Erno Crisa

Erno Crisa (1914-1968) was a handsome Italian actor, who appeared in a long series of films during the 1950s and 1960s.


Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1434. Photo: Dott. De Blasi.


Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1034. Erno Crisa in L'amant de lady Chatterley/Lady Chatterley's Lover (Marc Allégret, 1955).

Ballet and modern and classical choreography

Erno Crisa was born Ernesto Crisà in 1914 in Biserta, Tunisia, into a family of Sicilian emigrants.

Fascinated by the world of show business, after emigrating to France he attended Preobajenska's courses in ballet and modern and classical choreography, later managing to work in some Parisian theatre productions.

In 1945, after a few uncredited bit parts, he made his debut in French cinema as a vagabond opposite Fernandel in the comedy Le mystère Saint-Val/St. Val's Mystery (René Le Hénaff, 1945). Fernandel's first film following the liberation of Paris was a big hit in France.

He also appeared in Le jugement dernier/The Last Judgment (René Chanas, 1945), a French film drama starring Raymond Bussières. He returned to Italy, where he was recruited by Wanda Osiris' company. There he worked as a ballet soloist in Garinei and Giovannini's revue 'Al Grand Hotel' in the 1948-1949 season.


Italian postcard by B.F.F. Edit., no. 2779. Photo: Minerva Films.

Peplum muscleman

In 1950 Erno Crisa was noticed by director Luigi Zampa, who asked him to play a role in the drama Cuori senza frontiere/The White Line (1950), starring Raf Vallone and Gina Lollobrigida. This was the beginning of a long series of films that he would make until the end of the 1960s. He also appeared in many Foto romanzi, the Italian photo novels, including the infamous Killing (aka Sadistik).

Memorable titles of the fifties in which he had leads were e.g. Gelosia/Jealousy (Pietro Germi, 1953), Violenza sul lago/Violence in the lake (Leonardo Cortese, 1954) with Lia Amanda, La figlia di Mata Hari/Mata Hari's Daughter (Renzo Merusi, Carmine Gallone, 1954) starring Ludmilla Tchérina, the French drama L'amant de lady Chatterley/Lady Chatterley's Lover (Marc Allégret, 1955) opposite Danielle Darrieux, and I mafiosi/The mafia (Roberto Mauri, 1959).

In addition, Crisa had supporting parts in modern dramas, period pieces, and Musicarellos. In the early 1960s, Crisa acted in several Peplums like Cartagine in fiamme/Carthage in Flames (Carmine Gallone, 1960) starring Pierre Brasseur, and other historical or mythological films with musclemen like Ed Fury, Gordon Mitchell, and Mark Forest.

He appeared in one episode of the Angelique series starring Michèle Mercier, Angélique et le Sultan/Angelique and the Sultan (Bernard Borderie, 1968), and played the inspector in the crime thriller Plein soleil/Purple Noon (René Clement, 1960) starring Alain Delon. He also appeared in such Spaghetti Westerns as Sugar Colt (Franco Giraldi, 1966), credited as James Parker.

In 1968, Erno Crisa suddenly died in Rome at the age of 54. He is buried in the cemetery of Casalpusterlengo, near Lodi, next to his wife Giuseppina Ferri.


Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano, no. 356.


Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano, no. 405.

Sources: Wikipedia (Italian and English) and IMDb.