Gianni Garko
Biography
Gianni Garko, also known by the names John Garko, Gary Hudson, and Gi, is an actor with ninety-three known credits. Born on July 15, 1935, in Zara, Dalmatia, Italy, which is now Zadar, Croatia, he moved to Trieste in 1948 to attend the acting school of the Piccolo Teatro di Trieste. He later moved to Rome to enter the Accademia nazionale d'arte drammatica. Garko began his career in the 1950s playing various genres, notably westerns and Italian-style comedies, and later devoted himself to RAI television films. He played the character Scamoggia, a party photographer, in the 1965 film Il compagno don Camillo, and co-created the spaghetti-western protagonist Sartana with directors Gianfranco Parolini and Giuliano Carnimeo.
Career overview
Gianni Garko was born in Zadar, Dalmatia, which was then Italy and is now part of Croatia. He moved to Trieste in 1948 to attend the acting school of the Piccolo Teatro di Trieste and subsequently relocated to Rome to enter the Accademia nazionale d'arte drammatica. His acting career began in the 1950s, during which he played roles across various genres, with a particular focus on westerns and Italian-style comedies.
As his career progressed, he became well known for giving life to the character of Sartana, serving as the protagonist in numerous spaghetti-westerns alongside directors Gianfranco Parolini and later Giuliano Carnimeo. Additionally, he appeared in the 1965 film Il compagno don Camillo, where he portrayed the character of Scamoggia, a photographer sent by the party to document events. In his later years, Garko devoted himself to working in films produced for RAI television.
According to archival and database records, Garko has accumulated ninety-three known acting credits throughout his career. His biographical profile includes alternative names such as John Garko, Gary Hudson, and Gi. He was born on July 15, 1935, with his birthplace officially recorded as Zara, Dalmatia, Italy, which is now Zadar, Croatia.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
92 titles- Dead Souls (2025) Writer
- Vamos a Matar - Storia e storie del western mediterraneo (2025) as Sé stesso
- Heads or Tails? (2025) as Mr. Rupè
- Aquel último tiburón (2025) as Self
- George Hilton - The World Belongs to the Daring (2019) as Himself
- Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends (2016) as Tancredi Lombardi
- Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… (2014) as Lui-même
- Giallo Western (2010) as self
- Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1 (2008) as Self
- Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern (2006) as Self
- Do You Remember Lucio Fulci? (2006) as Self
- Mondo Garko (2005) as Himself
- Western all'italiana (2004)
- Family Flaw (2002)
- Sergio Leone: cinema, cinema (2001) as Self - Actor
- Vivere (1999) as Pierfrancesco Moretti
- Mio padre è innocente (1997) as Luigi Ammannati
- Con rabbia e con amore (1997)
- Uno di noi (1996)
- Italian Restaurant (1994) as Henken
- Italian Restaurant (1994)
- Body Puzzle (1992) as Police Chief
- Una prova d'innocenza (1991) as Cremonese
- In nome del popolo sovrano (1990) as Nicolas Charles Victor Oudinot
- I promessi sposi (1989) as fratello gentiluomo
- Skipper (1987)
- Gila and Rik (1987) as Giovanni
- Black Tunnel (1986)
- Drei und eine halbe Portion (1985) as Fabo
- Devil Fish (1984) as Sheriff Gordon
- Hercules (1983) as Valcheus
- Babystrich im Sperrbezirk (1983)
- Amok (1983) as Le journaliste Breyten
- Il passo falso (1983)
- L'occhio di Giuda (1982) as Harry
- Lo scugnizzo (1979)
- The New Godfathers (1979) as Capitano Ivano Radovich
- Morte a passo di valzer (1979) as Jack Cheviot
- Dracula Blows His Cool (1979) as Stan / Count Stanislaus
- Star Odyssey (1979) as Dirk
- Encounters in the Deep (1979) as Mike
- Summer Night Fever (1978) as Jacky / Playboy
- The Psychic (1977) as Francesco Ducci
- Maldoror (1977) as Il regista
- Three Swedish Girls in Upper Bavaria (1977) as Otto Gruber
- Joy of Flying (1977) as Jörg Bronner
- Space: 1999 (1975) as Tony Cellini
- Seven Jackals (1974) as Luis
- The Heroes (1973) as Schreiber
- The Boss (1973) as Police Commissioner Torri
- Those Dirty Dogs! (1973) as Korano
- The Flower with Petals of Steel (1973) as Dr. Andrea Valenti
- the famous escapes (1972) as Benvenuto Cellini
- The Night of the Devils (1972) as Nicola
- His Name Was Holy Ghost (1972) as Holy Ghost
- Bad Man's River (1971) as Ed Pace
- They Call Him Cemetery (1971) as Camposanto / 'The Stranger'
- Cold Eyes of Fear (1971) as Peter Flower
- The Price of Death (1971) as Silver
- Waterloo (1970) as Drouot
- The Cop (1970) as Dan Rover
- Have a Good Funeral, My Friend… Sartana Will Pay (1970) as Sartana
- Light the Fuse… Sartana Is Coming (1970) as Sartana
- Tulips of Haarlem (1970) as Bernardo
- Sartana Kills Them All (1970) as Santana
- I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death (1969) as Sartana
- Five for Hell (1969) as Lt. Glenn Hoffmann
- Thunder from the West (1969) as Riccardo Cloro
- Lucrezia (1968) as Fabrizio Aldobrandi
- If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death (1968) as Sartana
- Taste of Vengeance (1968) as Bryan Clarke
- Red Roses for the Fuhrer (1968) as Alex Rostov / il tenente Mann
- Bloody Days (1968)
- $10,000 for a Massacre (1967) as Django
- Vengeance Is Mine (1967) as John Forest
- $1,000 on the Black (1966) as Sartana Liston
- Almost a Man (1966) as Michele's Brother
- Don Camillo in Moscow (1965) as Scamoggia
- Saul and David (1964) as David
- The Shortest Day (1963) as Uomo alla stazione (uncredited)
- Crazy Desire (1962) as Piero
- The Avenger (1962) as Turno, King of the Rusalie
- Pontius Pilate (1962) as Jonathan
- Eighteen in the Sun (1962) as Nicola Molino
- One Night at the Beach (1961) as Heinrich
- The Mongols (1961) as Henry de Valois
- Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules (1961) as Kathar - Kahab's Son
- Kapo (1960) as Karl
- Death of a Friend (1960) as Aldo
- L'isola del tesoro (1959) as Harry
- Hello, Hello Baby! (Rains) (1959)
- Cannon Serenade (1958) as Un altro ufficiale
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Gianni Garko best known for?
Gianni Garko is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Covered Wagon Raid (1950), Body Puzzle (1992), I promessi sposi (1989), Hercules (1983).
When and where was Gianni Garko born?
Gianni Garko was born on July 15, 1935 in Zara, Dalmatia, Italy [now Zadar, Croatia].
How many credits does Gianni Garko have?
Gianni Garko has accumulated over 92 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1958 to 2025.
What is Gianni Garko's background in cinema and television?
Gianni Garko, also known by the names John Garko, Gary Hudson, and Gi, is an actor with ninety-three known credits. Born on July 15, 1935, in Zara, Dalmatia, Italy, which is now Zadar, Croatia, he moved to Trieste in 1948 to attend the acting school of the Piccolo Teatro di Trieste. He later moved to Rome to enter the ...
Gianni Garko by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- I promessi sposi (1989) as fratello gentiluomo — aged about 53
- Space: 1999 (1975) as Tony Cellini — aged about 39
- Waterloo (1970) as Drouot — aged about 34
- Don Camillo in Moscow (1965) as Scamoggia — aged about 29
- The Psychic (1977) as Francesco Ducci — aged about 41
- Kapo (1960) as Karl — aged about 24
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