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Paul Henreid was born Paul Georg Julius Freiherr von Hernreid Ritter von Wasel-Waldingau in Trieste, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the son of Marie Luise Heilig (Lendecke) and Baron Karl Alphons Hernreid, an aristocratic banker and financial adviser to Emperor Franz Josef, who was born to a Jewish family and whose name was changed from Carl Hirsch to Karl von Hernreid as he converted from Judaism to Catholicism in 1904 due to anti-semitism in Austria-Hungary.

Paul grew up in Vienna and studied at the prestigious Maria Theresa Academy (graduating in 1927) and the Institute of Graphic Arts. For four years, he worked as translator and book designer for a publishing outfit run by Otto Preminger, while training to be an actor at night. Preminger was also a protégé (and managing director) of Max Reinhardt. After attending one of Henreid's acting school performances, Preminger introduced him to the famous stage director and this led to a contract. In 1933, Paul made his debut at the Reinhardt Theatre in "Faust". He subsequently had several leading roles on the stage and appeared in a couple of Austrian films. Paul, like his character Victor Laszlo in Casablanca (1942), was avidly anti-fascist. He accordingly left continental Europe and went to London in 1935, first appearing on stage as Prince Albert in "Victoria the Great" two years later.

Henreid made his English-speaking motion picture debut in the popular drama Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), as the sympathetic German master Max Staefel, who proves to be Chipping's truest friend and ally. After that, however, he became incongruously typecast as Nazi henchmen in Mad Men of Europe (1940) and Night Train to Munich (1940). That year, he moved to the United States (becoming a citizen the following year) and quickly established himself on Broadway with "Flight to the West", as a Ribbentrop-type Nazi consul. His powerful performance led to radio work in the serial "Joyce Jordan-Girl Interne" and a film contract with RKO in 1941.

This marked a turning point in Paul Henreid's career. He finally escaped the stereotypical Teutonic image and began to play heroic or romantic leads, his first being Joan of Paris (1942), opposite Michèle Morgan, as French RAF pilot Paul Lavallier. Significantly, his next film, Now, Voyager (1942), defined his new screen persona: debonnaire, cultured and genteel, lighting two cigarettes simultaneously, then passing one to Bette Davis. According to Henreid, this legendary (and later often lampooned) scene was almost cut from the film because the director, Irving Rapper, had concerns about it. Next came "Casablanca", where Henreid played the idealistic, sensitive patriot Victor Laszlo; the poorly received Bronte sisters biopic Devotion (1946), as an Irish priest; and a stalwart performance as a Polish count and Ida Lupino's love interest, In Our Time (1944).

After several dull romantic leads, Henreid reinvented himself yet again. He played a memorably athletic and lively Dutch pirate, the 'Barracuda', in RKO's colourful swashbuckler The Spanish Main (1945). Another of his best later performances was as a sadistic South African commandant in the underrated film noir Rope of Sand (1949), which re-united him with his former "Casablanca" co-stars Peter Lorre and Claude Rains. After the Arabian Technicolor adventure, Thief of Damascus (1952), Henreid's star began to fade. His last noteworthy appearance during the fifties was as an itinerant magician in the oriental extravaganza Siren of Bagdad (1953) . The most memorable of several in-jokes, had Henreid lighting two hookahs (water pipes) for one of his harem girls, spoofing his famous scene from "Now, Voyager".

Outspoken in his opposition to McCarthyism and adhering to his rights under the First Amendment, he was subsequently blacklisted as a "communist sympathizer" by the House Committee on Un- American Activities. In spite of the damage this did to his career, he re-emerged as a director of second features and television episodes for Screen Gems, Desilu and other companies. In 1957, Alfred Hitchcock (in defiance of the blacklist) hired him to direct several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). Towards the end of his career, Paul Henreid directed his former "Now, Voyager" co-star Bette Davis in the camp melodrama Dead Ringer (1963) and toured with Agnes Moorehead on stage in a short-lived revival of "Don Juan in Hell" (1972- 73). Henreid died of pneumonia in a Santa Monica hospital in April 1992, after having suffered a stroke. He has the distinction of having not just one but two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for his films, and one for his television work.

Rada Rassimov was born on 7 May 1938 in Trieste, Italy. She is an actress and producer, known for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Tosca: In the Settings and at the Times of Tosca (1992) and Michel Strogoff (1975).

George Dolenz was born in Italy in 1908 to a large family. He left Italy in the 1920s to start a new life and it seemed that he didn't want to look back on his old one. He arrived in Los Angeles in the 1940s and it was there that he somehow met up with Howard Hughes. Hughes signed him up as a leading man at RKO Pictures--which he owned--but, under Hughes' contract, George only starred in one film, Vendetta (1950), with Faith Domergue. He became a master of several dialects, and could play urbane Continental roles such as "Baron Sergei" in In Society (1944), with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Latin-American types such as the mysterious "Cortega" in Scared Stiff (1953), with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and even Roman-era royalty such as "Emperor Theodosius" in Sign of the Pagan (1954). When his contract with Hughes ran out, George appeared in many films for other studios throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and starred in the TV series The Count of Monte Cristo (1956). George was the father of actor Micky Dolenz of The Monkees (1965), husband of actress Janelle Johnson Dolenz and the grandfather of actress Ami Dolenz.

Lorenzo Acquaviva was born on 12 November 1968 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is an actor and writer, known for Enigma Rol (2023), Wild Blood (2008) and The Invisible Boy: Second Generation (2018).

Loredana Nusciak was born on 3 May 1942 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for Django (1966), Gladiators 7 (1962) and Superargo vs. Diabolicus (1966). She was married to Gianni Medici. She died on 12 July 2006 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Ivan Rassimov and his younger sister, Rada, decided to pursue a career in acting. Ivan studied acting at the University at Trieste. After attending military service in Italy, he then settled in Rome to pursue his acting career. A series of small roles began his career, one of them being from the legendary director Mario Bava with Planet of Vampires.

With his strong, piercing eyes and striking look, Rassimov was often cast as villains, from Nazi soldiers, to tough guys, to murder suspects. Rassimov also occasionally played good guys and saw it as a novelty item from his bad guy roles. From playing a police detective, an archaeologist, and even a psychiatrist in Mario Bava's last theatrical movie, Shock (1977). He was most often seen as a male stalwart of the Italian cannibal films in acting alongside Me Me Lai in three of them, most notably being _Jungle Holocaust (1977)_.

By 1987, Rassimov more or less retired from acting and lived in a villa north of Rome with his wife and teenage daughter. He worked as the director of a publishing house for comic books and novels until his death in 2003.

Marino Masé was born on March 21, 1939 in Trieste, Italy. Like many young actors, he started his career on stage before making his film debut opposite Roger Moore in the 1960 adventure-comedy Romulus and the Sabines (1961). His early film roles saw him working with many prominent European filmmakers of the time, including Luchino Visconti, Jean-Luc Godard, Dino Risi, Liliana Cavani, and Marco Bellocchio. In the 1970s, he became one of the many prolific supporting players of genre films, particularly ''poliziotteschi'' crime thrillers. He has also appeared in several international productions filmed in Italy, including King David (1985), The Belly of an Architect (1987), and The Godfather Part III (1990).

Laura Samani was born on 9 October 1989 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is a director and writer, known for Small Body (2021), The Sleeping Saint (2016) and Un anno di scuola (2025).

Paddy Joyce was born on 31 May 1923 in Trieste, Italy. He was an actor, known for Erik the Viking (1989), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987) and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983). He died on 27 July 2000 in London, England, UK.

Romano Puppo was born on 25 March 1933 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was an actor, known for Robowar (1988), Escape from the Bronx (1983) and Tough Guys (1974). He died on 11 May 1994 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Rodolfo Ranni was born on 21 October 1937 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is an actor, known for Los machos (1994), El puntero (2011) and En retirada (1984).

Silvana Bacci was born on 16 January 1946 in Trieste, Italy. She is an actress, known for Seven Magnificent Guns (1966), Death Sentence (1968) and Radhapura - Endstation der Verdammten (1968).

Edy Vessel was born on 23 October 1940 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She is an actress, known for 8½ (1963), The Trojan Horse (1961) and Rocambole (1963). She is married to Pierluigi Vitalini. She was previously married to Camillo Crociani.

MariaCristina was born and reared in Trieste, Italy,not far from Venice. Trieste is a complex multi-ethnic town on the north eastern border of Italy. She began her career very young on the live stage and as an on-air presenter on many live shows for RAI. She was hired by Raimondo Vianello for his sitcom "Casa Vianello" the most successful sitcom ever produced in Italy,where she played Valeria,the tempting young woman living on the top floor.This nationally televised character on a hit television show gave her early success.

In the cinema she worked with Italian Masters:Castellano and Pipolo,Pupi Avati,Dario Argento,Alessandro Benvenuti and she had starring roles in many television series,for both drama and comedy. Since she moved to LA she worked in many international projects between America and Europe, such as:"Jesus"for CBS,the feature film "Angels and Demons"with director Ron Howard, the miniseries "Barabbas",etc. In Europe she is part of the cast for the french drama series "Odysseus" In the US she recently appeared in "Law and Order" for NBC and in the comedy series "Backpackers" as recurring guest star for CW network. She is also the presenter/host for TeleItalia Network in Los Angeles where she hosts in two languages Italian and American-English.

Lyla Rocco was born on 18 January 1933 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for Le avventure di Nicola Nickleby (1958), Ça va barder (1955) and One Step to Eternity (1954). She was married to Alberto Lupo and Steve Barclay. She died on 17 January 2015 in Rome, Italy.

Laura Solari was born on 5 January 1913 in Trieste, Austria-Hungary [now Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy]. She was an actress, known for Roman Holiday (1953), Duel of the Titans (1961) and Il vento m'ha cantato una canzone (1947). She was married to Oscar Semere and Arthur Roper Caldbeck. She died on 13 September 1984 in Bellinzona, Ticino, Switzerland.

Livio Lorenzon was born on 6 May 1923 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Zorro and the Three Musketeers (1963) and Tharus figlio di Attila (1962). He died on 23 December 1971 in Latisana, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Albert Conti was born on 29 January 1887 in Trieste, Austria-Hungary [now Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy]. He was an actor, known for The Black Cat (1934), Plastered in Paris (1928) and Torch Singer (1933). He was married to Miriam Wherry (née Patricia Cross). He died on 18 January 1967 in Hollywood, California, USA.

Handsome, ash blonde-haired Italian actor Stelio Candelli was born in Trieste on the to a family of Civil Servants. Between 1954 to 1957 he studied drama at the Accademia d'Arte Drammatica in Rome, making his film debut in Alberto Lattuada's," Guendalina" (1957). However, it was "Le notti di Lucrezia Borgia" (1959), a Renaissance costume vehicle for ill-fated British actress Belinda Lee, that brought him commercial notice and he subsequently appeared in a number of successful 'Sword n' Sandal' Cinecitta epics during the early 1960s, of which the best was, "Le sette folgori di Assur" (1962) opposite Hollywood actor Howard Duff. In 1965 Stelio co-starred in Mario Bava's seminal Alien sci-fi flick, "Terrore nello spazio" aka "Planet of the Vampires". The James Bond spy boom of the mid-1960s offered him the lead roles in, "Agente segreto 777" (1965) and "Suicide Mission To Singapore" (1966) in which he changed his screen name briefly to 'Stanley Kent'. The Anglo name change worked and brought him to the notice of the BBC who were casting for a lead character in a Mafia based TV series entitled, "Vendetta", to be filmed in London and Malta (standing in for Italy). With hit theme music composed by John Barry, "Vendetta" became highly popular running from 1966 to 1968. Stelio played a deadly hunter of all things Mafia by the name of Danny Scipio and the series now enjoys cult status. Unbelievably the BBC has still to release available episodes on DVD. A series of so-so spaghetti westerns (some opposite his friend Anthony Steffen) such as '"Viva Django" (1971) followed and whilst these were clearly fun to make, Stelio shone more in contemporary fare such as the English shot giallo, "La muerte llama a las 10" aka "The Killer Wore Gloves" (1974). Another BBC TV series, "Circus" (1975) brought a welcome return to London and British Television screens followed a few years later by a guest spot in an episode of the Ian Ogilvy, "Return of the Saint" (1979). The least said about "Orinoco - prigioniere del sesso" (1980) the better. In the Hollywood "Winds of War" epic series, the Italian actor had a memorable role as a sinister scar-faced Gestapo agent but ironically enough it was a rather mundane part in Lamberto Bava's cult horror movie, "Demons" (1985) that often brings him most recognition internationally.

Karlo Bulic was born on 12 May 1910 in Trieste, Austria-Hungary [now Italy]. He was an actor, known for TV teatar (1956), The Upstarts (1953) and Nase malo misto (1969). He died on 19 October 1986 in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia.

Fulvia Franco was born on 21 May 1931 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. She was an actress, known for I Spy (1965), Tempest (1958) and Don Chisciotte and Sancio Panza (1968). She was married to Tiberio Mitri. She died on 15 May 1988 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Sergio Amidei was born on 3 October 1904 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was a writer and producer, known for Rome, Open City (1945), General Della Rovere (1959) and An Average Little Man (1977). He died on 14 April 1981 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Cristina Parovel is an Actress Director and Producer. She was born in Trieste - Italy, a Mittle-European city situated on the east of Venice at the crossroads of three cultures, Italian, Germanic and Slovenian. Following the traces of her grandmother, Cristina becomes involved in the arts at an early age, studying acting, ballet and fine arts. At 12 years old she debuts on the stage in a modern adaptation of 'Little Red Riding Hood', her performance was well received with a thunderous standing ovation. She wins a scholarship at the "Accademia D'Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico" in Rome and afterwords she perfects her studies following some Italian and American teachers like Michael Margotta, Francesca De Sapio, Beatrice Bracco, Susan Batson, Ivana Chubbuck, Larry Moss and at the Actors Studio in Los Angeles Cristina worked with major Italian Directors like Carlo Vanzina, Tonino Zangardi, Neri Parenti. She took part of several international productions and worked on the side of International stars like Paul Sorvino, Billy Zane, Robert Miano and many others. Her performances and creativeness are unique and very impressive. She is known for her chameleonic qualities and how she can transform into different characters and playing very different roles. Among her many accolades, Cristina received the Young Actress Award at the "Salerno Film Festival" (2000) and the Best TV Actress from the "Arte e Poesia Award"in Rome (2007)

One of the best character actor of Italian cinema, expecially in the early 60s and part of the 70s, Umberto took a degree in law in 1953 but he was active in many theaters of Italy until the early 60s, when he encountered cinema. He acted in 10-15 films every year, expecially in small part roles and in B-movies.

Tall, big, he played many roles from grotesque to dramatic, for over 100 films during his career. He was best remembered for films like Il giovedì (1964), Il Gaucho, La parmigiana (1963), La pecora nera (1968), and for his role in I complessi (1965), where he acted with Nino Manfredi. He was only 49 when he suddenly died.

Gianluca Minucci was born on July 24, 1987 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for The Shower (2010), The Cut (2013) and Chimeras (2015).

He studied film history at University La Sapienza in Rome, his thesis being on Robert Altman's cinema. Minucci went on to achieve his master's degree in Film Analysis, with an essay on Paul Thomas Anderson's film There Will Be Blood.