I met Robert Davi at Collectormania in Milton Keynes in 2005. He signed my Sideshow model of Franz Sanchez, a photograph and also my Corgi model of the Kenworth tanker. Sanchez is killed when the tanker he is driving is blown up by 007.
Robert Davi originally trained as an opera singer but was later drawn to acting, appearing on stage over 400 times in various roles, including Shakespeare, whilst a drama student.
I enjoyed meeting Robert Davi and found him to be extremely friendly. When he saw me he said, "Ah! James Bond, I tried to kill you," to which I replied, "Yes, but I killed you first!"
Robert Davi as Franz Sanchez (with his pet iguana)
in Licence To Kill
New York born of Italian parents, Robert Davi is mainly known for playing 'bad guy' characters, and his rugged features make him ideal for roles like Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard (1988), with Bruce Willis.
Away from acting, Robert Davi is a family man (he has 5 children) who enjoys scuba diving, motor cycling, writing and a big cigar!
Cubby Broccoli offered Davi his most famous role as the villainous, Columbian drug baron, Franz Sanchez, in Licence To Kill (1989) with Timothy Dalton as 007. The climax of this film is the tanker chase with Sanchez eventually blown up in the one that he is driving.
His first professional part was in a TV production Contract On Cherry Street (1977) with Frank Sinatra.
Another role which won Robert Davi much praise, was as FBI profiler, Bailey Malone, in Profiler, a TV thriller which ran from 1996 to 2000.
Robert Davi signed this photograph for me
at Collectormania
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Robert Davi