Michele Placido is an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He began his career on stage, and first gained mainstream attention through a series of roles in films directed by the likes of Mario Monicelli and Marco Bellocchio, winning the Berlinale's Silver Bear for Best Actor for his performance in the 1979 film Ernesto. He is known internationally for portraying police inspector Corrado Cattani on the crime drama television series La piovra (1984–2001). Placido's directorial debut, Pummarò, was screened Un Certain Regard at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. Three of his films have competed for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. He is a five-time Nastro d'Argento and four-time David di Donatello winner. In 2021, Placido was appointed President of the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara.
Alessandro Blasetti was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film Quattro passi fra le nuvole. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during the Fascist era. He is sometimes known as the "father of Italian cinema" because of his role in reviving the struggling industry in the late 1920s.
Aldo Fabrizi was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and comedian, best known for the role of the heroic priest in Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City and as partner of Totò in a number of successful comedies.
Franco Interlenghi was an Italian actor.
The Song of Love is a 1930 Italian romance film directed by Gennaro Righelli and starring Dria Paola, Isa Pola and Elio Steiner. It was the first Italian talking film. Alessandro Blasetti's film Resurrection was actually shot first, but delays meant that it was not released until 1931.
Giulio Calì was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1927 and 1966.
Loyalty of Love is a 1934 Italian historical drama film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Marta Abba, Nerio Bernardi and Luigi Cimara. It is based on the story of Teresa Confalonieri, a celebrated figure of the Italian reunification campaign. It was one of several films made during the 1930s that portrayed this era. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 1934.
Elio Cesari, known by his stage name of Tony Renis, is an Italian singer, composer, music producer, and film actor.
Mario Castellani was an Italian comic actor, best known as the sidekick of famous comic actor Antonio De Curtis (Totò). He appeared with the latter in all his major movies, as well as many of Totò's theatre productions.
Gábor Pogány (1915–1999) was a Hungarian-born Italian cinematographer. Born in Budapest and educated in Britain, Pogány emigrated to Italy and spent much of his career in the country. He worked on over a hundred films during his career, mainly Italian films as well as some international productions. He worked frequently with the director Vittorio De Sica on films such as Two Women (1960). In 1960 he won a Nastro d'Argento for best cinematography for his work in Alessandro Blasetti's European Nights.
Alfredo Varelli was an Italian film actor whose career spanned more than six decades. Varelli was born Alfredo Ciavarella and debuted in Alessandro Blasetti's 1934 film Vecchia guardia. He emerged during the Fascist era, but most of his work was post-Second World War. He played a leading role in the 1942 historical drama The Jester's Supper. Varelli is also known for playing "Lucan" in Quo Vadis (1951). His last role was in the film Roseanna's Grave, released posthumously in 1997.
Rails is a 1929 Italian drama film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Käthe von Nagy, Maurizio D'Ancora and Daniele Crespi. It was originally made as a silent film, but sound was later added. It was made at a time when the Italian film industry had dramatically declined in size, and was one of only a handful of films released that year.
Olga Capri was a stage and film actress from Italy. She appeared in more than 40 films during her career, generally in supporting roles. She appeared in several of Alessandro Blasetti's early sound films, such as Mother Earth (1931).
To Live is a 1937 Italian musical drama film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Tito Schipa, Caterina Boratto and Nino Besozzi. The film is noted for its title song, composed by Cesare A. Bixio. It was distributed by the Italian subsidiary of MGM.
Lia Franca was an Italian film actress. She was sometimes credited as Lya Franca and Libia Franca.
Gianni Minervini was an Italian television and film producer.
Salvo D'Angelo was an Italian film producer. He also worked as an art director and production designer.
Mimmo Poli was an Italian film character actor.
Backstage is a 1939 Italian comedy film directed by Alessandro Blasetti and starring Filippo Romito, Elisa Cegani and Camillo Pilotto. It is part of the tradition of White Telephone films, popular in Italy during the era.
Fausto Guerzoni (1904–1967) was an Italian actor. A character actor, he appeared in Italian films in supporting roles from the mid-1930s.
