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Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

39

Gender

Male

Birthday

1941-08-07

Day of Death

2019-08-30 (78 years old)

Place of Birth

Ollolai, Nuoro, Italia

Also Known As

Francesco Columbu

Franco Columbu

Biography

An Italian born former bodybuilder, actor and author. Despite his short statue at 5 ft 5 (165cm) he won Mr. Olympia bodybuilding in 1976 and 1981. During a competition in Munich in 1965, he met Arnold Schwarzenegger and the two of them got very close. After Arnolds relocation to USA, he brought Franco over not long after because he missed his best friend. It was a friendship that would last for 54 years til Franco'a death. Franco Columbo's would participate in several minor roles in movies after his US entry, acting along side Schwarzenegger in a few of his motion pictures. Although he held a US residence and lived there since the 1970's, Columbu would often travel back home to Sardinia on vacation, and it was there he ultimately passed away at the age of 78.

Known For

Acting

The Terminator

1984

The Terminator

as

Future Terminator

The Comeback

1980

The Comeback

as

Self

Pumping Iron

1977

Pumping Iron

as

Self

Stay Hungry

1976

Stay Hungry

as

Franco Orsini (uncredited)

Ancient Warriors

2003

Ancient Warriors

as

Aldo Paccione

Beretta's Island

1994

Beretta's Island

as

Franco Armando Beretta

Conan the Barbarian

1982

Conan the Barbarian

as

Pictish Scout

Perduta

1991

Perduta

as

L'americano

Desperate Crimes

1993

Desperate Crimes

as

Nerescu

Big Top Pee-wee

1988

Big Top Pee-wee

as

Otto the Strongman

Getting Physical

1984

Getting Physical

as

Himself

Taken Alive

1994

Taken Alive

as

Enrico Costa

Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons

2024

Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons

as

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

One More Round

2015

One More Round

as

Franco Turelli

Raw Iron: The Making of 'Pumping Iron'

2002

Raw Iron: The Making of 'Pumping Iron'

as

Self - Mr. Olympia 1981

The Running Man

1987

The Running Man

as

911 Security Officer #2

Herakles

1962

Herakles

as

Predator

1987

Predator

as

Medic (uncredited)

Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt

as

Doctor's Assistant (uncredited) (segment "The Switch")

Production

Crew

Directing