Here are 13 famous actors from Italy were born in 1909:
Riccardo Freda (February 24, 1909 Alexandria-December 20, 1999 Rome) otherwise known as Richard Freda, Willy Pareta, Willy Pareto, Riccardo Santelmi, Robert Hampton, Dick Jordan, George Lincoln, Robert Davidson or Robert Hamton was an Italian film director, actor, set decorator, film editor and screenwriter.
Freda was born in Alexandria, Egypt to Italian parents. He grew up in Turin, Italy and began his film career in the 1930s as a set decorator and actor. He later transitioned to directing and made his directorial debut in 1942 with the film "I 3 aquilotti." Freda was known for his work in the horror and fantasy genres, and is considered a pioneer of Italian horror cinema. Some of his notable films include "The Horrible Dr. Hichcock" (1962), "The Ghost" (1963), and "Murder Obsession" (1981). Freda often used pseudonyms to work on films, especially when he did not want to be associated with a particular type of film. In addition to his work in film, Freda also wrote several books on cinema and taught film courses. He passed away in Rome in 1999 at the age of 90.
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Attilio Dottesio (July 16, 1909 Desenzano del Garda-February 12, 1989 Rome) also known as Attilio Diottesio, Dan Reesy, Dean Reese, Aldo Dottesio, William Burke, Attilio Dottavio or Attilio D'ottesio was an Italian actor and singer.
He began his career in the 1930s in Italy, then moved to the United States in the 1940s where he appeared in Hollywood films. Some of his notable film credits include "The Lost City of the Jungle" (1946), "The Falcon's Adventure" (1946), and "The Emperor Waltz" (1948). He also worked as a singer, performing in nightclubs and on radio shows. In the 1950s, he returned to Italy and continued to act in films and on television. Dottesio was multilingual, speaking Italian, English, Spanish, and French, which allowed him to work in a variety of international productions. He passed away in Rome in 1989 at the age of 79.
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Vincenzo Talarico (April 28, 1909 Acri-August 16, 1972 Fiuggi) also known as Vincenzo Tallarico or Enzo Talarico was an Italian actor, screenwriter and journalist.
Born in Acri, Calabria, Talarico began his career as a journalist and later moved on to acting, making his debut in the 1938 film "Amazzoni bianche". He went on to appear in over 70 films throughout his career, often playing character roles in comedies and dramas.
In addition to acting, Talarico also worked as a screenwriter, penning scripts for several popular Italian films. He was part of the writing team for the 1960 film "La dolce vita," which is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.
Talarico was known for his distinctive look, often sporting a thick mustache and glasses. He was also known for his work as a voice actor, dubbing foreign films into Italian.
Talarico passed away in Fiuggi in 1972 at the age of 63. His contributions to Italian cinema continue to be celebrated today.
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Dante Maggio (March 2, 1909 Naples-March 3, 1992 Rome) a.k.a. Dan May, Jan Mean or Maggio was an Italian actor. He had two children, Enzo Maggio jr. and Angelo Maggio.
Dante Maggio began his acting career in the 1930s, appearing in a number of Italian films. He quickly gained popularity for his charming and humorous performances, and went on to become one of the most recognizable actors in the Italian film industry.
Throughout his career, Maggio starred in over 100 films, often portraying comedic characters or supporting roles. Some of his most notable performances include his roles in the films "Il medico dei pazzi" (1954), "Totò, Peppino e i fuorilegge" (1956), and "Signore e signori" (1966).
Despite his success as an actor, Maggio remained relatively unknown outside of Italy throughout his career. However, he was highly respected within the industry and counted many famous actors and directors among his friends and colleagues.
Maggio passed away in 1992 at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy as one of Italy's most beloved actors.
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Giuseppe Addobbati (December 31, 1909 Makarska-January 4, 1986 Rome) also known as John Douglas, John Mac Douglas, Giuseppe Addobati, John McDouglas, Jhon Mac.Douglas, John M. Douglas or John MacDouglas was an Italian actor.
Addobbati began his acting career in the 1930s, appearing in several Italian films. He is best known for his role as a police inspector in the popular Italian crime film "The 1000 Eyes of the Killer" (1965). Addobbati also acted in international films, such as the British-Italian co-production "Sword of Sherwood Forest" (1960) and the American-Italian film "Death Rides a Horse" (1967). Apart from films, he also appeared in several Italian TV series. In addition to his acting career, Addobbati was also a professional boxer in his youth. He retired from acting in the mid-1970s and lived the rest of his life in Rome, where he died in 1986 at the age of 76.
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Nino Marchetti (February 21, 1909 Udine-September 2, 1983 Udine) a.k.a. Giambattista Marchetti, Giobatta Marchetti or Giovan Battista Marchetti was an Italian actor and voice actor.
Throughout his career, Nino Marchetti appeared in over 40 films, including "Les Misérables" (1948), "Three Coins in the Fountain" (1954), and "Ben-Hur" (1959). He was also known for his voice acting work for Italian dubs of foreign films, voicing characters such as Polonius in "Hamlet" and the King in "The King and I." In addition to his work in film and voice acting, Marchetti was also a stage actor, performing in theaters throughout Italy. Marchetti passed away in his hometown of Udine in 1983, at the age of 74.
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Guido Alberti (April 20, 1909 Benevento-August 3, 1996 Rome) was an Italian actor and entrepreneur.
He began his acting career in the 1930s and went on to appear in over 80 films throughout his career, including international productions such as Federico Fellini's "8½". Alberti was known for his versatile acting abilities and played a variety of roles ranging from comedic to dramatic. In addition to his acting career, he was also a successful entrepreneur and founded several companies in the food and beverage industry. Alberti's legacy continues to live on in Italian cinema, and his contributions to the industry have been recognized with several awards, including the Nastro d'Argento Lifetime Achievement award.
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Lamberto Maggiorani (August 28, 1909 Rome-April 22, 1983 Rome) was an Italian actor.
He is best known for his role in Vittorio De Sica's neorealist film "Bicycle Thieves" (1948), where he played the lead character of Antonio Ricci. Maggiorani was a non-professional actor who was working as a factory worker in Rome when he was discovered by De Sica. After the success of "Bicycle Thieves," Maggiorani continued to act in several Italian films for the next decade. He worked with several prominent Italian directors, including Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Luchino Visconti. Maggiorani was also a painter and wrote a book on his experience working on "Bicycle Thieves" called "Io e il mio biciclettaio". He died in Rome in 1983, at the age of 73.
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Ernesto Calindri (February 5, 1909 Certaldo-June 9, 1999 Milan) was an Italian actor. He had one child, Gabriele Calindri.
Calindri started his acting career in the early 1930s in the theater, but eventually made his way to the big screen. He appeared in over 150 films, including "The White Sheik" (1952) by Federico Fellini and "Big Deal on Madonna Street" (1958) by Mario Monicelli. He was known for his comedic roles and was a popular character actor in Italian cinema. In addition to his film work, Calindri also dabbled in television, with appearances on several popular Italian TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to act well into his 80s, appearing in his final film, "Nirvana," in 1997.
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Emilio Cigoli (November 18, 1909 Livorno-November 7, 1980 Rome) also known as Emilio Cardi Cigoli was an Italian actor and voice actor. His children are called Ludovico Cardi Cigoli and Carlo Cardi Cigoli.
Emilio Cigoli began his career in the entertainment industry as a radio host, before transitioning into a successful acting career in the 1930s. With his rugged good looks and powerful presence on screen, Cigoli went on to become one of Italy's most popular leading men in film.
Throughout his career, Cigoli starred in a number of critically acclaimed films, including "La cena delle beffe" (Dinner of Fun) and "Gli uomini, che mascalzoni!" (The Men, Those Rascals!). He also appeared in a number of popular Italian war dramas, such as "La grande guerra" (The Great War) and "Uomini contro" (Many Wars Ago).
Emilio Cigoli was also known for his work in voice acting, lending his distinctive voice to dub Italian versions of American films such as "Gone with the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz".
Cigoli remained active in both film and television until his death in 1980, and is remembered as one of Italy's most legendary actors of the 20th century.
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Roldano Lupi (February 8, 1909 Rome-August 14, 1989 Rome) also known as Roldano Squassoni-Lupi was an Italian actor and voice actor.
He began his acting career in the early 1930s, making his film debut in "L'eredità dello zio buonanima" (1934). Lupi appeared in over 150 films throughout his career, earning him a reputation as one of the most respected character actors in Italian cinema. He worked with acclaimed directors like Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica and Michelangelo Antonioni.
Lupi's impressive acting range enabled him to play an array of roles in different genres including drama, comedy, adventure, westerns and crime thrillers. Some of his notable film credits include "Bitter Rice" (1949), "La Strada" (1954), "War and Peace" (1956), and "The Cossacks" (1960).
In addition to his work on screen, Lupi was also a prolific voice actor. He lent his voice to several Italian dubs of foreign films, as well as to Italian-made animated films such as "La Rosa di Bagdad" (1949) and "Papageno" (1956).
Lupi continued acting well into his 70s and was still making films until his death in 1989 at the age of 80.
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Carlo Bernari (October 13, 1909 Naples-October 22, 1992 Rome) a.k.a. Carlo Bernard was an Italian screenwriter, writer and actor.
He began his career in the entertainment industry in the 1930s as a screenwriter and wrote for a number of popular Italian comedies. Bernari also wrote for the theater and penned several novels and short stories throughout his career. In addition to his work behind the scenes, he also appeared in a number of films as an actor, often in comedic roles. Bernari was a prolific writer and his work was recognized with several awards throughout his career. He continued to work in the industry until his death in 1992.
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Giulio Neri (May 21, 1909 Torrita di Siena-April 21, 1958 Rome) was an Italian actor.
He began his career in the 1940s, appearing in Italian films such as "The Red and the Black" and "The Barber of Seville." Neri was known for his versatility and ability to play a wide range of roles. He often appeared in comedies, but also showed his dramatic talents in films such as "Bitter Rice" and "Anna."
In addition to his work in film, Neri was also a stage actor and director. He founded a theater company in Rome and directed plays such as "The Crucible" and "The Glass Menagerie."
Unfortunately, Neri's life and career were cut short when he died at the age of 48 from a heart attack. Despite his relatively short career, he left a lasting impact on Italian cinema and theater.
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