biography
Alan Steel was born Sergio Ciani in Rome, Italy, on September 7, 1935. While many Hercules actors were American bodybuilders, the handsome Steel
began his acting career as a stand-in for Steve Reeves and later played second banana to such sword and sandal actors
as Brad Harris. However, by 1964 Steel was starring in such peplums as Hercules Against Rome (1964). Another
starring vehicle for Steel, Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964) is one of a handful of sword and sandal movies to incorporate science fiction
into the sword and sandal genre. Reg Park's Hercules in the Haunted World (1961; with Christopher
Lee) and Gordon Mitchell's The Giant of Metropolis (1961) also blend sci-fi with sword and sandal.
Whereas sword and sandal films of the era (1958-1965) were largely made in Italy, most of the lead actors were from other countries. With the success of Steve Reeves' Hercules in the late 1950s, Italian producers scoured California seeking other bodybuilders with acting experience. At the time, physique culture was not as popular in Italy, which often relegated homegrown talent to a supporting role. However, Alan Steel and Kirk Morris, another Italian who found fame in sword and sandal epics, muscled their way through to starring status. Steel's first headline role in peplum was Samson and the Slave Queen (1963; with Pierre Brice and Moira Orfei), and his best-known film is Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964; with Jany Clair), as this film was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1992. His final peplum film was The Three Avengers (1964; with Mimmo Palmara and Rosalba Neri). |
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the films of alan steelSamson (1961)Samson and the Slave Queen (1963)     Stills from Samson and the Slave QueenHercules Against the Moon Men (1964)      LEFT and CENTER: Steel dukes it out with the rock-like moon men in his best-known film Hercules Against the Moon Men. RIGHT: Steel romances Jany Clair3 Avengers (1964) Steel as Ursus in 3 AvengersHercules and the Black Pirates (1964)   Promotional photos from Hercules and the PiratesHercules Against Rome (1964)   
  
LEFT: Original poster from Hercules Against Rome. CENTER and RIGHT: Images and video captures from the film, thanks to Alex Chirita. Note that, in profile, the bearded Steel bears a striking resemblance to Steve ReevesFast Hand Is Still My Name (1972) Alan Steel portrays the title character in the spaghetti western Fast Hand Is Still My Namelater yearsWhen the era of the sword and sandal film died out in 1965, Steel moved on to other film genres including the early giallo A... For Assassin (1966; with Mary Arden) and the spaghetti western I'll Die for Vengeance (1968; with Kirk Morris and Gordon Mitchell). His acting career appears to have wrapped up in the late 1970s with the sex comedy Baby Love (1979). Sadly, Alan Steel passed away suddenly on September 5, 2015, at the age of 79, just two days shy of his 80th birthday. It is unknown if Steel had surviving family members. |
filmographyFILM
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