Alan Steel (1935-)

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. Today, the big claim to fame for Hercules Against the Moon Men is that the film was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1992.

the films of alan steel

Samson (1961)

Samson and the Slave Queen (1963)

Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)

The 3 Avengers (1964)

Hercules and the Black Pirates (1964)

Hercules Against Rome (1964)

Fast Hand Is Still My Name (1972)

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Whereas sword and sandal films were largely made in Italy and shot in Italian, 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.

When the era of the sword and sandal film died out in the mid 1960s, Steel continued acting in other film genres. His acting career appears to have wrapped up in the late 1970s.

alan steel films available from movies unlimited

The Film Crew: The Giant Of Marathon [DVD](1959) DVD
90 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; audio commentary; featurette.
The Giant Of Marathon [DVD](1959) DVD
Steve "Hercules" Reeves plays the musclebound hero who defends Athens from Persian forces. A horse with incredible stamina, a double-crossing siren, epic land and sea battles and Reeves' amazing physique highlight this sword-and-sandal winner directed by Jacques Tourneur ("Cat People"). 85 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Dubbed in English. Plays All Regions.
Hercules Unchained [DVD](1959) DVD
Steve Reeves returns as the mighty Hercules in another saga of muscles, maidens and monsters. Robbed of his memory, Herc is a prisoner of the lovely Queen of Lidia and must compete in the Contest of Giants for his freedom. 95 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed) Dolby Digital mono.
Samson [DVD](1961) DVD
Bodybuilder Brad Harris brings down the house as the strongman of Old Testament fame, splitting tree trunks with his bare hands, tackling whole legions of soldiers, and even battling fellow muscleman Hercules in a cross-theological showdown. With Walter Reeves, Mara Berni. AKA: "The Fury of Hercules," "Fury of Samson," "Samson vs. Hercules." 98 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Plays All Regions.
Samson And His Mighty Challenge [DVD](1964) DVD
Extremely rare Italian slugfest suits up four of the most popular sword-and-sandal musclemen from the early '60s--Samson (Nadir Baltimore), Hercules (Alan Steel), Maciste (Howard Ross), and Ursus (Yann L'Arvor)--as they combat an evil tyrant. Soundtrack: English (dubbed).
Hercules Against The Moon Men (1964)/The Witch's Curse [DVD](1962) DVD
In grand Herculean fashion, our hero (Alan Steel) comes to the aid of the good Samarians and battles the interplanetary menace of the Moon Men (who look like giant, lumpy Gumbys) and the wizard trying to help them revive their queen. Oh, and did we mention the sandstorm scene? Then, a 17th-century body-builder rips up a tree and descends to Hell to force a witch to remove her curse from his village. American muscleman Kirk Morris plays a Scottish shepherd in this Italian-made Maciste epic. AKA: ``Maciste in Hell.'' 163 min. total. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; trailers; art gallery; bonus short; featurette.
Hercules Against The Moon Men [DVD](1964) DVD
In grand Herculean fashion, our hero (Alan Steel) comes to the aid of Good Samaritans and battles the interplanetary menace of the Moon Men (who look like giant, lumpy Gumbys) and the wizard trying to help them revive her queen. Oh, did we mention the sandstorm scene? 88 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed) mono; theatrical trailer. Plays All Regions.
Hercules Collection [DVD] DVD
Four-disc set includes "Hercules" (1958), "Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules," "Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops," "Giants of Rome," "Hercules and the Captive Women," "Hercules, Prisoner of Evil," "Hercules and the Black Pirate," "Hercules the Avenger," and "Hercules and the Princess of Troy."
Hercules And The Pirates [DVD](1964) DVD
Sergio Ciani (billed as Alan Steel) is actually Captain Hercules in this rousing, Italian-made he-man marathon in which he fights the evil Black Pirate and Rodrigo, one of the governor's ruthless advisors while trying to win the hand of the governor's beautiful daughter. Will his sweaty labors earn him the love he deserves? This is one pirate film with muscles? With Rosalba Neri, Piero Lulli. AKA: "Hercules and the Black Pirate." Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Dubbed in English.

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filmography

FILM
Baby Love (1979)
Io tigro, tu tigri, egli tigra (1978) with Erika Blanc
Robin, frecce, fagioli e karate (1977)
Dagli archivi della polizia criminale (1973) with Gordon Mitchell and Edmund Purdom
Silent Horror (1973) with Carroll Baker
The Young Cowboy (1973)
Fast Hand Is Still My Name (1972) with William Berger
Slaughter on the Khyber Pass (1970)
Sapevano solo uccidere (aka Saguaro) (1968) with Kirk Morris and Gordon Mitchell
Addio, mamma! (1967)
Un Colpo da re (1967)
A come assassino (1966)
Samson and the Mighty Challenge (1964) with Howard Ross and Moira Orfei
Hercules and the Masked Rider (1964) (aka Goliath and the Masked Rider) with Mimmo Palmara
Hercules and the Black Pirates (1964) with Rosalba Neri
Hercules Against Rome (1964) with Daniele Vargas and Mimmo Palmara
The Three Avengers (1964) with Mimmo Palmara, Lisa Gastoni, Rosalba Neri, and Carlo Tamberlani
Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964) (aka Maciste and the Queen of Samar)
Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas (1964)
The Old Testament (1963) with Nando Tamberlani and Brad Harris
The Rebel Gladiators (1963) (aka Ursus, the Rebel Gladiator) with Dan Vadis and Gloria Milland
Samson and the Slave Queen (1963) (aka Zorro Versus Maciste) with Pierre Brice
The Fury of Hercules (1962) with Brad Harris
Samson (1961) with Brad Harris
Giant of Marathon (1959) with Steve Reeves Hercules Unchained (1959) with Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina, and Sylvia Lopez

links

Go to the Other Hercules Heroes page, featuring Paul Wynter, Peter and David Paul, Richard Lloyd, and Jacques Sernas.

Alan Steel Film Now Showing

Watch Alan Steel's 1964 sword and sandal epic Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)