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- Gianna Maria Canale was born on 12 September 1927 in Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy. She was an actress, known for Clash of Steel (1962), Theodora, Slave Empress (1954) and Dead Woman's Kiss (1949). She was married to Riccardo Freda. She died on 13 February 2009 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Sicilian born actor/writer/director was very popular with European audiences, but largely unknown to the west apart from his portrayal of the villainous SPECTRE agent "Emilio Largo" in the spectacular James Bond film Thunderball (1965). However, due to his heavy accent, Celi's voice was dubbed by Robert Rietty. Two years later Celi popped up in the appalling James Bond spoof Operation Kid Brother (1967) starring Neil Connery brother of Sean Connery.
Additional to his many film appearances in Italian productions, Celi spent many years on stage in South America to very positive reviews, and directed three films made in South America, Caiçara (1950), Tico-Tico no fuba (1952)_ and L'Alibi (1969)_.
He passed away on February 19th 1986 from a heart attack.- Guido Mannari was born on 13 December 1944 in Rosignano Marittimo, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Caligula (1979), The Decameron (1971) and Il medium (1980). He died on 10 August 1988 in Rosignano Marittimo, Tuscany, Italy.
- Director
- Actor
Under the direction of Vittorio De Sica, Carlo Battisti left a remarkable mark in cinema history as the lead character in Umberto D. (1952), an Italian Neo-Realist classic about an elderly man who wanders through Rome with his dog Flike while trying to survive the Italy of post WWII. He was born on 10 October, 1882 in Trento - then an Austro-Hungary territory that later became part of Italy during the war years.
He wasn't an actor by trade, in fact, he was a Linguistic professor. At the age of 70, De Sica discovered Battisti and chose him for the lead role in Umberto D. (1952), who didn't want a professional actor for the role, wanting to give a more realistic approach to the story just like Rossellini did with his films in the late 1940's. Battisti received excellent reviews and praise from audiences who loved his heart-breaking performance and his memorable scenes with his loyal companion, the cute dog Flike.
After the movie, Battisti never appeared on another movie and returned to teaching until his retirement some years later. He died in 1977, aged 94.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Helmut Käutner was born on 25 March 1908 in Düsseldorf, Germany. He was a director and writer, known for The Captain from Köpenick (1956), The Last Bridge (1954) and The Rest Is Silence (1959). He was married to Erica Balqué. He died on 20 April 1980 in Castellina in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy.- Costume Designer
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
He grew up in Normandy. After finishing primary school, Dior moved with his parents to Paris, where he attended the Ecole de Sciences Politiques. After graduating from high school and training as a diplomat, Dior opened an art gallery in Paris in 1928, which quickly made a name for himself in the city's select art circles. Dior was also artistically active with numerous drawings and illustrations. From 1931 onwards, he created his first fashion creations in the form of hat sketches commissioned by the magazine "Le Figaro Illustré". In 1937, Dior expanded his field of activity to design the first women's models (costumes, coats, shoes). In 1938, Dior became a designer at "Piquet" and in 1940 he moved to "Lelong" as chief designer. After German troops invaded France in 1940, the designer fled to southern France from the occupiers until the end of the war in 1945.
With the financial help of a wealthy friend of the Boussac family, on December 16, 1946, he moved into a studio on Avenue Montaigne in Paris, where the flagship store of the Dior brand is still located today. His first collection was published on February 12, 1947. Shortly afterwards, Dior founded his own fashion house under the label "Christian Dior", which launched the perfume "Miss Dior" on the market that same year. He celebrated his greatest successes in the same year with his design of the "New Look" in America. The "New Look" term was coined by Carmel Snow, the editor-in-chief of "Harpers Bazaar" at the time. These creations consisted of feminine, figure-hugging dress tops with round shoulders and a wide, swinging skirt. Furthermore, Dior set completely new accents with color-coordinated accessories, such as a delicate hat and cane umbrella, which made him the groundbreaking couturier of his time. The "New Look" designs became popular under the name "Ligne Corolle" or "Bellflower Line".
After these successes in the USA, Dior founded "Christian Dior New York Inc." in 1949, which was also represented at ready-to-wear shows in Paris under this name. In the same year, 1949, the designer also presented his first fashion show in Hamburg. From 1947 to 1950 he employed Pierre Cardin as a tailor. In 1951 he introduced the "Dior" trademark for worldwide distribution of his production under license. Dior made the young Yves Saint Laurent his assistant in 1953. In 1955 Dior founded "Christian Dior London Ltd." into life. After the "New Look" a changed line appeared every season. The "Tulip Line" was created in 1953 to 1954, the "H Line" in 1954 to 1955, the "A Line" in the summer of 1955 and the "Arrow Line" in 1956 to 1957. In April 1957 he was the first fashion designer to appear on the cover of the US "Time Magazine". Dior was considered the most influential couturier in the world.
After a heart attack, Christian Dior died on October 24, 1957 in the Italian spa town of Montecatini at the age of just 52. Saint Laurent posthumously became Dior's successor as chief designer of the House of Dior in 1957.- Producer
- Production Manager
Paul R. Picard was born on 17 July 1930 in Natick, Kent, Rhode Island, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), CBS Summer Playhouse (1987) and Enos (1980). He was married to Louise Latham and Juliette. He died on 3 October 1994 in Tuscany, Italy.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Writer
Lindsay Kemp was born on 3 May 1938 in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for The Wicker Man (1973), Velvet Goldmine (1998) and Pierrot in Turquoise or The Looking Glass Murders (1970). He died on 25 August 2018 in Livorno, Tuscany, Italy.- Carlo Collodi was born on 24 November 1826 in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany [now Tuscany, Italy]. He was a writer, known for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), Pinocchio (2022) and Pinocchio (1940). He died on 26 October 1890 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Odette Bedogni was born in Bracciano 25th of September in 1929. when she was 8 years old, she entered at ballet school of Scala and remained for 7 years, appearing in various ballet as "La bottega fantastica" (Gioacchino Rossini) and "La bella addormentata nel bosco" (Ciakovsky). She started to work in cinema with the nickname Delia Scala after the second world war. The director Luigi Zampa considered she had a simple smile and a good girl face and he gave her an important character in the movie "Anni difficili". With her lively and nervy body she appeared in a lot of films. In 1954 Delia debuted in theatre with Carlo Dapporto in "Giove in doppiopetto" and with Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini in "L'adorabile Giulio" (1957), "Buonanotte Bettina" (1956), "My fair lady" (1964) and "Rinaldo in campo" (1966). 1956 was the year in that she appeared with Nino Taranto in variety show "Lui e Lei". In 1959 and 1960 she presented "Canzonissima" in conjunction with Nino Manfredi and Paolo Panelli, directed by Antonello Falqui and in 1969 came "Delia Scala story". In the 70s she was with Lando Buzzanca in "Signore e Signora".
Scala had breast cancer and difficulties following this meant she did not resume her career. In 2001 her partner, Arturo Fremura, died of liver cancer, leading her to fresh despair. The undisputed Queen of TV variety shows, Delia Scala died at 74 years old on 15th of January 2005, in her home in Livorno. - Muriel Spark was born on 1 February 1918 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. She was a writer, known for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), The Driver's Seat (1974) and Teletale (1963). She was married to Sidney Oswald Spark. She died on 13 April 2006 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
This colorful diva of the Metropolitan Opera was one of several who jumped on the operatic bandwagon during the 1930s to achieve film stardom. Following her prima donna peers Jeanette MacDonald, Lily Pons and Grace Moore to the silver screen, Gladys' turnout would be meager and a major disappointment. Born in Deepwater, Missouri, an Ozark mining town, in 1900 (some sources give the years 1898 and even 1904), Gladys was schooled in Kansas City. A delicate and sickly child, her singing talents were robust, however, and she showed great promise at an early age. A local church soloist by age 13, she attended the Bush Conservatory of Music in Chicago where she received a Doctorate of Music in 1923. She joined the Chicago Civic Opera Company the following year where she learned over 22 roles. Training and performing in Europe in the late 20s, she made her Metropolitan debut in 1929 with "La Gioconda". As one of the Met's finest mezzos, her vast repertoire (25 in all) would include "Norma", "Peter Ibbetson", "La Forza del Destino", "Mignon" and, notably, "Carmen", which would become her signature role. While MGM had a lucrative commodity in MacDonald, RKO was busy grooming Pons and Columbia was putting Moore on glossy display. Paramount, in turn, courted and recruited the lovely, brown-eyed Gladys for their operettas. Rather docile and slightly meek in countenance, she nevertheless signed a lucrative deal and her publicity was quite the envy. She made an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful debut in dual roles with Rose of the Rancho (1936). Not only playing a Spanish senorita, she was handed the role of "Don Carlos", the masked vigilante leader, due to her reputation on the operatic stage for playing "trouser" roles. Opposite John Boles, the film died fairly quickly at the box office. Things did not get better. Give Us This Night (1936) fizzled despite a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and a strong leading man in Polish tenor Jan Kiepura, who managed to outshine her. Champagne Waltz (1937) lacked both fiery songs and an engaging script. The mediocre Romance in the Dark (1938), which paired her again tritely with Boles, top-lined a declining John Barrymore. But it was the dull, non-singing melodrama Ambush (1939) that clinched her final cinematic curtain. Radio, on the other hand, was a superlative medium for Gladys. She was a vibrant guest on a number of programs and had her own show in New York City, singing everything from arias to spirituals to standards. She was named the #1 classical radio singer throughout the war years with sold-out recordings and concert tours to match. It would take something tragic to stop this workhorse diva and that's exactly what happened. Having survived rheumatic fever as a child, she developed life-threatening heart problems in later years and, following major surgery to repair a valve, was forced into retirement by 1957. Her personal life was, thankfully, quite blissful. Her second husband was opera singer Frank Chapman, who gave up his own career to manage hers. In the twilight years, they divided their time between a Connecticut home and a villa in Italy. Chapman died in 1966 and Gladys, who remained childless, died of her heart ailment three years later.- Aldo Berti was born on 29 February 1936 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for A Stranger in Town (1967), Born to Kill (1967) and Night of Violence (1965). He died on 26 December 2010 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Composer
The son of Italian theatre critic Antonio Cervi, Gino Cervi was one of the most famous Italian actors, first on stage, then on screen and finally on television. He appeared in his first play in 1924, a year after his father's death. He won world fame with three movies directed by Alessandro Blasetti: Aldebaran (1935), Ettore Fieramosca (1938), and An Adventure of Salvator Rosa (1939). After the WWII, his film career flourished, and then on television, he found new fame as Inspector Jules Maigret in a series of TV Movies based on the novels of Georges Simenon.- Fiamma Breschi was born on 24 April 1934 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was an actress, known for Desiderio 'e sole (1954) and In amore si pecca in due (1954). She died on 21 November 2015 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Lisa Martinek studied acting at the Hamburg University for Music and Theatre from 1993 to 1997. During that time she also performed at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg and acted in several TV and film productions. From 1997 to 2001 she was a member of the Schauspielhaus Leipzig, engagements with Schauspiel Frankfurt and Deutsches Theater Berlin followed. For her role as bike courier Lena in the movie Trial by Fire (Härtetest) she was nominated for the Deutscher Filmpreis, the highest German movie award, in 1998. She was also nominated for the Deutscher Fernsehpreis (German Television Award) in the category Best Lead for her work in the made-for-TV movie Jagd auf den Flammenmann. She starred alongside Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz in the 2007 made-for-TV remake of Helmut Käutner's Die Zürcher Verlobung and played the role of Juliane, which, in the original 50 years prior, had been played by Lilo Pulver. From 2006 to 2011 she starred as inspector Clara Hertz alongside Charlotte Schwab in the ZDF crime series Das Duo. Lisa Martinek lives with her husband Giulio Ricciarelli and their children in Berlin and Munich.
- Born into a time of extreme political upheaveal, Niccolò Machiavelli was a member of the old Florentine nobility. He received a proper humanistic Renaissance education, and as a young man began the climb up the perilous political ladder of Italy. In 1502 he was sent to Romagna as an envoy to Cesare Borgia, the infamous papal prince and despot who would later influence Machiavelli's political philosophy. The return of the Medici dynasty in 1512 resulted in Machiavelli's downfall. He lost his office and was imprisoned and tortured before finally being banished from Florence. It was during his exile that Machiavelli wrote his most famous work, "Il Principe (The Prince)", a handbook of sorts for autocratic rulers. Though his sympathies lay with republicanism, he was first and foremost intensely pragmatic, a quality which did not endear him to later, more idealistic, generations.
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Tonino Cervi was born on 15 June 1929 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was a producer and writer, known for Il quaderno della spesa (2003), Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die! (1968) and The Girls Who'll Do Anything (1975). He died on 1 April 2002 in Siena, Tuscany, Italy.- Giovanni Boccaccio was born in June 1313 in Certaldo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer, known for The Little Hours (2017), Decameron n° 3 - Le più belle donne del Boccaccio (1972) and Decameron Nights (1953). He died on 21 December 1375 in Certaldo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Director
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jerzy Grotowski was born on 11 August 1933 in Rzeszów, Podkarpackie, Poland. He was a director and actor, known for Akropolis (1969), Spoleto 1967 (1967) and Camera Three (1955). He died on 14 January 1999 in Pontedera, Tuscany, Italy.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
For French art film lovers, Giorgio Albertazzi appeared out of nowhere and literally fascinated them in Alain Resnais and Alain Robbe-Grillet's unidentified object known as Last Year at Marienbad (1961). Elegant, seductive, with a hypnotizing Italian accent, he tried to persuade an elegant, seductive woman speaking in a singsong voice that he had been her lover the year before in the same luxury hotel ... The lady, the marvelous 'Delphine Seyrig'did not seem to remember him. And life imitating art, it looked as if Giorgio Albertazzi, despite a haunting presence in a haunting film would also return to oblivion immediately after the release of this atypical movie; The man of one film? Of course not. He did make others in his native country, but mainly minor unpretentious works, nothing on a par with Last Year at Marienbad (1961). Obviously, cinema has helped the actor to keep body and soul together, nothing more. His contribution to Italian television is more ambitious, either as an actor, a scriptwriter or a director. His best role on the small screen may be Dostoievsky's moving Prince Miskin in Giacomo Vaccari's remarkable mini-series L'idiota (1959). He also interpreted Dante Alighieri and Don Giovanni in two interesting TV films or series directed by Vittorio Cottafavi. And wearing the three hats of actor (as Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde), writer (adapting Robert Louis Stevenson and director, he was very successful with Jekyll (1969). However, Albertazzi's main activity and great love has always been the stage. An actor since 1949 and still active after all these years, he debuted in William Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" under the direction of Luchino Visconti. Since then he has performed in scores of plays by Luigi Pirandello, George Bernard Shaw, Lillian Hellman, Gabriele D'Annunzio, among others. Into the bargain, this great name of the Italian theatre has been running a dramatic school from the mid-nineties as well as the Teatro di Roma since 2003. All in all, Giorgio Albertazzi did not come out of nowhere when Alain Resnais, a director who has always loved actors, chose him for being X the stranger in Last Year at Marienbad (1961). And he did not return to oblivion either. Just ask Italian theatre lovers if they have forgotten him and you will see!- Carlo Monni was born on 23 October 1943 in Campi Bisenzio, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Capri (2006), 10 ragazze (2011) and I delitti del BarLume (2013). He died on 19 May 2013 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Arnold Böcklin was born on 16 October 1827 in Basel, Switzerland. He was a writer, known for The Isle of the Dead (1913). He was married to Angela Pascucci. He died on 16 January 1901 in Fiesole, Tuscany, Italy.
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Italo Calvino was born on 15 October 1923 in Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba. He was a writer, known for Boccaccio '70 (1962), Ti-Koyo e il suo pescecane (1962) and L'amore difficile (1962). He was married to Esther Calvino. He died on 19 September 1985 in Siena, Tuscany, Italy.- Germana Paolieri was born on 29 August 1906 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was an actress, known for The Dream of Butterfly (1939), The Life of Giuseppe Verdi (1938) and La Wally (1932). She was married to Tramarallo, Piero. She died on 8 August 1998 in Montecatini, Tuscany, Italy.