Sergio Ciani(1935-2015)
- Actor
- Writer
One of a load of ab-normal muscular men who stood on the Neopolitan
pectoral pedestal during the sword-and-sandal craze of the early 1960s,
Sergio Ciani was born in Italy and went by the aptly-named stage
moniker "Alan Steel" while in the meat of his film career. Playing
assorted mythological demigods in cheaply-made but highly popular
spectacles of the early 1960s, the actor also occasionally went by his
birth name. Riding on a cinematic tidal wave ignited by Montana-born
bodybuilder and one-time "Mr Universe"
Steve Reeves in the cult hit
Hercules (1958)
[aka Hercules], Steel was actually one of the very few native Italians
to play these colossal he-men as most were transported from America or
England.
Steel started off his beefcake run off as a body double for Reeves in
both the "Hercules" sequel
Hercules Unchained (1959)
[Hercules Unchained] and in
The Giant of Marathon (1959)
[Giant of Marathon], in which he also had bit roles. Within a couple of
years Steel was posing front-and-center as Herk himself in
Sansone (1961) [Samson] opposite another
physique-minded American import,
Brad Harris in the title role. On
numerous occasions Steel was asked to play the legendary Greek hero, as
well as the equally well-built demigods Samson and Ursus, even though
the film titles often fused (or confused) them in their titles. Steel
starred as Hercules in
Hercules Against Rome (1964)
[Hercules Against Rome],
Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)
[Hercules Against the Moon Men],
Sansone contro il corsaro nero (1964)
[Hercules and the Black Pirate], and
Lost Treasure of the Incas (1964)
[Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas], the second movie mentioned
being one of the only spectacles to actually incorporate science
fiction into the genre. In contrast, his Hercules serves as a mere
sidekick in the Zorro-like spectacle
Hercules and the Masked Rider (1963)
[Hercules and the Masked Rider] starring
Ettore Manni.
It was not surprising to find Steel cast as a heavy during his prime as
well -- menacing the very heroes he was prone to playing -- such as his
crazed emperor Commodus in
Rebel Gladiators (1962)
[Ursus, the Rebel Gladiator] opposite
Dan Vadis. He also played the supporting role
of Kaldos in
The Fury of Hercules (1962) [The
Fury of Hercules] when it was
Brad Harris' turn to play the title
role.
By mid-decade the Herculean phase had faded away and Steel went on,
unlike others peplum stars, to other film styles -- dramas, thrillers,
horror, oaters, even comedies. In the late 1960s he and fellow movie
musclemen Kirk Morris and
Gordon Mitchell served up a
"spaghetti western" entitled
Sapevano solo uccidere (1968)
[Saguaro]. In 1976 Steel starred in and co-wrote a Robin Hood movie,
and in 1979 ended his on-camera appearances with the Italian comedy
Baby Love (1979).
As a footnote, in 1993 Australian filmmakers took Alan's film
Samson and the Mighty Challenge (1964)
[Samson and the Mighty Challenge] and did a total re-edit to create a
brand new feature (an action comedy), with original scenes, Aussie
actors and a new soundtrack. The film was entitled
Hercules Returns (1993).
pectoral pedestal during the sword-and-sandal craze of the early 1960s,
Sergio Ciani was born in Italy and went by the aptly-named stage
moniker "Alan Steel" while in the meat of his film career. Playing
assorted mythological demigods in cheaply-made but highly popular
spectacles of the early 1960s, the actor also occasionally went by his
birth name. Riding on a cinematic tidal wave ignited by Montana-born
bodybuilder and one-time "Mr Universe"
Steve Reeves in the cult hit
Hercules (1958)
[aka Hercules], Steel was actually one of the very few native Italians
to play these colossal he-men as most were transported from America or
England.
Steel started off his beefcake run off as a body double for Reeves in
both the "Hercules" sequel
Hercules Unchained (1959)
[Hercules Unchained] and in
The Giant of Marathon (1959)
[Giant of Marathon], in which he also had bit roles. Within a couple of
years Steel was posing front-and-center as Herk himself in
Sansone (1961) [Samson] opposite another
physique-minded American import,
Brad Harris in the title role. On
numerous occasions Steel was asked to play the legendary Greek hero, as
well as the equally well-built demigods Samson and Ursus, even though
the film titles often fused (or confused) them in their titles. Steel
starred as Hercules in
Hercules Against Rome (1964)
[Hercules Against Rome],
Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)
[Hercules Against the Moon Men],
Sansone contro il corsaro nero (1964)
[Hercules and the Black Pirate], and
Lost Treasure of the Incas (1964)
[Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas], the second movie mentioned
being one of the only spectacles to actually incorporate science
fiction into the genre. In contrast, his Hercules serves as a mere
sidekick in the Zorro-like spectacle
Hercules and the Masked Rider (1963)
[Hercules and the Masked Rider] starring
Ettore Manni.
It was not surprising to find Steel cast as a heavy during his prime as
well -- menacing the very heroes he was prone to playing -- such as his
crazed emperor Commodus in
Rebel Gladiators (1962)
[Ursus, the Rebel Gladiator] opposite
Dan Vadis. He also played the supporting role
of Kaldos in
The Fury of Hercules (1962) [The
Fury of Hercules] when it was
Brad Harris' turn to play the title
role.
By mid-decade the Herculean phase had faded away and Steel went on,
unlike others peplum stars, to other film styles -- dramas, thrillers,
horror, oaters, even comedies. In the late 1960s he and fellow movie
musclemen Kirk Morris and
Gordon Mitchell served up a
"spaghetti western" entitled
Sapevano solo uccidere (1968)
[Saguaro]. In 1976 Steel starred in and co-wrote a Robin Hood movie,
and in 1979 ended his on-camera appearances with the Italian comedy
Baby Love (1979).
As a footnote, in 1993 Australian filmmakers took Alan's film
Samson and the Mighty Challenge (1964)
[Samson and the Mighty Challenge] and did a total re-edit to create a
brand new feature (an action comedy), with original scenes, Aussie
actors and a new soundtrack. The film was entitled
Hercules Returns (1993).