MovieChat Forums > Midnight Express (1978) Discussion > The Turkish warden actor is a nice guy i...

The Turkish warden actor is a nice guy in real life?

posted 15 years ago by jeffyoung1
15 replies | jump to latest

I read many years later that the man who played the ugly, brutal, sadistic Turkish prison warden is some normal dude from New York. His problem was that he was too realistic in his acting. People mistook his movie character for his real personality. He was a hated man. It's so ironic in Hollywood. So many Hollywood 'villains' were reputedly very nice guys in real life. But they looked mean, tough, and vicious, which pegged them as villainous movie character types. Every time I research some past Hollywood villain, writeups describe the guy as a real nice dude in real life. LOL.

[–] reservoirdog1986 15 years ago

yeah, its frequent that the actors who portray villains are very nice in real life and the actors who portray heroes are asses.

[–] EdsDiner 15 years ago

A few years ago I saw a short interview clip with Paul L Smith who plays the warden, he had a strong New York accent, and was saying that even off filming he would scare Brad Davis. Guess it shows the great acting from both actors

[–] stevenackerman69 15 years ago

Well, Paul L. Smith, who played Hamidou, was just acting. He also played Bluto in Popeye and seemed mean there too. Just because you play a bad guy in a film doesn't mean you aren't nice. It is the same thing with talented singers, like Robert Goulet, who was a nasty SOB to some people.

[–] Polaris01313-1 15 years ago

I read an interview with Paul L. Smith some years back, and he seems like a real cool dude. It would be great if he played more heroic characters, like he did before he was in Midnight Express.

[–] buchan1965 15 years ago

He's also in the movie "The In-Laws" (the original 1979 version, not the crappy remake). He plays one of the hired thugs keeping guard outside Peter Falk's office building. I was stunned to discover he's an American -- he seemed so convincing as a Turkish thug.

[–] ztpt 15 years ago

he looks like James Gandolfini:P

[–] Edward_de_Vere 15 years ago

Why are so many people unable to distinguish films from reality? That's the only explanation for the "shock" they feel when they find out that TV's Mr. Evil is really a nice man or TV's hero/Mr. Nice guy is a nasty SOB.

Just because an actor portrays a villain or a hero in a movie convincingly doesn't mean that he has to be either in life. In fact, a competent actor should be able to do both equally well. It ought to be self-evident, but for some folks...

[–] kdolgener 14 years ago

He also played the nasty "The Beast" Raben in Dune....

[–] lawrence142002 13 years ago

I hear he's retired now living in Israel with his wife.

Dr. Cynic Has Spoken

[–] Gmork76 13 years ago

Yes, The Beast Rabban. Doesn't say many words in Dune but he sure is a haunting presence there as well, he's eyes are so evil.
Gecmic olsun ayip!

[–] THOMASSU 11 years ago

It was the same for William Smith, who played Falconetti in Rich man, Poor man. Oh, how we hated that character.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe..." - Roy Batty, Blade Runner

[–] matthewcs25 10 years ago

That's a sign of a great actor.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jbartelone 10 years ago

The real head warden that Paul Smith played, Hamidou, was actually shot to death outside a coffee shop in Turkey. I think Billy says in his book he treated him badly, but nowhere near what Hamidou did in the movie.

I don't think in the movie, Hamidou is called by name.

Joe

[–] okc_rn 8 years ago

According to the biography on Imdb.com on Paul Smith

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809544/?ref_=tt_cl_t5

Born: June 24, 1936 in Everett, Massachusetts, USA
Died: April 25, 2012 (age 75) in Ra'anana, Israel

He has an impressive list as an actor, not all parts were heavies. He was on Hawaii Five-O, Barney Miller, Chips, Emergency, Have Gun will Travel. How could such a person be a bad guy.

The biograhy also mentions he immigrated to Isreal and adopted the hewbrew name Adam Eden.