Omero Antonutti(1935-2019)

Omero Antonutti was an Italian actor and voice actor best known for his powerful screen presence and distinctive voice. Born in Basiliano, in the province of Udine, he initially worked in shipyards before turning to acting. He began his performing career on stage, where he was particularly active at the Teatro Stabile di Trieste and the Teatro Stabile di Genova, often under the direction of Luigi Squarzina. Antonutti made his film debut in Le piacevoli notti (1966) alongside Vittorio Gassman, Gina Lollobrigida, and Ugo Tognazzi, but gained international recognition with his acclaimed performance in the Taviani brothers' Padre Padrone (1977). He also appeared in Spanish cinema, including Víctor Erice's El Sur (1983) and Carlos Saura's El Dorado (1988), and portrayed Noah in Genesis: The Creation and the Flood (1994). Beyond his on-screen work, Antonutti was a prolific voice actor. He was the regular Italian voice of Christopher Lee, dubbing him in major franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Star Wars. He also lent his voice to actors such as John Hurt, Omar Sharif, Michael Gambon, Christopher Plummer, Donald Sutherland, James Cromwell, and Robert Duvall.