Luc Merenda

Luc Charles Olivier Merenda (born 3 September 1943) is a French actor and former model, known as was one of the most prominent leading men of Italian poliziotteschi films during the 1970’s.

Merenda’s film debut was a supporting role in Brazilian filmmaker Walter Hugo Khouri’s drama The Palace of Angels.

He subsequently played supporting roles in Law Breakers, Red Sun, and the Hollywood film Le Mans (all in 1971).

The director convinced Merenda to appear in a series of photo comics, which caught the attention of Italian producers and led him to be cast in his first starring role in a feature film - the Spaghetti Western Man Called Amen.

He has a significant breakthrough working with producer Carlo Ponti and director Sergio Martino in 1973, first as a co-lead in the giallo Torso, and then as the lead in The Violent Professionals.

After this, he retired from acting, though he made a cameo appearance in the 2007 American horror film Hostel: Part II, playing an Italian detective in homage to his B-movie roles.