Introduction
Alan Furlan (13 April 1920 – 14 May 1997) was an Italian-American actor.
Biography
Born Aleardo Furlan in Farla, in the North Friuli region of Italy, Furlan acted in films in Europe and the United States, on Broadway and in commercials.
On Broadway he appeared in productions such as Holiday for Lovers (1957), The Best House in Naples (1956), Idiot's Delight (1951) and Romeo and Juliet (1951) starring Olivia de Havilland. In the late 1940s, he performed in Chicago area summer stock theaters with actors such as Richard Kiley.
Furlan played the role of Giancarlo in the Italian film Donatella (1956) which was selected for competition at the Berlin Film Festival. He appeared in numerous live broadcast anthology drama television series with lead roles in episodes of Police Call, one of the top grossing television series released in 1955, as well as a supporting role in the Producers' Showcase production (1957) of the melodramatic comedic Broadway play The Great Sebastians, starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanneand the Armstrong Circle Theatre episode The Sound of Violence: The Jukebox Racket (1959).
He toured with Mae West as her Latin lover in Come On Up, Ring Twice and performed in the TV version of the Moon and Sixpence with Laurence Olivier (1959).
Furlan later became the mentor of Wisconsin's Sunset Playhousewhere he remained artistic director for 28 years.
Personal life
He was married to Mary Lake and they had a daughter Nicola Lea.
Filmography
- The Sinner (1959), aka La peccatrice del deserto (original title Italy); aka Desert Desperados (USA title)
- Armstrong Circle Theatre, (1959) The Sound of Violence: The Jukebox Racket
- Producers' Showcase, The Great Sebastians (1957)
- Defend My Love (1956), aka Difendo il mio amore (original title Italy)
- War and Peace (1956 film)
- I tre moschettieri (1956, TV series); aka The Three Musketeers (USA title)
- Donatella (1956)
- Police Call (1955)
- La tua donna (1954)
- Orient Express (1953); episode His Son (aka His Boy)
Broadway stage work
- Holiday for Lovers (1957)
- The Best House in Naples (1956)
- Idiot's Delight (1951)
- Romeo and Juliet (1951)