The blue-eyed well-built Italian actor, once a painting photographer, turns 69 today! Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense (province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna). He grew up in Bedonia and in Milan. He studied briefly at the Economy and Trade faculty of the local university, before leaving to study at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. During that time, he was appearing in popular Italian photo-novels. This gave him a chance to gain a little role in Carlo Lizzani's La Celestina P... R... (1965).

A year later, the handsome face of Nero was noticed by John Huston who chose him for the role of "Abel" in The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966) (aka La Bibbia). But success came after he got the role of the lonely gunfighter, dragging a coffin in one of the best spaghetti-westerns; Sergio Corbucci's Django (1966). Nero then filmed a few other westerns of that style as Ferdinando Baldi's Goodbye Texas (1967) and Lucio Fulci's Massacre Time (1966) and furthered his career by filming in all genres of the cinema and TV.

During filming of Joshua Logan's Camelot (1967), he met actress Vanessa Redgrave, who become his long-time partner. Played with Catherine Deneuve in Luis Buñuel's Tristana (1970) and with Sergei Bondarchuk in the war drama The Battle of Neretva (1969). Later, director Bondarchuk cast Nero for the role of famous American reporter John Reed in two-part Krasnye kolokola II (1982).

In the late 60s and during the 70s, Nero played many different roles, but most of them connected with political and criminal genre, criticized Italian justice system. In the early 80s, Nero was chosen for the role of the white ninja, "Cole", in Enter the Ninja (1981) and in 1990 as terrorist "Gen. Esperanza", opposite Bruce Willis in Renny Harlin's Die Hard 2 (1990).

Nero still participates in various theatrical events. He recently received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Canada. Long Live the legend!

FridayMoviez wishes Franco Nero a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!