Alberto Sordi

Alberto Sordi was a central figure in the history of Italian cinema.

He was a versatile performer who worked as an actor, comedian, director, singer, and screenwriter. Sordi was a leader in the genre known as commedia all'italiana, or Italian comedy. He often performed alongside other famous actors like Nino Manfredi, Vittorio Gassman, and Ugo Tognazzi. This group formed a famous quartet that starred in many popular comedy films. Because of his massive fame and talent, Italians gave him the nickname "l'Albertone," which means "The Great Alberto."

Sordi's career began with the power of his voice. In 1937, he entered a competition organized by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He won the opportunity to dub the voice of the famous comedian Oliver Hardy.

Although Hardy had a tenor voice, the director Franco Schirato chose Sordi. The director felt Sordi's low, warm, and mellow register was a perfect match for Hardy's large physical size. Sordi worked as a voice actor until 1956. During this time, he provided voices for many stars, including Marcello Mastroianni and Anthony Quinn. He even had his own voice dubbed by other actors in his early films.

His interest in performing started during his childhood in Rome. Born on June 15, 1920, Sordi began staging small puppet plays while in elementary school. At age seven, he joined the Sistine Chapel Choir under Lorenzo Perosi. As his voice changed to a bass, he studied opera and worked as an opera singer. His parents did not initially support an acting career. However, his grandfather, Primo Righetti, encouraged him. Primo even gave him a tuxedo to wear while performing on stage. To please his mother, Sordi eventually graduated as an accountant, even though he preferred the arts.

As he moved into film, Sordi developed a very specific style of acting. He became famous for playing characters described as the "average Italian." These characters were often overbearing toward the weak. They were also servile toward powerful people to gain special privileges. Some critics argued that these characters set a bad example for society. However, Sordi's ability to play these roles helped define the comedy of his era. His performance in the film "The Great War" in 1959 marked a major shift. He moved from playing these "average" characters to portraying much more complex, dramatic roles.

Sordi's success was marked by many prestigious international awards. He won ten David di Donatello awards, which are major Italian film honors. He also received five Nastro d'argento awards, or Silver Ribbons. In 1963, he won a Golden Globe for his performance in the film "Il diavolo." His work reached a global scale, and he even served as a juror at the Moscow International Film Festival. In 1955, while visiting Kansas City, he was named an honorary citizen. This was because the city was the home of one of his famous characters.

Beyond acting, Sordi was a prolific director and writer. He directed a total of 19 films throughout his life. He made his directorial debut in 1966 with the comedy "Fumo di Londra." Sordi often took full control of his projects by writing the screenplays as well. He established a unique professional tradition during his career. He aimed to release a new film every year before the Christmas holiday. One of his most successful directorial efforts was "Journey with Papa," which saw record-breaking box office numbers.

Sordi's life and career spanned seven decades of Italian culture. He appeared in more than 150 films in total. Even though he was a major celebrity, he was known for being very private. He avoided the high-society parties of the 1960s "Dolce Vita" era to focus on his work. He died in Rome in February 2003. His passing was a moment of great national significance. A crowd of more than one million people gathered to pay their respects at his funeral.