Vittorio Gassman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vittorio Gassmann
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| Born |
Vittorio Gassmann
1 September 1922 |
| Died | 29 June 2000 (aged 77) Rome, Italy
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| Occupation | Actor, film director, writer, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1942–1999 |
| Spouse(s) |
Nora Ricci
(m. 1944; div. 1952)Diletta D'Andrea
(m. 1972) |
| Partner(s) | Juliette Mayniel (1964–1968) |
| Children | 4, including Paola and Alessandro |
| Relatives | Leo Gassmann (grandson) |
| Awards | Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival) (Scent of a Woman, 1975) |
Vittorio Gassman (born 1 September 1922 – died 29 June 2000) was a very famous Italian actor, director, and writer. People often called him Il Mattatore, which means "The Showman" or "The Master Performer," because he was so good at acting. He is thought to be one of the greatest actors Italy has ever had. His career included many important movies and plays.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Training
Vittorio Gassman was born in Genoa, Italy. His father was German, and his mother was Italian Jewish. When he was young, his family moved to Rome. There, he studied acting at a famous school called the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts. This training helped him become the amazing actor he was.
Starting His Acting Career
Gassman started acting on stage in Milan in 1942. He quickly became well-known in the theatre world. In 1946, he made his first movie, Preludio d'amore. Just one year later, he was in five more films! In 1948, he acted in the important movie Riso amaro.
He worked with famous directors like Luchino Visconti. He played big roles in plays like A Streetcar Named Desire and Hamlet. He even helped start a theatre company called Teatro d'Arte Italiano. They put on classic plays, including the first full version of Hamlet in Italy.
In 1956, Gassman played the main character in the play Othello. He also starred in a popular TV show called Il Mattatore (Spotlight Chaser). This show was so popular that "Il Mattatore" became his famous nickname.
Becoming a Film Star
Vittorio Gassman became a big star in Italian comedy movies, known as commedia all'italiana. One of his first famous comedy roles was in I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958). He starred in many other well-loved films, including:
- Il sorpasso (1962)
- La Grande Guerra (1962)
- I mostri (1963)
- L'Armata Brancaleone (1966)
- Profumo di donna (1974)
- C'eravamo tanto amati (1974)
He also directed plays and movies. He even started a theatre school in Florence. This school helped train many talented Italian actors who are famous today.
Gassman also worked in Hollywood. He acted in movies like Rhapsody with Elizabeth Taylor. He was known for his charm and for speaking English very well.
In the 1990s, he appeared on an Italian TV show called Tunnel. On this show, he would read everyday things like utility bills or washing instructions. He read them with the same serious and professional skill he used for classic poems.
In 1994, Vittorio Gassman was the Italian voice of Mufasa in the movie The Lion King. Other actors often spoke for him in his films.
Family Life
Vittorio Gassman was married three times. All his wives were actresses. He had four children. His daughter Paola became an actress, and his son Alessandro also became a well-known actor. Through Alessandro, he was the grandfather of singer-songwriter Leo Gassmann.
Vittorio Gassman passed away on 29 June 2000, in his home in Rome. He was 77 years old.
Filmography
Vittorio Gassman acted in many films throughout his career. Here are some of his notable roles:
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Actor
- Riso amaro (Bitter Rice, 1949) as Walter
- Anna (1951) as Vittorio
- The Glass Wall (1953) as Peter Kaban
- Rhapsody (1954) as Paul Bronte
- War and Peace (1956) as Anatol Kuragin
- I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958) as Peppe il pantera
- The Great War (1959) as Giovanni Busacca
- Il Sorpasso (The Easy Life, 1962) as Bruno Cortona
- I Mostri (1963) as various characters
- L'Armata Brancaleone (1966) as Brancaleone da Norcia
- Profumo di donna (Scent of a Woman, 1974) as Il capitano Fausto Consolo
- C'eravamo tanto amati (We All Loved Each Other So Much, 1974) as Gianni Perego
- A Wedding (1978) as Luigi Corelli
- Sleepers (1996) as Benny 'King Benny'
Director
- Kean (1956)
- L'Alibi (1969)
- Senza famiglia, nullatenenti cercano affetto (1972)
- Di padre in figlio (1982)
Voice Acting Roles
Animation
- Mufasa in The Lion King (1994), for the Italian version.
Live Action
- Narrator in Romeo and Juliet (1968), for the Italian version.
Writer
Vittorio Gassman also wrote several books:
- Luca de' Numeri (1947) - a novel
- Un grande avvenire dietro le spalle (1981)
- Vocalizzi (1988)
- Memorie del sottoscala (1990)
See also
In Spanish: Vittorio Gassman para niños
