Photo: Photo originated with 20th Century Fox. BBDO (Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn) wrote the release re: Conte's NBC radio appearance. / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Richard Conte is one of those actors who never quite got his due from the history books, but once you've seen him work, you don't forget him. Born in Jersey City to Italian immigrant parents, he had a lived-in authenticity that made him the perfect face for postwar American crime cinema — the kind of guy who looked like he actually knew what trouble felt like. His run of films noir in the late 1940s and early 1950s, things like Cry of the City and The Big Combo, showed a brooding intensity that felt completely natural rather than performed. He's probably best remembered today for playing Barzini in The Godfather, and honestly that late-career role suits him perfectly — all quiet menace, no wasted movement. A genuinely underrated talent from a golden era of tough-guy cinema.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Richard Conte
- Name (Japanese)
- リチャード・コンテ
- Reading
- りちゃーど・こんて
- Born
- March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dog
- Origin
- Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
- Occupation
- film director / stage actor / film actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
- High school
- William L. Dickinson High School
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Richard Conte born?
March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975.
Where is Richard Conte from?
Richard Conte is from Jersey City, New Jersey, United States.
What does Richard Conte do?
Richard Conte works as film director, stage actor, film actor, television actor, actor.
Film director — see all → · Stage actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.