William Ricciardi

{{Short description|Italian actor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = William Ricciardi

| image = Clark Gable, Tim Holt and William Ricciardi.jpg

| caption = Clark Gable, Jack Holt and William Ricciardi in San Francisco (1936)

| birth_date = {{birth date|1871|07|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sorrento, Campania, Italy

| death_date = {{death date and age|1961|02|16|1871|07|12|df=y}}

| death_place = Naples, Italy

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1922–1937

}}

William Ricciardi (12 July 1871 – 16 February 1961) was an Italian actor known for his role as Signor Baldini in San Francisco (1936).{{cite web |url=https://www.moviepilot.de/movies/san-francisco-2 |title=San Francisco |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Movie Pilot |publisher=Webedia}}{{cite book |first=Edward Baron |last=Turk |author-link=Edward Baron Turk |title=Hollywood Diva: A Biography of Jeanette MacDonald |url=https://archive.org/details/hollywooddivabio0000turk |url-access=registration |publisher=University of California Press |date=1 November 1998 |page=[https://archive.org/details/hollywooddivabio0000turk/page/364 364] |isbn=9780520924574}} He also appeared in the Phil Rosen film The Heart of a Siren (1926).{{cite book |last=Snyder |first=Sherri |title=Barbara La Marr: The Girl Who Was Too Beautiful for Hollywood |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzo8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT350 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |date=15 November 2017 |page=350 |isbn=9780813174273}} In Anthony Adverse (1936) he had a splendid cameo as the talkative coachman who converses with Adverse, played by Fredric March.{{cite book |last=Reid |first=John |title=Award-Winning Films of the 1930s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vaq_ClRbFf0C&pg=PA20 |publisher=Lulu.com |date=1 October 2004 |page=20 |isbn=9781411614321}}

William Ricciardi and Francesco Saverio were introduced by the actor Francesco De Maio and in 1889 they decided to initiate their own theatre circle.{{cite book |first1=Betty Boyd |last1=Caroli |author-link=Betty Boyd Caroli |first2=Robert F. |last2=Harney |first3=Lydio F. |last3=Tomasi |title=The Italian Immigrant Woman in North America: Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Conference of the American Italian Historical Association Held in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) October 28 and 29, 1977 in Conjunction with the Canadian Italian Historical Association |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XaAKAQAAIAAJ |publisher=Multicultural History Society of Ontario |year=1978 |page=363 |isbn=9780969091608}} Tony Perry thought of Ricciardi for Tom in Child of Manhattan.{{cite book |last=Jacobs |first=Diane |title=Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYA0EUvL7FMC&pg=PA80 |publisher=University of California Press |year=1992 |page=80 |isbn=9780520079267}}

He also played stage roles in The Great Lover as Farnald.{{cite book |last=Wearing |first=J. P. |author-link=J. P. Wearing |title=The London Stage 1920-1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=5vFEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA52 52] |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |edition=2nd |date=27 March 2014 |isbn=9780810893023}} He played Joe Malatesta in Mr. Malatesta for 97 performances.{{cite book |last=Wearing |first=J. P. |author-link=J. P. Wearing |title=The London Stage 1920-1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=5vFEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA104 104] |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |edition=2nd |date=27 March 2014 |isbn=9780810893023}} Tomasso was performed in Strictly Dishonourable (1929) 557 times.{{cite book |last=Wearing |first=J. P. |author-link=J. P. Wearing |title=The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2mYAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA98 98] |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |edition=2nd |date=15 May 2014 |isbn=9780810893047}}{{cite book |last=Monaco |first=James |author-link=James Monaco |title=The Movie Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s7MUAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA910 |publisher=Perigee Books |year=1992 |page=910 |isbn=9780399517808}}