24 September, 2009

VICTOR ISRAEL (1929-2009)


Frightening the tourists in Raul Artigot's THE WITCHES MOUNTAIN (1972)


Even though he only appeared in one Jess Franco film [DOWNTOWN HEAT-1990] I can't think of a more appropriate place to post this. Thanks to Nzoog for reporting the passing of this favorite Spanish character actor last week. Victor Israel was as prolific an actor as Franco is a director. He had a distinctive appearance with his slight frame, craggy face and ever-so-strange head which was balding on top but had electrified hair shooting out of the sides! His look alone was enough to produce a sense of unease. He could also be very funny. He should have been cast as some kind of creature in the LORD OF THE RINGS films and seemed to be a character who could have sprung out of the pages of Poe, Lovecraft or Stephen King.

Readers of this blog will remember him for his horror [the zombie priest in HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD] and Eurowestern [THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY] roles. He was an actor's actor who immediately commanded attention as soon as he appeared onscreen. A great, invaluable supporting player. Appearing in over 150 films [according to the IMDB-see filmography below] from TIERRA BRUTAL in 1961 to his final film appearance in 2007, he played all types of roles in film and television. A busy career.

Two of my favorite Victor Israel roles: the cemetery man in Miguel Madrid's GRAVEYARD OF HORROR (1971) and the bewildered innkeeper in the 1972 Raul Artigot occult thriller THE WITCHES MOUNTAIN.

What is your favorite Victor Israel role?



[From the IMDB]:
El Monte de las brujas (1972) -- A young couple traveling through the Pyrenees stays overnight at an ancient Spanish castle, only to discover that it is the headquarters for a coven of witches.
"I Spy" (1965): Season 2: Episode 24 -- Robinson and Scott scour Madrid to retrace events that led to the murder of Kelly's date (Zohra Lampert), a Soviet ballerina. Guest starring: Zohra Lampert, Lawrence Dane, Alan Oppenheimer, Lou Krugman, Shep Sanders
Horror Express (1972) -- An English anthropologist has discovered a frozen monster in the frozen wastes of Manchuria which he believes may be the Missing Link...
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Overview
Date of Birth:
13 June 1929, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain more
Mini Biography:
Victor Israel is one of the most prolific and ubiquitous, yet anonymous... more
STARmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Alternate Names:
Víctor D'Israel | Victor Israel
IMDb Resume:
Do you represent Víctor Israel? Add a resume and photos to this page with IMDb Resume.
Filmography
Jump to filmography as: Actor, Self, Archive Footage
Actor:

* 2000s
* 1990s
* 1980s
* 1970s
* 1960s

1. Sitges-Nagasaki (2007) .... Doctor
2. Goya's Ghosts (2006) .... Money Monk
... aka Los fantasmas de Goya (Spain: dubbed version)
3. Mola ser malo (2005)
4. "Paco y Veva" (2 episodes, 2004)
... aka "Paco y Veva (Somos jóvenes)" (Spain)
- ¿Nos conocemos? (2004) TV episode
- Duelo de cucharas en Cupido Palace (2004) TV episode
5. "Hospital Central" .... Agustín (1 episode, 2003)
- Cambio de planes (2003) TV episode .... Agustín
6. Cásate conmigo, Maribel (2002) .... Don Manuel
7. Vivancos 3 (2002) .... Borracho
... aka Dirty Vivancos III (International: English title)
... aka Vivancos III (Si gusta haremos las dos primeras) (Spain)
8. Mi casa es tu casa (2002) .... Jordi
9. El cielo abierto (2001) .... Abuelo Jazmina
... aka Ten Days Without Love (International: English title)

10. "La memòria dels Cargols" (1 episode, 1999)
- Lo Lleó de Santa Gueraula (1999) TV episode
11. Quince (1998) .... Quitamal
12. Tiempos mejores (1994) .... Taxista
13. Ciudad Baja (Downtown Heat) (1994) .... Vagabond
... aka La punta de las víboras (Spain: TV title)
14. Un plaer indescriptible (1992)
... aka Un placer indescriptible (Spain: Castilian title)
15. L'home de neó (1991) .... El profesor
... aka El hombre de neón (Spain: Castilian title)
... aka The Neon Man (International: English title)
16. Un submarí a les estovalles (1991) .... Travesti
... aka Un submarino bajo el mantel (Spain)
17. "Le gorille" .... Le majordome (1 episode, 1990)
... aka "Il gorilla" (Italy)
- Le Gorille dans le pot-au-noir (1990) TV episode .... Le majordome

18. Bueno y tierno como un ángel (1989)
19. El anticristo 2 (Magic London) (1989) .... Comisario
20. "Crònica negra" (1 episode, 1988)
- Mala llet (1988) TV episode
21. "13 x 13" (1 episode, 1987)
- La dama blanca (1987) TV episode
22. Adela (1987)
23. La veritat oculta (1987)
... aka La verdad oculta (Spain: Castilian title)
24. Una nit a Casa Blanca (1987)
... aka Una noche en Casablanca (Spain: Castilian title)
25. Los nuevos curanderos (1986)
... aka Els nous curanderos (Spain: Catalan title)
26. Más allá de la muerte (1986)
27. Escapada final (1985)
... aka Scapegoat (International: English title)
28. Acosada (1985)
... aka Acosada (Spain)
... aka Harassed (International: English title)
29. Al este del oeste (1984) .... Tumbas
30. Serpiente de mar (1984)
... aka Hydra
... aka Hydra-Monster of the Deep (International: English title)
... aka The Sea Serpent (USA)
31. Moment crític (1984)
32. Un genio en apuros (1983)
... aka Un geni amb l'aigua al coll (Spain: Catalan title)
33. Juana la loca... de vez en cuando (1983)
34. Morbus (o bon profit) (1983)
... aka Morbus (Spain: Castilian title: short title)
35. Asalto al Banco Central (1983)
36. El invernadero (1983)
37. El ser (1982) .... Gravedigger
38. Cristóbal Colón, de oficio... descubridor (1982)
39. La rebelión de los pájaros (1982)
... aka La revolta dels ocells (Spain: Catalan title)
40. Queen Lear (1982) .... Hobo
41. Rocky Carambola (1981) (as Victor Israel) .... Gangster jefe
... aka La criada se enamora (Mexico: subtitle)
... aka Le agarró la mano el chango (Mexico)
42. ¡Viva la Pepa! (1981)
... aka Mel i mató (Spain: Catalan title)
43. La cripta (1981)
... aka El misterio de la cripta embrujada (Mexico)
... aka The Crypt
44. Neumonía erótica y pasota (1981) .... Pepe
45. Virus (1980/I) .... Zombie priest
... aka Apocalipsis caníbal (Spain)
... aka Hell of the Living Dead (International: English title)
... aka Inferno dei morti viventi (Italy)
... aka Night of the Zombies (USA)
... aka Zombi 5: Ultimate Nightmare (Italy)
... aka Zombie Creeping Flesh (UK)
... aka Zombie Inferno
46. Denver (1980)
47. Viciosas al desnudo (1980)

48. Jaguar Lives! (1979) .... Sicilian party guest
... aka El felino (Spain)
49. "Doctor Caparrós, medicina general" (5 episodes)
- El mal de queixal s'encomana (????) TV episode
- Ja som aquí (????) TV episode
- Matemàtiques i futbol (????) TV episode
- Qui serà el nou alcalde (????) TV episode
- Visites d'urgència (????) TV episode
50. Cinco tenedores (1979)
... aka Five Forks
51. La profezia (1978) .... Giovanni
... aka L'osceno desiderio (Italy: alternative title)
... aka Le pene nel ventre (Italy)
... aka Obscene Desire (USA)
... aka Poseída (Spain)
52. Trampa sexual (1978)
53. Espectro (Más allá del fin del mundo) (1978) (as Víctor D'Israel) .... Tabernero
... aka Espectro (Spain)
54. Un hombre llamado Flor de Otoño (1978)
... aka A Man Called Autumn Flower (USA)
55. Dinero maldito (1978) .... Morgan
... aka I miei peggiori amici (Italy)
... aka Il braccio violento della mala (Italy)
... aka Killer's Gold (USA)
56. Me siento extraña (1977)
57. El jovencito Drácula (1977)
58. El pobrecito Draculín (1977) .... Vladimir
59. "Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein" (1 episode)
- Ich heiße Mabel (????) TV episode
60. Las locuras de Jane (1977)
61. Cuentos de las sábanas blancas (1977) .... Calixto - mesonero
... aka Tales of the White Sheets (International: English title: literal title)
62. "La saga de los Rius" (5 episodes, 1976-1977)
... aka "La saga dels Rius" (Spain: Catalan title)
- Episode #1.9 (1977) TV episode
- Episode #1.6 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.5 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.2 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.1 (1976) TV episode
63. El secreto inconfesable de un chico bien (1976)
64. Las ratas no duermen de noche (1976) .... Karl
... aka Crimson (USA: video title)
... aka Crimson, the Color of Blood (International: English title)
... aka L'homme à la tête coupée (France)
... aka Le viol et l'enfer des X (France)
65. Manuela (1976)
66. Bons baisers de Hong Kong (1975) .... Victor
... aka From Hong Kong with Love (International: English title)
67. "El quinto jinete" .... Topo (1 episode, 1975)
- El ladrón de cadáveres (1975) TV episode .... Topo
68. Pim, pam, pum... ¡fuego! (1975) .... Sr. Dimas
... aka Pim, Pam, Pum... Fire! (International: English title)
... aka Ready, Aim, Fire! (International: English title)
69. Clara es el precio (1975)
70. Il bianco, il giallo, il nero (1975) .... Man In Prison
... aka El blanco, el amarillo y el negro (Spain)
... aka Le blanc, le jaune et le noir (France)
... aka Samurai (Canada: English title: video title)
... aka Shoot First... Ask Questions Later (USA)
... aka The White, the Yellow, and the Black (USA)
71. "Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi" .... Basch Kiatib (2 episodes, 1975)
- Die Brüder Aladschy (1975) TV episode .... Basch Kiatib
- Die Entlarvung des Mübarek (1975) TV episode .... Basch Kiatib
72. La maldición de la bestia (1975)
... aka Hall of the Mountain King (USA: cut version)
... aka Horror of the Werewolf
... aka Night of the Howling Beast (USA)
... aka The Werewolf and the Yeti (Europe: English title: video title)
73. La perversa caricia de Satán (1975) .... Baron de Clanchart
... aka Le baiser du diable (France)
... aka The Devil's Kiss (UK)
... aka The Wicked Caresses of Satan (USA)
74. Zorrita Martínez (1975)
75. What Changed Charley Farthing? (1974) .... Christmas
... aka El tramposo (Spain)
... aka The Bananas Boat (USA)
... aka The Swindler (Philippines: English title)
76. El último proceso en París (1974)
77. La chica del Molino Rojo (1973)
... aka The Chorus Girls (USA: video title)
... aka The Girl from the Red Cabaret (USA)
78. Ricco (1973) .... Checana, the nightclub owner
... aka Ajuste de cuentas (Spain)
... aka Cauldron of Death
... aka Gangland (USA: video title)
... aka Mean Machine
... aka Ricco (USA)
... aka Ricco the Mean Machine (USA: DVD title)
... aka The Dirty Mob
... aka Un tipo con una faccia strana ti cerca per ucciderti (Italy)
79. Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli (1973) .... Giudà
... aka Even Angels Eat Beans (Canada: English title)
... aka Les anges mangent aussi des fayots (France)
... aka También los ángeles comen judías (Spain)
80. La isla misteriosa (1973) .... Pirate
... aka Captain Nemo (Spain: DVD box title)
... aka Jules Verne's Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo
... aka Jules Verne's Mysterious Island of Dr. Nemo
... aka L'île mystérieuse (France)
... aka L'isola misteriosa e il capitano Nemo (Italy)
... aka The Mysterious Island (USA)
... aka The Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo
81. La polizia incrimina la legge assolve (1973) .... Scorfano
... aka High Crime
... aka La policía detiene, la ley juzga (Spain)
... aka The Marseilles Connection (UK: video title)
82. Che c'entriamo noi con la rivoluzione? (1972)
... aka ¡Qué nos importa la revolución! (Spain)
... aka What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution (USA)
83. Trop jolies pour être honnêtes (1972) .... Le psychiatre
... aka Demasiado bonitas para ser honestas (Spain)
... aka Perché mammà ti manda solo? (Italy)
... aka Quatre souris pour un hold-up (France)
... aka Seduction Squad (USA: video title)
... aka The Powder Puff Gang (USA: alternative title)
... aka Too Pretty to Be Honest
84. Horror Express (1972) .... Luggage Worker
... aka Pánico en el Transiberiano (Spain)
... aka Panic in the Trans-Siberian Train (International: English title)
85. Treasure Island (1972) .... Morgan
... aka Die Schatzinsel (West Germany)
... aka L'île au trésor (France)
... aka L'isola del tesoro (Italy)
... aka La isla del tesoro (Spain)
86. Un verano para matar (1972)
... aka Meurtres au soleil (France)
... aka Ricatto alla mala (Italy)
... aka Summertime Killer (USA)
87. El Monte de las brujas (1972) .... Inn-Keeper
... aka The Witches' Mountain
88. Kill! (1971) .... Baron
... aka Kill! (West Germany)
... aka Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! (USA)
... aka Kill: matar (Spain)
... aka Police Magnum (France)
89. ¡Viva la muerte... tua! (1971) .... Manuel Mendoza
... aka ¡Viva la muerte... tuya! (Spain)
... aka Don't Turn the Other Cheek (USA)
... aka Long Live Your Death
... aka Viva la muerte... tua! (Italy)
... aka Zwei Galgenvögel geben Zunder (West Germany)
... aka Zwei tolle Companeros (West Germany)
... aka Zwei wilde Companeros (West Germany)
90. Necrophagus (1971) .... Mr. Fowles
... aka El descuartizador de Binbrook
... aka Graveyard of Horror
... aka Necromaniac (video title)
... aka The Butcher of Binbrook (USA)
91. Catlow (1971) (as Victor Israel) .... Pesquiera
92. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971) (uncredited) .... Cowardly coachman
... aka Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue (USA: complete title)
93. Aunque la hormona se vista de seda... (1971) .... Sebastián
94. Una chica casi decente (1971)
95. The Light at the Edge of the World (1971) .... Das Mortes
... aka La luz del fin del mundo (Spain)
96. El bosque del lobo (1971) .... Lameiro
... aka The Ancines Woods (International: English title)
97. Las melancolicas (1971)
... aka Exorcism's Daughter (USA)
... aka House of Insane Women
... aka Women of Doom
98. The Arizona Kid (1971)
... aka I fratelli di Arizona (Italy)
99. Uomo avvisato mezzo ammazzato... Parola di Spirito Santo (1971) .... Priest
... aka Blazing Guns
... aka El halcón de Sierra Madre (Spain)
... aka Forewarned, Half-Killed... the Word of the Holy Ghost
... aka His Name Was Holy Ghost (USA)
... aka They Call Him Holy Ghost
... aka Y le llamaban El Halcón (Spain)
100. Vamos a matar, compañeros (1970) (uncredited) .... Rosenbloom henchman with brown suit
... aka Companeros (USA)
... aka Laßt uns töten, Companeros (West Germany)
... aka Los compañeros (Spain)
... aka Zwei Compañeros (West Germany)
101. Persecución hasta Valencia (1970)
... aka Il sapore della vendetta (Italy)
... aka The Narco Men
102. Cabezas cortadas (1970) .... Doctor
... aka Cabeças Cortadas (Brazil)
... aka Cutting Heads (International: English title)
103. ¡Vivan los novios! (1970)
... aka Long Live the Bride and Groom (International: English title)

104. El abogado, el alcalde y el notario (1969)
... aka L'advocat, l'alcalde i el notari (Spain: Catalan title)
105. El ángel (1969)
106. ¡Viva América! (1969)
... aka Cry Chicago (USA: TV title)
... aka La vera storia di Frank Mannata (Italy)
... aka Mafia Mob
107. Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti (1969) (uncredited) .... Mayoralty candidate henchman with glasses, standing right beside him
... aka Alive or Preferably Dead
... aka Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid (USA)
... aka Sundance and the Kid
... aka Vivos o preferiblemente muertos (Spain)
108. Las crueles (1969) .... El portero
... aka The Exquisite Cadaver (USA: new title)
109. ¿Por qué te engaña tu marido? (1969)
... aka Why Does Your Husband Deceive You?
110. La residencia (1969) .... Brechard
... aka The Boarding School (International: English title)
... aka The Finishing School (USA)
... aka The House That Screamed (USA)
111. Comanche blanco (1968) (as Victor Israel) .... Carter
... aka Hour of Vengeance
... aka Rio Hondo (USA)
... aka White Comanche
112. Long-Play (1968) .... Hombre que ignora su existencia
113. ...e per tetto un cielo di stelle (1968) .... Innkeeper
... aka A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (USA)
... aka And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars
114. Una pistola per cento bare (1968) .... Barrett, Madman
... aka A Gun for One Hundred Graves
... aka El sabor del odio (Spain)
... aka Pistol for a Hundred Coffins (USA)
115. No somos de piedra (1968)
... aka We're Not Made of Stone
116. Un diablo bajo la almohada (1968)
... aka A Devil Under the Pillow
... aka Calda e... infedele (Italy)
... aka Le diable sous l'oreiller (France)
117. Killer, adios (1968) .... Dickson
... aka Killer Goodbye (USA)
... aka Winchester Justice (USA)
... aka Winchester One of One Thousand
... aka Winchester, uno entre mil (Spain)
118. O.K. Yevtushenko (1968) .... Trilby
... aka Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy
119. Operación Mata Hari (1968) .... Militar alemán bizco
... aka Operation Mata Hari (International: English title)
120. I tre che sconvolsero il West - vado, vedo e sparo (1968) .... Chef
... aka I Came, I Saw, I Shot
... aka Llego, veo, disparo (Spain)
... aka One Dollar Too Many (International: English title: TV title)
121. Bandidos (1967) .... Conductor#2 (the littler one)
... aka Crepa tu... che vivo io (Italy)
... aka You Die... But I Live
122. Después del gran robo (1967)
123. "I Spy" .... Taxi Driver #3 (1 episode, 1967)
- Blackout (1967) TV episode .... Taxi Driver #3
124. Sette donne per i MacGregor (1967) .... Trevor
... aka 7 Women for the MacGregors (USA)
... aka Siete mujeres para los Mac Gregor (Spain)
... aka Up the MacGregors (UK)
125. Mónica Stop (1967)
126. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966) (uncredited) .... Sergeant at Confederate Fort
... aka The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (UK) (USA)
... aka El bo, el lleig i el dolent (Spain: Catalan title)
... aka El bueno, el feo y el malo (Spain)
... aka The Good, the Ugly, the Bad (USA: literal English title)
... aka The Magnificent Rogues (UK)
... aka Zwei glorreiche Halunken (West Germany)
127. El aventurero de Guaynas (1966)
... aka Gringo, getta il fucile! (Italy)
... aka The Adventurer of Iguana (International: English title)
... aka The Tough One (USA)
128. Il grande colpo di Surcouf (1966)
... aka La vengeance du Surcouf (France: alternative title)
... aka Le retour de Surcouf (France: alternative title)
... aka Tonnerre sur l'océan (France: alternative title)
... aka Tonnerre sur l'océan indien (France)
... aka Tormenta sobre el Pacífico (Spain)
129. Hallucination Generation (1966)
... aka Hallucination
130. The Texican (1966) .... Wilkins the Station Master
... aka Texas Kid (Spain)
131. Yankee (1966) .... Sceriffo
... aka El yankee (Spain)
... aka L'americano (Italy)
... aka Yankee l'americano (Italy)
132. Surcouf, l'eroe dei sette mari (1966)
... aka El tigre de los siete mares (Spain)
... aka Los hermanos Surcouf (Spain)
... aka Surcouf, le tigre des sept mers (France)
... aka The Fighting Corsair (UK)
... aka The Sea Pirate (USA)
133. El Greco (1966) (uncredited) .... Mental patient
... aka El Greco (USA)
134. Espi... ando (1966)
135. Dinamite Jim (1966)
... aka Dinamita Jim (Spain)
... aka Dinamite Jim (Italy)
... aka Dynamite Jim (USA)
136. Sugar Colt (1966) .... Gravedigger
137. Huida en la frontera (1966) .... Andreas
138. Doctor Zhivago (1965) (uncredited)
139. Train d'enfer (1965)
... aka Danger dimensione morte (Italy)
... aka Operation Double Cross (USA: TV title)
... aka Trampa bajo el sol (Spain)
140. Muere una mujer (1965) .... Un policia
141. Die Hölle von Manitoba (1965) (uncredited) .... Clerk
... aka A Place Called Glory (USA)
... aka Glory City
... aka Place Called Glory City (USA)
... aka Un lugar llamado 'Glory'
142. Los cuatreros (1965)
... aka Shoot to Kill (USA)
... aka Texas Jim (USA)
143. La otra orilla (1965)
144. La llamada (1965)
... aka The Sweet Sound of Death (USA: dubbed version)
145. Circus World (1964) (uncredited)
... aka El fabulós món del circ (Spain: Catalan title)
... aka El fabuloso mundo del circo (Spain)
... aka Henry Hathaway's The Magnificent Showman (UK: complete title)
... aka Samuel Bronston's Circus World
... aka The Magnificent Showman (UK)
146. El salario del crimen (1964) .... Delincuente interrogado
147. Totò d'Arabia (1964)
... aka Totò of Arabia
... aka Toto de Arabia (Spain)
148. Playa de Formentor (1964)
... aka Beach of Formentor (International: English title)
149. La bella Lola (1962)
... aka Quel nostro impossibile amore (Italy)
... aka Une dame aux camélias (France)
150. Tierra de todos (1962)
151. Tierra brutal (1961)
... aka The Savage Guns (USA)





4 comments:

Tom B. said...

I don't think I have a favorite Israel role. He was excellent in every role he had, whether it was a small cameo or a larger supporting role. Like you said as soon as he was on screen he had your undivided attention. I learned his name early on and was always delighted to see him pop up on the screen. One of the best and sadly overlooked, as I can find no obituary, published in the Spanish presss. Thankfully for blogs word of his death has reached his large fan base. RIP

Douglas A. Waltz said...

This is an excellent tribute to a wonderful character actor. There are som many roles of his that I enjoyed. I would pick the priest from Hell Of The Living Dead as one of my many favorites of his. Thanks for such a wonderful tribute, Robert

Robert Monell said...

best and sadly overlooked, as I can find no obituary, published in the Spanish presss

Yes, it's easy to take him for granted. But he was really one of a kind.

Robert Monell said...

Thanks for the positive feedback, Doug. He was in so many films but always made on impression.