Gianni Garko donates the original scripts of his films to the Luigi Chiarini Library of the CSC

Fondazione

November 28, 2024

Gianni Garko, a famous Italian actor, has recently donated the original scripts of some of his most significant films to the Luigi Chiarini Library of the CSC. Born Giovanni Garkovic on July 15, 1935 in Zadar, Garko has become one of the iconic faces of genre cinema, especially spaghetti westerns.

His career began at the end of the 50s, with his debut in Pezzo, capopezzo e capitano (Kannonenserenade, 1958) by Wolfgang Staudte, and continued with interpretations in important films such as Death of a friend (1959) by Franco Rossi, Kapò (1960) by Gillo Pontecorvo and Maciste the strongest man in the world (1961) by Antonio Leonviola. In the 60s, he consolidated his fame by participating in productions such as Irving Rapper's Pontius Pilate (1962) and Luciano Salce's famous film La voglia matta (1962).

But it is with the Italian-style westerns that Garko reached the peak of his career, embodying the gunslinger Sartana in films such as ... If you meet Sartana pray for your death (1968) by Gianfranco Parolini, Buon funerale amigos... pay Sartana (1970), A cloud of dust... a cry of death... Sartana (1970) arrives and Gli fumavano le Colt... they called it Camposanto (1971) byGiuliano Carnimeo. This character, enigmatic and charismatic, has made Garko a recognizable face not only in Italy, but also abroad. Some of his most representative films have been restored and re-screened at film festivals and retrospectives around the world.

His versatility has allowed him to range between different film genres, appearing in historical films such as Lucrezia (1968) by Osvaldo Civirani and Waterloo (1970) by Sergej Bondarčuk. He has also taken part in works of art, such as The Tulips of Haarlem (1970) by Franco Brusati, and thrillers such as The Cold Eyes of Fear (1971) by Enzo G. Castellari. In the noir field, he played the commissioner in The Boss (1973) by Fernando Di Leo, while in the gothic horror genre he stood out in The Night of the Devils (1972) by Giorgio Ferroni. In addition, he has also faced roles in science fiction films, such as Seven Golden Men in Space (1979) by Alfonso Brescia.

In the 70s and 80s, Garko worked intensively, participating in television productions, including Donnarumma all'assalto (1972) by Marco Leto, Diary of a judge (1978) by Marcello Baldi, Il segreto di Cristina (1979) by Ruggero Deodato and Le due madri (1989) by Tonino Valerii.

From the 90s to today, Gianni Garko has continued to work collaborating with several prominent directors. At the cinema, he took part in films such as In the name of the sovereign people (1990) by Luigi Magni and Body Puzzle (1992) by Lamberto Bava. On television, he has starred in numerous productions, including the soap opera Vivere, directed by Daniele Carnacina and Massimo Del Frate, in the period 1999-2004, and in the series Suspects 2 (2003) by Gianni Lepre and Suspicions 3 (2005) by Luigi Perelli. At the same time, he dedicated himself to the theater, distinguishing himself in significant interpretations such as the one in Don't be afraid by Eduardo Aldán, directed by Ricard Reguant, a show performed for the first time at the Teatro Ghione in Rome on April 20, 2017.

With over one hundred titles in cinema, television and theater, Gianni Garko remains a point of reference for film enthusiasts and an inspiration for new generations of actors. He has participated in numerous public events and interviews, sharing anecdotes from his career and reflecting on the legacy of the Italian western genre.

The donation of the scripts of his films to the Luigi Chiarini Library represents a valuable contribution to the Italian film heritage.