Bartolomeo Pagano

Italian strongman Bartolomeo Pagano, whose remarkable physical prowess and cinematic presence earned him the iconic role of Maciste in the groundbreaking silent film Cabiria (1914). So impressed was Pagano with his portrayal of this mighty character that he adopted the moniker Maciste as his own stage name, going on to star in a succession of films over the next 14 years, cementing his status as a beloved and enduring screen presence.