---
name: "William Edmunds"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/william-edmunds"
fi1m_id: "william-edmunds"
imdb_id: "nm0249602"
tmdb_id: 95967
wikidata_id: "Q6476470"
roles: []
born: "1 January 1885"
died: "7 December 1981"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-09-25T02:58:16.696871+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# William Edmunds

## Identity

William Edmunds

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/william-edmunds
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** william-edmunds
- **IMDb ID:** nm0249602
- **TMDB ID:** 95967
- **Wikidata ID:** Q6476470
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Edmunds_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6476470, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0249602/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/95967

Actor. Born 1 January 1885 in San Fele, Basilicata, Italy. Died 7 December 1981.

## Details

- **Born:** 1 January 1885, San Fele, Basilicata, Italy
- **Died:** 7 December 1981
- **Active:** 1940–1946
- **Also known as:** William Edmonds, Billy Edmunds, Bill Edmunds, Michele Frondino Pellegrino, Michael Fondonia Pellegrino, Michele F. Pellegrino, Michael F. Pellegrino, Michele Pellegrino, Michael Pellegrino, Michele Giuseppe Pellegrino
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 2 acting, 3 other
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 71 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Romance 3, History 2, Adventure 1, Family 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $38m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Edmunds_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6476470, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0249602/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/95967

## Biography

William Edmunds was an Italian-American character actor, born Michele Giuseppe Pellegrino in San Fele, Basilicata, Italy. He performed on the New York stage before making his film debut in the short *Going Spanish* (1934). He moved to Hollywood in 1938 and appeared in more than seventy films and shorts, typically in supporting roles with ethnic accents, often uncredited.

Edmunds is credited as Lehman in *The Mortal Storm* (1940). He played Mr. Martini in *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946) and had small parts in *Casablanca* (1943), *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940), *House of Frankenstein* (1944) and *The Three Musketeers* (1948). His screen work continued until 1953, with television appearances extending to 1959.

He died in Los Angeles on 7 December 1981.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, catalog.afi.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (2)

- *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), Fi1m 91, as Mr. Martini — [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md)
- *The Mortal Storm* (1940), Fi1m 76, as Lehman — [page](https://film.one/film/the-mortal-storm.md)

### Also credited (3) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Casablanca* (1943), Fi1m 93, as Second Contact Man at Rick's (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/casablanca.md)
- *For Whom the Bell Tolls* (1943), Fi1m 58, as Soldier #1 (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/for-whom-the-bell-tolls.md)
- *Madame Curie* (1943), Fi1m 72, as Cart Driver (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/madame-curie.md)

## Complete filmography (67)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, as Papa Puccini
- *The Caddy* (1953), as Caminello
- *Double Dynamite* (1951), as Mr. Baganucci
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, Actor
- *The Lawless* (1950), as Mr. Jensen
- *Mr. Soft Touch* (1949), as Alex, Janitor (Uncredited)
- *Any Number Can Play* (1949), as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
- *Ringside* (1949), as Professor Berger
- *The Big Sombrero* (1949), as Don Luis Alvarado
- *The Three Musketeers* (1948), as Innkeeper-Landlord (uncredited)
- *The Pirate* (1948), as Town Clerk (uncredited)
- *13 Lead Soldiers* (1948), as Prager - Antique Dealer (uncredited)
- *The Lost Moment* (1947), as Vittorio
- *Where There's Life* (1947), as King Hubertus II
- *That Hagen Girl* (1947), as Corey (uncredited)
- *The Beast with Five Fingers* (1947), as Ingram's Servant Antonio
- *The Man I Love* (1946), as Uncle Tony Toresca (uncredited)
- *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), as Mr. Martini — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md)
- *Swamp Fire* (1946), as Emile Ledoux
- *The Well Groomed Bride* (1946), as Mr. Whortle
- *A Bell for Adano* (1945), as Tomasino - Fisherman  (uncredited)
- *Dangerous Passage* (1944), as Capt. Saul
- *House of Frankenstein* (1944), as Fejos (uncredited)
- *The Conspirators* (1944), as Blindman Vending Souvenirs (uncredited)
- *The Climax* (1944), as Leon, Theatre Concierge
- *Till We Meet Again* (1944), as Henri Maret
- *The Seventh Cross* (1944), as Aldinger (uncredited)
- *Madame Curie* (1943), as Cart Driver (uncredited) — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/madame-curie.md)
- *There's Something About a Soldier* (1943), Actor
- *For Whom the Bell Tolls* (1943), as Soldier #1 (uncredited) — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/for-whom-the-bell-tolls.md)
- *Background to Danger* (1943), as Waiter with Information (uncredited)
- *Edge of Darkness* (1943), as Elderly Sailor (uncredited)
- *Assignment in Brittany* (1943), as Plehec
- *Casablanca* (1943), as Second Contact Man at Rick's (uncredited) — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/casablanca.md)
- *Reunion in France* (1942), as Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
- *The Black Swan* (1942), as Town Crier (uncredited)
- *The Pied Piper* (1942), as Frenchman
- *Berlin Correspondent* (1942), as Hans Gruber
- *The Wife Takes a Flyer* (1942), as Gustav
- *Paris Calling* (1941), as 'Professor', the bar owner
- *They Met in Bombay* (1941), as Hotel Barber (uncredited)
- *A Very Young Lady* (1941), as Abner (uncredited)
- *Knockout* (1941), as Louis Grinnelli
- *Baby Blues* (1941), as Mr. Gubitosi
- *Forbidden Passage* (1941), as Illegal Alien Aboard Tugboat (uncredited)
- *Mr. & Mrs. Smith* (1941), as Proprietor Lucy's
- *You, the People* (1940), as Louie, the Janitor
- *Girls Under 21* (1940), as Tony Mangione
- *The Mark of Zorro* (1940), as Peón Selling Cocks (uncredited)
- *Escape* (1940), as White Swan Inn Waiter (uncredited)
- *Girl from Havana* (1940), as Ricco, the bartender
- *Stranger on the Third Floor* (1940), as Gardener (uncredited)
- *The Great McGinty* (1940), as Professor - Election Official at Gymnasium (uncredited)
- *The Mortal Storm* (1940), as Lehman — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-mortal-storm.md)
- *Earthbound* (1940), as Chris
- *Strange Cargo* (1940), as Dock Watchman (uncredited)
- *Know Your Money* (1940), as Samuel 'The Dutchman' Welker
- *He Married His Wife* (1940), as Waiter
- *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940), as Waiter (uncredited)
- *Everything Happens at Night* (1939), as Hotel Clerk
- *Geronimo* (1939), as Scout
- *The Rains Came* (1939), as Mr. Das
- *Nurse Edith Cavell* (1939), as Albert
- *Fixer Dugan* (1939), as Smiley
- *Idiot's Delight* (1939), as Dumptsy
- *Shadow of Doubt* (1935), as Butler
- *Going Spanish* (1934), as Gaucho

## Gallery

- ![William Edmunds](https://film.one/media/person/386171/gallery-de222552002d.jpg) William Edmunds — film screenshot (Paramount Pictures), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/William_Edmunds_in_Swamp_Fire.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![William Edmunds](https://film.one/media/person/386171/gallery-d33772cea3d4.jpg) William Edmunds — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/william-edmunds