africana (1990)

L'africana

6.9

Dr. Wargnier

1990

 

L'avaro (1990)

L'avaro

6.0

Don Guglielmo

1990

 

Luna di sangue (1989)

Luna di sangue

3.9

Dottor Marc Duvivier

1989

 

Io, Peter Pan (1989)

Io, Peter Pan

5.0

Bernard

1989

 

Appuntamento a Trieste (1989)

Appuntamento a Trieste

5.0

TV Mini Series

Julius Sebic

1989

3 episodes

 

Miguel Servet (La sangre y la ceniza) (1989)

Miguel Servet (La sangre y la ceniza)

7.6

TV Series

Gaspar Trechsel

1989

7 episodes

 

Big Man (1988)

Big Man

6.4

TV Series

Prince Don Pietro of Roccaferro

1988

1 episode

 

I ragazzi di celluloide (1981)

I ragazzi di celluloide

4.4

TV Mini Series

Faliero

1984

2 episodes

 

L'addition (1984)

L'addition

5.7

Prison guard

1984

 

Ileana Ghione, Vittoria Lottero, Marzio Margine, and Jacques Sernas in Sogno di una notte di mezza estate (1983)

Sogno di una notte di mezza estate

TV Movie

Oberon

1983

 

Casa Cecilia (1982)

Casa Cecilia

5.3

TV Mini Series

Signor Reichmann

1982

1 episode

 

La sconosciuta (1982)

La sconosciuta

5.8

TV Mini Series

Thomas Cardiff

1982

4 episodes

 

Burt Lancaster and Marcello Mastroianni in The Skin (1981)

The Skin

6.6

Gen Guillaume

1981

 

Ho visto uccidere Ben Barka (1978)

Ho visto uccidere Ben Barka

TV Mini Series

Lemarchand

1978

2 episodes

 

Last Feelings (1978)

Last Feelings

6.4

Sports Director

1978

 

L'ultimo aereo per Venezia (1977)

L'ultimo aereo per Venezia

4.9

TV Mini Series

Bernard Laroux

1977

1 episode

 

Children of Rage (1975)

Children of Rage

5.8

Dr. Ben-Joseph

1975

 

Il giovane Garibaldi (1974)

Il giovane Garibaldi

6.9

TV Mini Series

Le comte Solari

1974

2 episodes

 

E cominciò il viaggio nella vertigine (1974)

E cominciò il viaggio nella vertigine

4.9

1974

 

Philadelphia Story

TV Movie

Mike

1974

 

Super Fly T.N.T. (1973)

Super Fly T.N.T.

4.3

Matty Smith

1973

 

E.S.P. (1973)

E.S.P.

7.2

TV Mini Series

Ispettore capo

1973

2 episodes

 

Robert Vaughn, Tony Anholt, and Nyree Dawn Porter in The Protectors (1972)

The Protectors

6.7

TV Series

Fabrizzio

1973

1 episode

 

Edda Albertini in Astronave Terra (1971)

Astronave Terra

TV Movie

Van den Bosch

1971

 

Hornets' Nest (1970)

Hornets' Nest

5.8

Maj. Taussig

1970

 

Die Welt des Pirandello - Liebe! - Liebe?

TV Movie

Venanzi (segment "Im Strudel")

1970

 

Il triangolo rosso (1967)

Il triangolo rosso

4.0

TV Series

Tenente MarchiLieutenat Marchi

1967–1969

12 episodes

 

Fred Astaire, Richard Crenna, and Anne Heywood in Midas Run (1969)

Midas Run

4.8

Paul Giroux

1969

 

Il mondo di Pirandello

TV Series

Gigi Venanzi

1968

1 episode

 

American Secret Service (1968)

American Secret Service

6.6

1968

 

Sophie Daumier and Giuliano Gemma in Fort Yuma Gold (1966)

Fort Yuma Gold

5.9

Maj. Sanders

1966

 

Balearic Caper (1966)

Balearic Caper

5.1

Pierre

1966

 

The Secret Agents (1965)

The Secret Agents

5.6

Glazov

1965

 

Last Plane to Baalbeck (1964)

Last Plane to Baalbeck

5.0

Nicholas 'Nick' Mann

1964

 

Charlton Heston, David Niven, and Ava Gardner in 55 Days at Peking (1963)

55 Days at Peking

6.7

Maj. Bobrinski

1963

 

Gino Cervi, Franco Franchi, Ciccio Ingrassia, and Totò in The Shortest Day (1963)

The Shortest Day

5.8

Tenente Fiorelli (uncredited)

1963

 

Brunella Bovo, Gino Latilla, Luigi Pavese, Mario Pisu, Nilla Pizzi, Anna Pretolani, Giacomo Rondinella, Jacques Sernas, Franca Tamantini, and Enrico Viarisio in 10 canzoni d'amore da salvare (1962)

10 canzoni d'amore da salvare

Pietro Niccoli

1962

 

Steve Reeves in The Slave (1962)

The Slave

5.9

Vetius - Companion of Randus

1962

 

Che femmina!! E... che dollari! (1961)

Che femmina!! E... che dollari!

5.9

Jefferson Thompson

1961

 

Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott in Duel of the Titans (1961)

Duel of the Titans

5.8

Curzio

1961

 

John Drew Barrymore and Geneviève Grad in The Centurion (1961)

The Centurion

4.7

Caius Vinicius

1961

 

Duel of Champions (1961)

Duel of Champions

4.9

Marcus

1961

 

Goliath and the Vampires (1961)

Goliath and the Vampires

5.6

Kurtik

1961

 

Un amore a Roma (1960)

Un amore a Roma

6.7

Tony Meneghini

1960

 

Chelo Alonso in The Huns (1960)

The Huns

4.6

Malok

1960

 

Anna Maria Ferrero, Fernando Rey, Lina Rosales, Jacques Sernas, and Pastor Serrador in Culpables (1960)

Culpables

6.0

Emilio

1960

 

Edmund Purdom, Jacques Sernas, and Jeanne Valérie in The Loves of Salammbo (1960)

The Loves of Salammbo

5.0

Mathos

1960

 

Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita (1960)

La Dolce Vita

8.0

Il divo

1960

 

The Nights of Lucretia Borgia (1959)

The Nights of Lucretia Borgia

5.6

Federico degli Alberici

1959

 

Il mondo dei miracoli (1959)

Il mondo dei miracoli

6.2

Marco Valenti

1959

 

Sign of the Gladiator (1959)

Sign of the Gladiator

5.4

Giuliao - un centurione romano

1959

 

La prima notte (1959)

La prima notte

5.1

Bob Lo BelloBob Lebel

1959

 

Lost Souls (1959)

Lost Souls

6.1

Il barone capo degli evasi

1959

 

Pia de' Tolomei (1958)

Pia de' Tolomei

4.4

Ghino Perticari

1958

 

C'est la faute d'Adam (1957)

C'est la faute d'Adam

Gérard Sandret

1957

 

Goddess of Love (1957)

Goddess of Love

5.2

Luciano

1957

 

Hal Baylor, Hans Conried, and Chuck Hicks in Schlitz Playhouse (1951)

Schlitz Playhouse

7.6

TV Series

Paul de la Force

1957

1 episode

 

Dan Duryea in Climax! (1954)

Climax!

6.6

TV Series

Martin

1957

1 episode

 

Greer Garson and Florenz Ames in Telephone Time (1956)

Telephone Time

7.1

TV Series

Louis Pellier

1956

1 episode

 

Conflict (1956)

Conflict

7.7

TV Series

Peter ScottJohnny Vlakoz

1956

2 episodes

 

Matinee Theatre (1955)

Matinee Theatre

6.9

TV Series

1956

2 episodes

 

Natalie Wood and Jacques Sernas in Camera Three (1954)

Camera Three

6.6

TV Series

Sir Gawaine

1956

1 episode

 

Natalie Wood and Jacques Sernas in Warner Brothers Presents (1955)

Warner Brothers Presents

7.6

TV Series

Sir Gawain

1956

1 episode

 

Altair (1956)

Altair

5.6

Carlo De Montel (as Jack Sernas)

1956

 

Rossana Podestà in Helen of Troy (1956)

Helen of Troy

6.1

ParisParide (as Jack Sernas)

1956

 

Jacques Sernas in Jump Into Hell (1955)

Jump Into Hell

5.6

Capt. Guy Bertrand (as Jack Sernas)

1955

 

Amarti è il mio peccato (Suor Celeste) (1954)

Amarti è il mio peccato (Suor Celeste)

5.0

Il conte Giorgio Danieli

1954

 

Barrier of the Law (1954)

Barrier of the Law

5.3

Aldo

1954

 

Il grande addio (1954)

Il grande addio

Tonio

1954

 

1 sheet 27 x 41

Maddalena

7.1

Giovanni Belloni

1954

 

Cento anni d'amore (1954)

Cento anni d'amore

6.6

Roberto aka Roby, Lucia's Husband (segment "Amore 1954")

1954

 

Terra straniera (1954)

Terra straniera

7.8

1954

 

Sua altezza ha detto: no! (1953)

Sua altezza ha detto: no!

1953

 

Ti ho sempre amato! (1953)

Ti ho sempre amato!

6.4

Carlo

1953

 

L'Envers du paradis (1953)

L'Envers du paradis

6.5

Blaise d'Orliac

1953

 

Lulù (1953)

Lulù

5.5

Mario

1953

 

Fanciulle di lusso (1952)

Fanciulle di lusso

5.2

Jean-Jacques

1952

 

Gli angeli del quartiere (1952)

Gli angeli del quartiere

6.8

Mario

1952

 

I figli non si vendono (1952)

I figli non si vendono

Carlo DazzeniRoberto Dazzeni

1952

 

Anita Garibaldi (1952)

Anita Garibaldi

6.2

Gentile

1952

 

Antonella Lualdi, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Jacques Sernas, and Charles Vanel in L'ultima sentenza (1951)

L'ultima sentenza

Piero

1951

 

Bluebeard (1951)

Bluebeard

6.2

Florian

1951

 

Barbe-Bleue (1951)

Barbe-Bleue

5.7

Giglio

1951

 

Edda Albertini, Carlo D'Angelo, Doris Duranti, Massimo Girotti, Guido Salvini, and Jacques Sernas in Fugitive in Trieste (1951)

Fugitive in Trieste

Giulio

1951

 

Cuori sul mare (1950)

Cuori sul mare

5.5

Paolo Silvestri

1950

 

Il cielo è rosso (1950)

Il cielo è rosso

7.0

Tullio

1950

 

Golden Salamander (1950)

Golden Salamander

6.3

Max

1950

 

Lure of the Sila (1949)

Lure of the Sila

6.8

Salvatore Barra

1949

 

Il falco rosso (1949)

Il falco rosso

Raniero d'Atri

1949

 

The Mill on the Po (1949)

The Mill on the Po

7.0

Orbino Verginesi

1949

 

Patto col diavolo (1949)

Patto col diavolo

1949

 

Jean de la Lune (1949)

Jean de la Lune

5.5

Alexandre - le nouvel adorateur de Marceline

1949

 

Jacques Berthier, Jaque Catelain, Rubi Dalma, Josette Day, Sylvio De Pedrelli, Victor Francen, Marcel L'Herbier, and Jacques Sernas in Stolen Affections (1948)

Stolen Affections

5.6

Rudy

1948

 

Una lettera all'alba (1948)

Una lettera all'alba

6.7

Mario Maggi

1948

 

Lost Youth (1948)

Lost Youth

6.8

Stefano Manfredi

1948

 

The Idol (1948)

The Idol

5.1

1948

 

Miroir (1947)

Miroir

6.2

Battling-Joe

1947

 

Writer

Balearic Caper (1966)

Balearic Caper

5.1

story

1966

 

Additional Crew

Adriana Asti and Luc Merenda in Action (1980)

Action

4.4

voice dubbing: Luc Merenda (uncredited)

1980

 

Self

Noi che abbiamo fatto la dolce vita

Self

2009

 

La parola, il fatto: Anarchia (1975)

La parola, il fatto: Anarchia

TV Movie

Self

1975

 

Reflets de Cannes (1952)

Reflets de Cannes

8.6

TV Series

Self

1955–1958

2 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Timeless Cinema (2001)

Timeless Cinema

6.0

TV Movie

Self (archive footage, uncredited)

2001