Carl Nick Ciarfalio (born November 12, 1953) is an American actor and stuntman. He has appeared in over 300 film and television projects. He is best known for portraying the Thing in the Roger Corman produced, but unreleased movie The Fantastic Four.
Carl Ciarfalio | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carl Nick Ciarfalio November 12, 1953 Alhambra, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, stuntman |
| Years active | 1979–present |
Career
editCarl Ciarfalio started his career as a plumber's associate when he was invited by one of his wrestling associates to join him at Knott's Berry Farm as they were looking for big and tall actors to perform for audiences. Ciarfalio took the job for the summer, but he found himself enjoying it. "[W]ithin a couple of months I had a cowboy hat and a gun and I was on stage and people were applauding and laughing, and I told my parents, 'I'll go back to school one day'." He never did. He began appearing in numerous film and television projects over the years such as Fight Club, Mission: Impossible III and The Amazing Spider-Man.[1]
In 1993, Ciarfalio received a call to appear in a Roger Corman production. "They were looking for a stunt man. They were looking for somebody about six feet tall and weighed about 220 pounds or so...So, I went to the audition and we talked a little bit and they thought I was the guy, which was, you know, very cool." While the actor who was playing Ben Grimm (Michael Bailey Smith) was tall, he was unable to fit in the Thing suit and thus Ciarfalio found himself wearing the costume which he found "the hottest fucking thing" he ever wore.[2]
On October 20, 2014, Ciarfalio launched a Kickstarter campaign to have a biography book published. He reached his goal at $11,055 and in September 2015 published Stars, Stunts and Stories: A Hollywood Stuntman's Fall to Fame. The book was co-written by Teri Ryan.[3][4]
Filmography
editStunts
edit| Year | Title | Note |
| 1979 | B.J. and the Bear | Episode: "The Eyes of Texas"; Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 1984 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Episode: "Fearless Dotty"; Stunt performer |
| 1985 | Wes Craven's Chiller | TV movie; Stunt double: Paul Sorvino |
| 1985 | J.O.E. and the Colonel | TV movie; uncredited |
| 1988 | In the Heat of the Night | Episode: "Road Kill"; uncredited |
| 1988 | Simon & Simon | Episode: "First, Let's Kill All the Lawyers"; uncredited |
| 1989 | Fair Game | TV Pilot; Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 1990 | The Great Los Angeles Earthquake | TV movie |
| 1991 | They Came from Outer Space | Episode: "Play Doctor"; uncredited |
| 1991 | The Flash | Episode: "Alpha"; uncredited |
| 1991–1995 | Murder, She Wrote | 3 episodes; uncredited |
| 1992 | Quantum Leap | 2 episodes; uncredited |
| 1995 | Family Matters | Episode: "The Substitute Son"; uncredited |
| 1995 | Alien Nation: Body and Soul | TV movie |
| 1998 | Dallas: War of the Ewings | TV movie |
| 1998 | Babylon 5: Thirdspace | TV movie; uncredited |
| 1999 | Velocity Trap | TV movie |
| 2001 | 2001 ABC World Stunt Awards | TV special; Stunt coordinator |
| 2001–2003 | The Wayne Brady Show | 7 episodes; Stunt coordinator |
| 2003 | The Bold and the Beautiful | 1 episode; Stunt double |
| 2005 | The O.C. | Episode: "The O.C. Confidential"; Stunt performer |
| 2006 | ER | Episode: "Twenty-One Guns"; Stunt performer |
| 2006 | Without a Trace | Episode: "The Calm Before"; Stunt performer |
| 2012 | Fact Checkers Unit | Episode: "James Franco Is Preggers"; Stunt coordinators |
| 2014 | Isa | TV movie; Stunt coordinator |
| 2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | TV movie; Utility stunts |
| 2014–2015 | Justified | 2 episodes; Stunt performer |
| 2015 | Community | Episode: "Modern Espionage"; uncredited |
| 2015 | Rellik | TV movie |
| 2016 | Westworld | Episode: "Dissonance Theory"; uncredited |
| 2019 | The Adventures of Gin and Sapphy | Episode: "Pharoahs Catacomb Part Two"; Stunt Supervisor |
| Year | Title | Note |
| 1979 | Do It in the Dirt | |
| 1983 | The Osterman Weekend | |
| 1983 | D.C. Cab | |
| 1984 | Against All Odds | Stunt double: Alex Karras |
| 1985 | The Zoo Gang | |
| 1985 | Commando | |
| 1985 | To Live and Die in L.A. | Stunt player |
| 1985 | Runaway Train | |
| 1986 | Police Academy 3: Back in Training | |
| 1986 | Invaders from Mars | Stunt marine |
| 1987 | Number One with a Bullet | |
| 1987 | Extreme Prejudice | Uncredited |
| 1987 | Real Men | Stunt player |
| 1987 | Zebra Force | Stunt player |
| 1987 | Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Stunt player |
| 1988 | Aloha Summer | |
| 1988 | Beetlejuice | |
| 1988 | Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers | |
| 1989 | Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects | Stunt player |
| 1989 | Criminal Act | |
| 1989 | No Holds Barred | Stunt player |
| 1989 | Lock Up | |
| 1989 | Cage | |
| 1989 | Johnny Handsome | |
| 1989 | Glory | Stunt player |
| 1989 | Think Big | |
| 1990 | Lionheart | Stunt double: Voyo Goric |
| 1990 | The Hunt for Red October | |
| 1990 | King of New York | |
| 1990 | RoboCop 2 | Unnamed gun store robber |
| 1990 | State of Grace | |
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Stunt player |
| 1990 | The Rookie | |
| 1991 | Shakes the Clown | Additional stunts |
| 1991 | 29th Street | |
| 1992 | Leather Jackets | |
| 1992 | Wayne's World | |
| 1992 | Class Act | |
| 1992 | Rapid Fire | |
| 1992 | Sneakers | |
| 1992 | The Public Eye | |
| 1992 | CIA Code Name: Alexa | Stunt player |
| 1992 | Sweet Justice | |
| 1993 | Trouble Bound | |
| 1993 | Best of the Best II | |
| 1993 | Street Knight | |
| 1993 | Ring of Fire 2: Blood and Steel | Uncredited |
| 1993 | Joshua Tree | Stunt double: Beau Starr |
| 1993 | RoboCop 3 | Unnamed resistance fighter against OCP |
| 1993 | Private Wars | Direct-to-video |
| 1993 | CIA II: Target Alexa | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | |
| 1993 | No Escape, No Return | |
| 1994 | Monkey Trouble | Stunt player |
| 1994 | Direct Hit | Direct-to-video |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills Cop III | Stunt performer |
| 1994 | Zero Tolerance | |
| 1994 | Blankman | |
| 1994 | The Specialist | |
| 1994 | Stranger by Night | Direct-to-video |
| 1994 | A Low Down Dirty Shame | |
| 1994 | T-Force | |
| 1994 | Ring Of Fire 3: Lion Strike | |
| 1995 | For Better or Worse | |
| 1995 | Excessive Force II: Force on Force | |
| 1995 | Cover Me | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | Mallrats | |
| 1995 | Get Shorty | |
| 1995 | Drifting School | Stunt coordinator and stunt performer |
| 1995 | Chameleon | |
| 1996 | One Tough Bastard | |
| 1996 | Foxfire | |
| 1996 | Feeling Minnesota | |
| 1996 | Crossworlds | Direct-to-video |
| 1996 | Santa with Muscles | Stunt double: Don Stark |
| 1997 | Romy and Michele's High School Reunion | Stunt limo driver |
| 1997 | Batman & Robin | |
| 1997 | Lolita | |
| 1998 | Vampires | |
| 1998 | Out of Sight | |
| 1998 | Memorial Day | |
| 1999 | Angel's Dance | |
| 1999 | Fight Club | Stunt performer |
| 2001 | A.I. Artificial Intelligence | |
| 2001 | Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 | |
| 2001 | Corky Romano | |
| 2002 | Men in Black II | Uncredited |
| 2002 | Serving Sara | |
| 2002 | Leaving the Land | Stunt coordinator |
| 2003 | Daredevil | |
| 2003 | A Man Apart | |
| 2003 | Daddy Day Care | |
| 2003 | Bruce Almighty | |
| 2003 | Wonderland | Utility stunts |
| 2003 | Bad Santa | Stunt performer |
| 2004 | Starsky & Hutch | |
| 2004 | El Padrino | |
| 2004 | After the Sunset | |
| 2005 | Wedding Crashers | Stunt performer |
| 2005 | Shackles | Direct-to-video |
| 2006 | Mission: Impossible III | Uncredited |
| 2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | Reno 911!: Miami | |
| 2007 | Redline | xStunt performer |
| 2007 | Forced Alliance | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2007 | Shoot 'Em Up | |
| 2008 | The Hustle | Stunt coordinator |
| 2008 | Kemper: The CoEd Killer | Direct-to-video; uncredited |
| 2008 | Crazy Girls Undercover | Stunt player |
| 2009 | The Grind | Stunt coordinator |
| 2009 | Dark Moon Rising | |
| 2009 | Ballistica | |
| 2010 | Chain Letter | Stunt coordinator |
| 2010 | The Book of Eli | Stunt double: Joe Pingue |
| 2011 | The Green Hornet | Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 2011 | Kill the Irishman | |
| 2012 | The Amazing Spider-Man | Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 2012 | Total Recall | |
| 2012 | The Misadventures of the Dunderheads | Stunt performer |
| 2012 | Set Apart | Documentary short; Stunt performer |
| 2013 | Channeling | Stunt coordinator |
| 2013 | Extraction | Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 2013 | A Truth in Silence | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2013 | Out of the Furnace | Stunt performer; uncredited |
| 2014 | Ride Along | Precision driver |
| 2014 | Swelter | Additional stunts; Stunt performer |
| 2014 | Come Back to Me | Stunt coordinator |
| 2014 | The Extendables | Stunt coordinator |
| 2014 | Mercenaries | Stunt performer |
| 2014 | Isa | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2014 | Some Kind of Beautiful | Precision driver |
| 2014 | Tell | |
| 2014 | Taken 3 | Stunt coordinator |
| 2014 | The Spy Who Came to Brunch | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2015 | Frankenstein | Stunt rigger |
| 2015 | Tooken | Stunt co-coordinator |
| 2015 | Pontiac Angel | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2015 | Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness | Direct-to-video |
| 2015 | Chaser | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2016 | Meet the Blacks | Stunt coordinator |
| 2016 | Black Mass | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2017 | Wyrm | Short film; Stunt coordinator |
| 2018 | Searching | Stunt driver |
| 2018 | Almost Home | Stunt coordinator |
| 2019 | I Hate Kids | Stunt coordinator |
| 2019 | American Bistro | Stunt coordinator |
| 2020 | Big America | Stunt coordinator |
| 2021 | The Little Things | Uncredited |
| 2022 | Tribute | Stunt coordinator |
Actor
edit| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 1982 | Cannery Row | Tackle | |
| 1986 | Black Moon Rising | Ringer's Man #1 | |
| 1987 | Number One with a Bullet | Monte | |
| 1987 | Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Henchman At Roller Rink | Uncredited |
| 1989 | Licence to Kill | Warehouse Guard | |
| 1989 | Cage | Hood #1 | |
| 1989 | Think Big | Edwards | |
| 1989 | Lock Up | Prison Guard | Uncredited |
| 1990 | Fatal Charm | Cellblock Officer | Direct-to-video |
| 1991 | Eve of Destruction | Trooper Sergeant | |
| 1991 | The Perfect Weapon | Man In Alley | |
| 1991 | Scissors | Attacker | |
| 1991 | Out for Justice | Paulie | |
| 1991 | Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time | Policeman #2 | |
| 1992 | Freejack | Bonejacker #3 | |
| 1992 | Far and Away | Italian Boxer | |
| 1992 | Death Ring | Pax, Bar Bully | Direct-to-video |
| 1992 | Rapid Fire | Gunman | Uncredited |
| 1993 | Trouble Bound | Ted | |
| 1993 | The Hit List | Second Hitman | |
| 1993 | Bounty Tracker | Hook | Direct-to-video |
| 1993 | Excessive Force | Guard #1 | |
| 1993 | In the Line of Fire | CIA Agent Collins | |
| 1993 | No Escape, No Return | Bouncer At Club | |
| 1994 | Forced to Kill | Unknown | |
| 1994 | The Fantastic Four | The Thing | Officially starred |
| 1994 | Natural Born Killers | Mallory's Guard #2 | |
| 1994 | The Specialist | Ned's Thug In Hotelroom | Uncredited |
| 1994 | Stranger by Night | Hank | Direct-to-video; uncredited |
| 1994 | Ring of Fire 3: Lion Strike | Vito | |
| 1995 | Night of the Running Man | Thug | |
| 1995 | Scanners: The Showdown | Lobby Cop #2 | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh | Bartender | |
| 1995 | Casino | Tony 'Dogs' | |
| 1995 | Drifting School | Police #1 | |
| 1996 | Spy Hard | Thug #1 | |
| 1996 | The Trigger Effect | Security Guard | |
| 1996 | The Undercover Kid | Terrorist #2 | |
| 1996 | The Assault | Lou | |
| 1997 | Con Air | Con #1 | |
| 1997 | Executive Power | Thug | Direct-to-video |
| 1999 | BitterSweet | 'Puss' | Direct-to-video |
| 1999 | The Limey | Warehouse Thug | |
| 1999 | Fight Club | Lou's Body Guard | |
| 2000 | Traffic | Ruiz's Assistant | |
| 2003 | National Security | Stanton | |
| 2003 | Wonderland | Hit Man #1 | Uncredited |
| 2004 | The Whole Ten Yards | Goon #1 | |
| 2005 | Guess Who | Traffic Cop | |
| 2006 | Stump the Band | Guido | |
| 2008 | This Life | Man | |
| 2009 | From Mexico with Love | Jake | |
| 2009 | The Grind | The Punisher | |
| 2009 | Wrong Turn at Tahoe | Thug 3 | |
| 2011 | 3 Musketeers | Agent Flowers | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | The Misadventures of the Dunderheads | Pink Suit Gambler | |
| 2013 | Out of the Furnace | Man At Drive In | |
| 2014 | The Extendables | A.D. | |
| 2014 | Mercenaries | Driver | |
| 2014 | Chasing the Past | Zach's Boss (voice) | Short film |
| 2015 | Pontiac Angel | John Yoder | Short film |
| 2016 | Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel | Diamond | |
| 2019 | American Bistro | Man #1 |
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 1980 | |||
| 1980 | The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series) | Biker | Season 3: episode 15: "Long Run Home" uncredited |
| 1980 | The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series) | Swingtime Patron | Season 4: episode 4: "Dark Side" uncredited |
| 1981 | The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series) | Brad's friend | Season 4: episode 13: "The First: Part 2" uncredited |
| 1984 | The Fall Guy | Unknown | Episode: "Baja 1000" |
| 1985 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Henchman #1 | Episode: "A Relative Situation" |
| 1985 | Shadow Chasers | Thompson | Episode: "Parts Unknown" |
| 1986 | Magnum, P.I. | Scott, Second Hitman | Episode: "Summer School" |
| 1986 | Misfits of Science | Joe | Episode: "The Avenging Angel" |
| 1986 | The New Mike Hammer | Reed | Episode: "Mike's Baby" |
| 1986 | MacGyver | Gorman | Episode: "Silent World" |
| 1987 | Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife | Unknown | TV movie |
| 1987 | 1st & Ten | Mark | Episode: "The Bulls Change Hands" |
| 1987 | The Golden Girls | Black Crow | Episode: "The Housekeeper" |
| 1987 | Sledge Hammer! | Sokolsky | Episode: "Comrade Hammer" |
| 1987 | Man In Restaurant | Episode: "Vertical"; uncredited | |
| 1987 | Party Guest | Episode: "Hammer Hits the Rock" | |
| 1987 | Unknown | Episode: "Hammeroid" | |
| 1988 | Beauty and the Beast | Hopkins | Episode: "Temptation" |
| 1988 | The Incredible Hulk Returns | Barner | TV movie |
| 1988 | Dynasty | Truck Driver | Episode: "Broken Krystle" |
| 1988 | Falcon Crest | Fireman #2 | Episode: "Dust to Dust" |
| 1989 | Nick Knight | Pure Melrose | TV movie |
| 1989 | Falcon Crest | Deputy Sheriff #1 | Episode: "Charley" |
| 1989 | The Nutt House | Sailor #1 | Episode: "The Nutt Cracker Suite" |
| 1990 | Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase | Colin | TV movie |
| 1990 | The New Adam-12 | Gunman | Episode: "211 Cabs" |
| 1991 | They Came from Outer Space | Bruno | Episode: "Play Doctor" |
| 1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Rick | Episode: "Every Time We Say Goodbye" |
| 1992 | Married... with Children | Man | Episode: "Rites of Passage" |
| 1992 | Step by Step | Ted Davis | Episode: "Stuck on You" |
| 1992 | Baywatch | Riggs | Episode: "Princess of Tides" |
| 1992 | Red Shoe Diaries | Biker | Episode: "Double or Nothing" |
| 1993 | The Fire Next Time | Claude | Miniseries |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Gergen | Episode: "End Run" |
| 1994 | Babylon 5 | Poker Participant | Episode: "The Quality of Mercy"; uncredited |
| 1995 | Family Matters | Arm Wrestler | Episode: "The Substitute Son" |
| 1995 | Vanishing Son | Unknown | Episode: "Jersey Girl" |
| 1995 | The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise | Brother Bob | TV movie |
| 1995 | Renegade | Parking Supervisor | Episode: "Another Place and Time" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Sanders | Episode: "On Sacred Ground" |
| 1995 | Walker Texas Ranger | Computer Chip Dealer | Episode: "Whitewater Part 1"; uncredited |
| 1996 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Garrett | Episode: "If You Love Someone..." |
| 1996 | Baywatch Nights | Thug #1 | Episode: "Thin Blood" |
| 1996 | Sisters | Thug #2 | Episode: "Dreamcatcher" |
| 1996 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Bood Holland | Episode: "Lucky" |
| 1997 | Dark Skies | Supervisor | Episode: "The Last Wave" |
| 1997 | Melrose Place | Security Guard | Episode: "Screams from a Marriage" |
| 1997 | Spy Game | Roth | Episode: "What, Micah Worry?" |
| 1997 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Riley | Episode: "A Woman's Place" |
| 1998 | Babylon 5 | Drazi Vendor | Episode: "Meditations on the Abyss" |
| 1998 | Babylon 5: Thirdspace | Bar Patron | TV movie; uncredited |
| 1998 | Seven Days | Cadre Member #1 | Pilot: Part 1 |
| 1998 | The Practice | Officer #3 | Episode: "Line of Duty" |
| 1999 | Sons of Thunder | Cowboy Guy | Episode: "Daddy's Girl" |
| 1999 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Murphy | Episode: "Team Cherokee: Part 1" |
| 2000 | McKnight | Episode: "Turning Point" | |
| 2001 | 18 Wheels of Justice | Sal Primavera | Episode: "A Family Upside Down"; uncredited |
| 2001 | The Practice | Morris | Episode: "Vanished: Part 1" |
| 2002 | Alias | Vatican Guard | Episode: "The Prophecy"; uncredited |
| 2002 | Charmed | Huntsman | Episode: "Happily Ever After"; uncredited |
| 2002 | 24 | Marshall Goren | Episode: "Day 2: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m." |
| 2003 | Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt | Slim, The Henchman | TV movie |
| 2003 | The Agency | Sammy Banachi | Episode: "Spy Finance" |
| 2004 | Monk | First Goon | Episode: "Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather" |
| 2006 | The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman | Gunman | Episode: "Turning Manure Into Soy" |
| 2006 | Heroes | Jumpsuit | Episode: "Chapter Two 'Don't Look Back'" |
| 2007 | Day Break | Bus Driver | Episode: "What If It's Him?"; uncredited |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Hank Connors | Episode: "Leapin' Lizards" |
| 2010 | The Forgotten | Eric Boden | Episode: "Patient John" |
| 2011 | Mega Python vs. Gatoroid | Billy | TV movie |
| 2011 | CSI: NY | Carlo | Episode: "Party Down" |
| 2011 | The Mentalist | Officer #1 | Episode: "Strawberries and Cream: Part 1" |
| 2011 | The Whole Truth | Rikers Guard | Episode: "The End" |
| 2013 | Cleaners | 'Scarface' | Episode: "It's a Classic" |
| 2014 | Extant | Service Truck Driver | Episode: "A Pack of Cards" |
| 2015 | Community | Cook #2 | Episode: "Modern Espionage" |
| 2015 | Ominous | Cook | TV movie |
| 2016 | The GPS Zone | Randy | TV movie |
| 2020 | Shoot from the Hip | The Cooler | Episode: "Rage of the Phantom" |
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1993 | Ground Zero: Texas | Card Player #2 |
References
edit- ^ "The Unsung Stuntman: Carl Ciarfalio Takes a Bow". Beverly in Movieland. January 13, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Fowlie, David J. (October 11, 2016). "Interview with stunt actor/coordinator Carl Ciarfalio". Keeping It Reel. Wordpress. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Ciarfalio, Carl. "Stars, Stunts and Stories: One Man's Fall to Fame". Kickstarter. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Ciarfalio, Carl; Ryan, Teri (August 18, 2015). Stars, Stunts and Stories: A Hollywood Stuntman's Fall to Fame. Ryan Publishing Group. ISBN 9780986155277.