Marcello Mastroianni

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Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in La dolce vita

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Marcello Mastroianni

Italian actor

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Last Updated: Nov 15, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

Born:: September 26, 1924, Fontana Liri, Italy

Died:: December 19, 1996, Paris, France (aged 72)

Also Known As:: Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastrojanni

Married To:: Flora Carabella (married 1950)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Viagem ao Princípio do Mundo" (1997); "Trois vies et une seule mort" (1996); "Al di là delle nuvole" (1995); "Sostiene Pereira" (1995); "Les cent et une nuits de Simon Cinéma" (1995); "Ready to Wear" (1994); "Un, deux, trois, soleil" (1993); "De eso no se habla" (1993); "Used People" (1992); "Cin cin" (1992); "Le voleur d'enfants" (1991); "To meteoro vima tou pelargou" (1991); "Verso sera" (1990); "Stanno tutti bene" (1990); "Che ora è?" (1989); "Splendor" (1989); "Piazza Navona" (1988); "Miss Arizona" (1988); "Intervista" (1987); "Oci ciornie" (1987); "O melissokomos" (1986); "Ginger e Fred" (1986); "I soliti ignoti vent'anni dopo" (1985); "Maccheroni" (1985); "Le due vite di Mattia Pascal" (1985); "Enrico IV" (1984); "Il generale dell'armata morta" (1983); "Gabriela, Cravo e Canela" (1983); "Storia di Piera" (1983); "Oltre la porta" (1982); "La nuit de Varennes" (1982); "La pelle" (1981); "Fantasma d'amore" (1981); "La città delle donne" (1980); "La terrazza" (1980); "Giallo napoletano" (1979); "L'ingorgo" (1979); "Fatto di sangue fra due uomini per causa di una vedova. Si sospettano moventi politici" (1978); "Le mani sporche" (1978); "Così come sei" (1978); "Ciao maschio" (1978); "Doppio delitto" (1977); "Mogliamante" (1977); "Una giornata particolare" (1977); "Culastrisce nobile veneziano" (1976); "Signore e signori, buonanotte" (1976); "Todo modo" (1976); "La donna della domenica" (1975); "Divina creatura" (1975); "Per le antiche scale" (1975); "La pupa del gangster" (1975); "Allonsanfàn" (1974); "Touche pas à la femme blanche" (1974); "Salut l'artiste" (1973); "Rappresaglia" (1973); "L'événement le plus important depuis que l'homme a marché sur la Lune" (1973); "La grande bouffe" (1973); "Mordi e fuggi" (1973); "Che?" (1972); "Liza" (1972); "Permette? Rocco Papaleo" (1971); "Ça n'arrive qu'aux autres" (1971); "Scipione detto anche l'africano" (1971); "La moglie del prete" (1970); "Giuochi particolari" (1970); "Leo the Last" (1970); "I girasoli" (1970); "Dramma della gelosia (tutti i particolari in cronaca)" (1970); "Diamonds for Breakfast" (1968); "Amanti" (1968); "L'uomo dei cinque palloni" (1968); "Lo straniero" (1967); "Spara forte, più forte... non capisco!" (1966); "The Poppy Is Also a Flower" (1966); "Io, io, io.... e gli altri" (1966); "Oggi, domani, dopodomani" (1965); "La decima vittima" (1965); "Casanova '70" (1965); "Matrimonio all'italiana" (1964); "Ieri oggi domani" (1963); "I compagni" (1963); "8½" (1963); "Cronaca familiare" (1962); "Vie privée" (1962); "Divorzio all'italiana" (1961); "Fantasmi a Roma" (1961); "L'assassino" (1961); "La notte" (1961); "Adua e le compagne" (1960); "Il bell'Antonio" (1960); "La dolce vita" (1960); "Ferdinando I° re di Napoli" (1959); "Tutti innamorati" (1959); "Il marito bello: Il nemico di mia moglie" (1959); "La legge" (1959); "Amore e guai" (1958); "Racconti d'estate" (1958); "I soliti ignoti" (1958); "Un ettaro di cielo" (1958); "Il medico e lo stregone" (1957); "Le notti bianche" (1957); "Il momento più bello" (1957); "La ragazza della salina" (1957); "Padri e figli..." (1957); "Il bigamo" (1956); "La fortuna di essere donna" (1956); "La bella mugnaia" (1955); "Tam tam mayumbe" (1955); "Peccato che sia una canaglia" (1955); "La principessa delle Canarie" (1954); "Casa Ricordi" (1954); "Giorni d'amore" (1954); "La schiava del peccato" (1954); "Tempi nostri - Zibaldone n. 2" (1954); "Cronache di poveri amanti" (1954); "La valigia dei sogni" (1953); "Febbre di vivere" (1953); "Non è mai troppo tardi" (1953); "Il viale della speranza" (1953); "Lulù" (1953); "Gli eroi della domenica" (1952); "Penne nere" (1952); "Sensualità" (1952); "Tragico ritorno" (1952); "I grandi peccatori (L'eterna catena)" (1952); "Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna" (1952); "Parigi è sempre Parigi" (1951); "A Tale of Five Cities" (1951); "Cuori sul mare" (1950); "Atto di accusa" (1950); "Vita da cani" (1950); "Contro la legge" (1950); "Domenica d'agosto" (1950); "Vent'anni" (1949); "Vertigine d'amore" (1949); "Tempesta su Parigi" (1948)

Marcello Mastroianni (born September 26, 1924, Fontana Liri, Italy—died December 19, 1996, Paris, France) was an 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 1/2), an Academy Award-winning film also directed by Fellini, with Mastroianni as a creative film director.

USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood

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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.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering.