Ivan Đerasimović (7 May 1938 – 14 March 2003), known professionally as Ivan Rassimov, was an Italian actor of Serbian descent. He was known for his roles in many genre films of the 1960s and 70s, often playing villains.
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Early life
Rassimov was born Ivan Đerasimović (Serbian Cyrillic: Иван Ђерасимовић) to Serbian parents Velimir and Vera Đerasimović (née Petrijević) in Trieste in 1938. His parents had moved to Italy from Yugoslavia the year of his birth.
He was educated at the Slovenian scientific lyceum (Gimnazija s slovenskim učnim jezikom) in Trieste, and served in Italian Army. After his discharge, he enrolled in the University of Trieste to study acting. He then moved to Rome, and found work as a model in photo comics.
Career
After working as an extra, Rassimov had his first significant role in Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires (1965), followed by a supporting role in Damiano Damiani's La strega in amore (1966). From 1967 to 1968, he was a leading man in a string of Spaghetti Westerns, credited as 'Sean Todd'. In 1970, he played Sandokan in The Tigers of Mompracem.
Despite his early stint playing heroes, Rassimov would mostly be cast in villainous roles, often in horror and giallo films. He worked with directors like Sergio Martino (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, All the Colors of the Dark, and Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key), Umberto Lenzi, Ruggero Deodato, and Joe D'Amato. He starred in two of Lenzi's cannibal films, Man from the Deep River (1972) and Eaten Alive! (1980), playing the hero in the former and the antagonist in the latter. In 1977, he appeared in Mario Bava's last film Shock.
Rassimov's career slowed during the 1980s, and he would retire outright at the end of the decade.
Personal life
Rassimov was the elder brother of actress Rada Rassimov (b. 1941). He was married to Greek makeup artist Efi Melessi, and had a daughter. He was previously in a relationship with Spanish actress Sara Montiel, whom he co-starred with in Esa mujer.
After retiring from acting, Rassimov worked for a publishing firm.
Death
Rassimov died of illness in Rome on 14 March 2003, at the age of 64. He was buried at Cimitero Flaminio.