Actor. He was an Italian-born American film actor in the 20th century. He was a prolific actor, who was featured in more than 350 films and television productions. Originally, he attended medical school, planning to become a surgeon. Without graduating, he was tapped by filmmaker Dino De Laurentis for the 1947 lead role in "The Captain's Daughter", which was successfully released that year at the Cannes Film Festival. Born as Cesare Deitinger, he became a suavely handsome man at 6-foot 4-inches tall, who took the stage surname of "Donova." He was very athletic, participating in golf, track, master archery, tennis, polo, fencing, and flying airplanes. Besides his native Italian language, he mastered English, Spanish, French, and German. After having roles in nearly 20 European films, he immigrated to the United States in 1955, and was under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios the next year. First in 1959 he appeared in the film "The Man Who Understood Women," yet he will be remembered in the role of Apollodorus in the 1963 film "Cleopatra." He appeared in "Catch Me if You Can" in 1959, "Tender is the Night" in 1961, "Gidget Goes to Rome" in 1963, ""Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis Presley in 1964, "Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number" in 1966 and "National Lampoon's Animal House" in 1978. Starting in 1960 with "Wells Fargo," he had numerous television roles . In 1967, he had the role of Actor in the ABC television series "Garrison's Gorillas," which had only 26 episodes. His final television appearance was in 1992 as Father DiMarco in "In The Heat of the Night." He did have experience in stage work. He was married twice and had two sons with his first wife.
Actor. He was an Italian-born American film actor in the 20th century. He was a prolific actor, who was featured in more than 350 films and television productions. Originally, he attended medical school, planning to become a surgeon. Without graduating, he was tapped by filmmaker Dino De Laurentis for the 1947 lead role in "The Captain's Daughter", which was successfully released that year at the Cannes Film Festival. Born as Cesare Deitinger, he became a suavely handsome man at 6-foot 4-inches tall, who took the stage surname of "Donova." He was very athletic, participating in golf, track, master archery, tennis, polo, fencing, and flying airplanes. Besides his native Italian language, he mastered English, Spanish, French, and German. After having roles in nearly 20 European films, he immigrated to the United States in 1955, and was under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios the next year. First in 1959 he appeared in the film "The Man Who Understood Women," yet he will be remembered in the role of Apollodorus in the 1963 film "Cleopatra." He appeared in "Catch Me if You Can" in 1959, "Tender is the Night" in 1961, "Gidget Goes to Rome" in 1963, ""Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis Presley in 1964, "Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number" in 1966 and "National Lampoon's Animal House" in 1978. Starting in 1960 with "Wells Fargo," he had numerous television roles . In 1967, he had the role of Actor in the ABC television series "Garrison's Gorillas," which had only 26 episodes. His final television appearance was in 1992 as Father DiMarco in "In The Heat of the Night." He did have experience in stage work. He was married twice and had two sons with his first wife.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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