RIP Rick BoydItalian character actor, stuntman, author, screenwriter and poet Rick Boyd died in Ostia, Rome, Italy on October 7th. He was 76 years-old. Boyd, whose real name was Federico Boido was born in Novi Ligure, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy on March 8, 1938. He started his film career in Rome in 1957 where he was an uncredited stuntman during the Sword and Sandal boom. His acting career began with an appearance in 1964’s “Lost Treasure of the Aztecs”. He used the name of Rick Boyd when he appeared in “A Fistful of Dollars” where many of the Italian actor’s real names were Americanized and Federico Boido became Rick Boyd. Rick would go on to appear in over 60 films and TV appearances. He appeared in over 40 Euro-westerns and was one of the premier Italian villians of the genre. After he retired from the business he began to write poetry and in 2011 wrote the book “The Truth about the Death of Mussolini (views from a child)”.
Below is an interview with Rick by Umberto Cabell done in his hometown of Novi Liguria in 2012.
"You Umberto? Pleasure are Rick Boyd." Thus begins my fantastic meeting with Federico Boido, 74, the great Italian actor who had his beginnings in Novi Liguria that has hundreds of movies including "A Fistful of Dollars", "La Dolce Vita", "Titanic", "Pirates of the Caribbean,""The DaVinci Code",
"Angels and Demons " just to name a few to his credits. A multifaceted personality, to define him as an actor is very simplistic because he was also a journalist, writer, screenwriter, scriptwriter, theater director, painter and miniaturist. We decide to meet up in Rome in the beautiful grounds of the Eur area in the company of his friend Joan D'Urso historical make-up artist and also a writer of the show of his last book Beyond the Life that was proving a huge success.
Federico Boido in art Rick Boyd
We ask what memories he has of Novi Ligure: "Well I have been gone several years - he says -. I remember spending a lot of time at the newsstand in front of my aunts at the station. I also have an uncle there. I started being calling Rick Boyd when I filmed "A Fistful of Dollars". Because it was the first film of the western genre to be shown in the United States, many members of the cast and crew took on American names."
Federico Boido was often the villain, adds the factor - is that it's my face that led me to interpret the roles of this type. I have a face like a bad prson and I do not mind ... .anzi ... probably it was my luck! "
Then he told some curious episodes: "I offered an ice cream to Papa Wojtyla - he says - I met him when he was still a cardinal in Krakow on the set of "The Three Musketeers" in 1969. Then I saw him again in Rome in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. I was sitting at the bar Benito when he arrived, he saw me and he said, referring to my hat "What a good one but who knows how much it costs." So I made him wear one right away and I can say that from then on we formed a very strong friendship."
"I never thought he would become Pope - he adds - but even when he was a cardinal it was clearly understood his intent to try to unite the religions. A great man."
Then we talked of the actors with whom he worked and those that had the greatest impact.
"I liked to work a lot with Leonardo DiCaprio and James Cameron - he said - I knew them when I worked on Titanic. Among the most obnoxious people I've met Klaus Kinski I mention that I have never gone to a lot of genius. Let's say that it was one of those who spit in the pot where he had just eaten from and it bothered me a lot."
Then he made a revelation: "A separate chapter - he concludes - was Marlon Brando with whom he worked with in the 1960s. When I did, "Reflections in a Golden Eye" there was a scene in which Brandohad grazed his face. But he tried to touch my private parts. He was clearly a controversial sexuality."
BOIDO, Rick (Federico Boido)
Born: 3/8/1940, Novi Ligure, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
Died: 10/7/2014, Ostia, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Rick Boyd’s westerns – actor:
Lost Treasure of the Aztecs – 1964 (Tex)
Djurado - 1966 (Tucan/Duncah henchman)
Hallelujah for Django - 1966 (Jarrett henchman)
Ace High - 1967 (Foster)
The Bang Bang Kid - 1967 (Six-Finger Sykes)
Cjamango - 1967 (El Tigre henchman)
Django Kills Silently - 1967 (‘The Nervous One’)
Face to Face - 1967 (Sheriff of Purgatory City)
Payment in Blood – 1967 (Fred Calhoun)
Run, Man, Run – 1967 (Steve Wilkins)
The Ruthless Four – 1967 (Hal Brady)
And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars - 1968 (Roger Pratt)
I Want Him Dead - 1968 (Steve)
Once Upon a Time in the West – 1968 (man at way station)
Sartana the Gravedigger – 1969 (Bill Cochran)
Adios, Sabata - 1970 (Geroll)
Ballad of Death Valley - 1970 (Slim Craig/Slim Douglas)
Chapaqua’s Gold - 1970 (Billy George Black)
Django Defies Sartana - 1970 (Singer henchman)
Fistful of Lead - 1970 (Joe Fossit)
Have a Nice Funeral - 1970 (Jim Piggot)
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack – 1970 (Boida)
Blazing Guns - 1971 (Vern Crow/Crohn)
Bullet for a Stranger - 1971 (ambusher)
Drummer of Vengeance - 1971 (Deputy Burt)
Guns for Dollars - 1971 (Frank/Duke Slocum)
His Name was King - 1971 (Sam Benson)
His Name was Pot... They Called Him Allegria - 1971
Holy Water Joe - 1971 (gunman)
Joe Dakota - 1971 (Chuck)
Return of Sabata – 1971 (McIntock henchman)
Vendetta at Dawn – 1971 (Peter Fargas)
Everything for a Friend - 1972
Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity - 1972 (Blondie)
They Call Him Veritas – 1972
Where the Bullets Fly – 1972 (Capone henchman)
Another Try, Eh Providence? - 1973 (bandit)
Hallelujah to Vera Cruz – 1973 (Caquete)
Shanghai Joe – 1973 (Slim)
The Return of Shanghai Joe – 1974
Apache Woman - 1976 (Gary)
Westerns, Italian Style – 1968 [archive footage]