Marcello Mastroianni Biography

(1924 - )

Share

Related Works

  • Films
  • 1955 Peccato che sia una canaglia
  • 1955 La bella mugnaia
  • 1957 Le notte bianche (White Nights)
  • 1960 La dolce vita
  • 1960 Adua e le Compagne (UK Hungry for Love)
  • 1962 Divorzio all'Italiano (Divorce, Italian Style)
  • 1963 I compagni (The Organizer)
  • 1974 Allonsanfan
  • 1977 Una giornata particolare (A Special Day)
  • 1986 Ginger E Fred (Ginger and Fred)
  • 1987 Oci ciornie (Dark Eyes)
  • 1989 Splendor
  • 1990 Stanno tutti benne (Everybody's Fine)
  • 1990 Verso sera (Towards Evening)
  • 1991 The Suspended Step of the Stork
  • 1996 Three Lives and Only One Death
» More

(born Sept. 28, 1924, Fontana Liri, Italy—died Dec. 19, 1996, Paris, France) actor who became the preeminent leading man in Italian cinema during the 1960s. An attractive man whose acting style projected a mood of casual affability, he achieved international fame as the screen symbol of the modern European.

Mastroianni enrolled at the University of Rome after World War II. He began an acting career in amateur theatricals sponsored by the university, and in 1948 he joined Italy's leading theatrical troupe. Having made his film debut in 1947, Mastroianni had become a well-known actor in Italy by the mid-1950s. As the star of Le notti bianche (1957; White Nights), he was noticed by the Italian director Federico Fellini who cast him in the leading role of the world-weary journalist in La dolce vita (1960; “The Sweet Life”), the award-winning film that established Mastroianni's international reputation. It was followed by other outstanding pictures—e.g., La notte (1960; The Night), in which Mastroianni portrays a novelist who experiences emotional aridity in his marriage; Divorzio all'italiana (1961; Divorce—Italian Style), a satiric farce about a debonair baron's attempts to free himself from an unwanted wife; and Otto e mezzo (1963; 8 12), an Academy Award-winning film also directed by Fellini, with Mastroianni as a creative film director.The comedies Ieri, oggi, domani (1964; Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow) and Matrimonio all'italiana (1964; Marriage—Italian Style) were two of the many films in which he costarred with the Italian actress Sophia Loren. He also appeared with Loren in I girasoli (1969; Sunflower), La moglie del prete (1970; The Priest's Wife), and Una giornata speciale (1977; A Special Day). Mastroianni continued to act until his death and held starring roles in about 120 films over the course of his long career.


Copyright © 1994-2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

advertisement

Celebrity Calendar

On TV

I Survived...

Watch FULL Episodes and Previews now!

Shatner

Watch FULL Episodes and Guest Previews now!

Shop Biography

Legends of the Silver Screen DVD Set

Legends of the Silver Screen DVD Set

The brightest stars from the Hollywood universe shine brilliantly in this sweeping collection of profiles. Buy Now

Email Sign Up

Get email updates on your favorite BIO shows and what's new on bio.com!

– Bio.com news
– BIO shows
– Born On This Day

…and more! SIGN UP today!

Featured This Month

It Happened This Week Video

REMEMBER WHEN…

See who was born and what went down this week in Pop Culture history. Find out which celebrities share your birthday and much more in our NEW On This Day feature!

Michelle Obama

WOMEN'S HISTORY

March is Women's History Month. Explore our interactive women's history timeline, videos, meet hundreds of notable women and so much more.

Sandra Bullock

WATCH FULL EPISODES

Biography Show
I Survived...
Women's History
Actors, politicos and everyone in between - see all video!

Celebrity Bookings