Remembering Franco Fabrizi

Franco Fabrizi was born on February 15, 1916 in Cortemaggiore, Picenza, Italy. He was the son of a barber and a cinema cashier. He started out appearing in photo novels when he was 20 years-old. His first major film appearance was in Michelangelo Antonini’s first film “Cronaca di un amore” (1950). He then appeared as Faustus in Federico Fellini’s “I vitelloni” (1953). Critics compared his screen presence to that of Cary Grant but he was never given lead roles. Instead he was only given co-starring or second lead roles whose characters were cowards or blowhards such as in “Gino ne La romano” (1954) directed by Luigi Zampa, “Camilla”, Fellini’s “Il bidone” and “Le amiche” by Antonini all in 1955. His career continued into the 1960s with such films as “Una vita difficile” (1961), “Lo la conoscevo bene” (1965) and “Signore & signon” (1966). His career seemed to stall in the 1970s as he appeared in several genres including two Euro-westerns, “Panhandle .38 (1972) and “Don’t Touch the White Woman” (1974). In the 1980s he found new fame in “Ginger and Fred” (1986). His last film appearance was in “Ricky e Barabba” in 1992. Fabrizi died of cancer on October 18, 1995. Today we celebrate what would have been Franco Fabrizi’s 95th birthday.