Before his face became a symbol of the French crime film, Lino Ventura entered the ring. His large figure, fixed gaze and restrained presence first served him in professional wrestling, where he reached the European title. An injury in 1950 ended his sports career, but a few years later the same physique took him in front of the camera.
Ventura was born on July 14, 1919 in Parma with the name Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura. In 1927 he arrived in France and grew up in Paris. He left school early, worked in various jobs, and after his sports career ended, he began organizing wrestling matches. It was then that director Jacques Becker chose him for a small role in “Lesser le Plage“.
The first role is opposite Jean Gabin
The 1954 film brought him face to face with Jean Gabin, his idol and future friend. Ventura played one of the people of the criminal world, but his presence was so strong that new offers followed. The two made five films together, and their relationship gradually turned into one of the most memorable friendships in French cinema.
The breakthrough came in 1958 with “The Gorilla Greets You“, in which Ventura played the role of a special services agent. This was followed by “Class Struggle“, “Taxi to Tobruk“, “The Dirty Dozen“, “The Second Sip“, “The Adventurers“ and “The Sicilian Clan“. For a long time, directors have been looking for him for images of tough men - policemen, gangsters and veterans who don't talk much, but carry the weight of the whole story.
In “The Adventurers“ he plays alongside Alain Delon, and in “The Dirty Dozen“ he appears in a comedic criminal world, where his harsh appearance contrasts with absurd humor. In “Army of Shadows“ by Jean-Pierre Melville, he recreates a leader of the French Resistance - a role that shows that behind the familiar image of the “tough man“ there is also an actor with a great inner range.
Cinema and life off screen
Ventura never received a classical acting education and himself emphasizes his instinctive approach to the profession. “I am just an instinctive comedian“, he says in one of his interviews. He does not feel confident on stage and therefore remains almost entirely devoted to cinema.
In 1982, he was nominated for the “César“ award for best actor for his role as Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables“. Among his late strong performances is Inspector Antoine Gallien in “Interrogation“, where he partnered with Michel Serra and Romy Schneider.
Outside the cinema, his most significant legacy begins with a personal family story. His daughter Linda was disabled, and in 1965 Ventura made a television appeal to society. "I am the father of a child who is different," he said. A year later, together with his wife Odette, he founded "Pers-Neiges" - an organization that supports people with disabilities and their families.
Lino Ventura died on October 22, 1987 in Saint-Cloud after a heart attack. He was 68 years old. So the date sometimes given as October 23, 1986 is inaccurate - his death was in 1987, a day earlier.
However, his name remains alive not only in "The Second Sip", "The Sicilian Clan" and "Interrogation". It remains in that unusual path from the wrestling ring to the big screen, as well as in the cause that turns a father's personal anxiety into a long-term public work.
Sources: latimes.com, elpais.com, ina.fr