Speaking of
misidentified photos, I'm told that this nude photo from a 1975 issue of
Playgirl is of Italian film star Renato Salvatori (1933-1988). But I don't believe it. Too tall, too much chest hair.
Besides, there are plenty of beefcake photos of the real Renato Salvatori.
The handsome, boyish actor started out in historical dramas like
The Three Pirates (I tre corsari, 1952) and light romantic comedies.
Look for him in
Poveri ma belli (Poor but Beautiful, 1957), about two poor but beautiful boys (Renato, Maurizio Arena) triangulating their romance into a competition over a girl. With lots of soulful looks, suggestive touching, and semi-nude scens.
And
I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958), about four bumbling crooks planning to break into a pawn shop. There's some substantial buddy-bonding, as well as Vittorio Gassman in the boxing ring.
Rocco e i suoi fratelli (Rocco and his Brothers, 1960) returns to the triangulation theme, this time with two brothers, Rocco (Alain Deloin) and Simone (Renato), competing over a prostitute. Simone (Renato), who works as a male prostitute, is apparently bisexual.
Later in his career, Renato moved into dramas and thrillers.
No word on whether he was gay in real life. He was married in 1962, but soon separated. His two children, Giulia and Nils, both became actors.
