Emilio Vardannes, born Eduardo Vram Vardanyan (Constantinople, 1873 – Rome, 1951), was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter, and film producer of Armenian origin. A prominent figure in Italian silent cinema, his career was launched by his performance in Giovanni Pastrone's epic film *Cabiria* (1914). Specializing in character roles, often as an antagonist or an authoritarian figure, he became a recognizable face in the peplum and adventure genres. Among his numerous performances are his roles in several films of the Maciste series and in works such as *Il ponte dei sospiri* (1921), where he portrayed the doge. He later also moved behind the camera, directing several films and founding his own production company, Vardannes Film, with which he actively contributed to the development of the national film industry in the post-World War I era. He is primarily recognized for his pioneering role and his prolific work, which marked a fundamental era for Italian cinema.