Alberto Sordi

Being a loner, he enjoyed a quiet life with his dogs and his two sisters. He announced his retirement in 2002, and used to stay in a villa situated near the Caracalla Baths.

He passed away shortly before his eighty-third birthday as a result of a heart attack. A huge crowd attended his funeral ceremony by the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Born in Rome to a musician and a schoolteacher, Sordi enrolled himself in Milan’s dramatic art academy, but was expelled due to his Roman accent, which later proved to be a trademark and blessing for him.

He started his film career in the late 1930s, by playing secondary characters in wartime movies. After the war was over, he worked as a dubber for the Italian version of ‘Laurel and Hardy’ shorts where he voiced as Hardy.

In 1948, he pursued a career at the Radio where he started the program ‘Vi parla Alberto Sordi’. As part of this program, he created some popular characters that appeared in some of his famous films later.

In 1951, he acted in the lead role for the film ‘Mamma Mia, Che Impressione’ (‘Dear me, what a fright’). The story of this film was written by him. Later, his meeting with Fedeico Fellini was a turning point in his film career.

In 1952, he acted in ‘The White Sheik’. In the next year, he represented the character of a weak and immature loafer in ‘I vitelloni’. In the film ‘The Bachelor’, he portrayed the role of a single man in search of his love.

In 1959, he acted in ‘The Great War’, a comedy film, which according to many critics and film historians was one of the best Italian comedies. He also acted in the World War II comedy ‘The Best of Enemies’ with actor David Niven.

His film ‘In Prison Awaiting Trial’, released in 1971, was an Italian drama film, for which he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor award in the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival. In it he played the role of an emigrant convicted unjustly.

His film ‘The Scientific Cardplayer’, released in 1972, was an Italian drama film under the direction of Luigi Comencini. In this film, he played the role of a sub-proletarian engaged in endless card games.