Leonardo Cortese

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Leonardo Cortese (born May 24, 1916 in Rome ; † October 21, 1984 ibid) was an Italian actor and director .

Life

Cortese's family is originally from Naples ; his father was the impresario and journalist Luca Cortese, his mother Beatrice Arena. After graduating in law, he attended the Accademia dell'Arte Drammatica , which he broke off in 1938 to make his film debut in Mario Bonnard's Jeanne Doré . He quickly developed into one of the male cinema divas of the fascist era in Italy. He was first seen on the theater stage in 1940/41 in Filippo Scelzo's ensemble . In 1942 he played with Ernes Zacconi , the following year Cortese had a great success at the “Teatro delle Arti” in Rome, where he appeared again with Zacconi, Margherita Bagni and Camillo Pilotto . After the end of the Second World War he formed his own ensemble with Bagni and Luigi Almirante ; instead of the latter, Ernes Zacconi and Olga Villi joined in the following season . Other partners for the coming seasons were Sarah Ferrati , Filippo Scelzo and Luigi Cimara . Cortese had tried his hand at the revue stage in 1947 when he was seen alongside Alberto Sordi , Olga Villi and Clelia Matania in E lui dice… directed by Adolfo Celi .

With Italian moviegoers - especially women - Cortese was a matinee idol, not only because of his looks, but also because of his mature and fresh interpretation of his roles. In 1952 he directed it himself; his documentary Chi è di scena? was awarded in Venice . In 1962, after one last film, he turned his back on the big screen as a director and shifted his activities to the screen, which he had been using since 1956. Here he achieved great success with both critics and audiences as a director of films ( La figlia del capitano , Luia Sanfelice and others) and crime series with Ubaldo Lay (e.g. La donna di quadri , La donna di cuori ).

Under the pseudonym Leo Passatore, Cortese wrote theater reviews in journals such as "Idea" and for daily newspapers. In 1950 his novel "Papà magnifico" was published. He was married to Margherita Ligios from 1941 until her death in 1977.

Filmography (selection)

actor
  • 1938: Jeanne Doré
  • 1940: Waltz of a Night (Una romantica avventura)
  • 1941: Mortal Enemies (Guliano de 'Medici)
  • 1946: Storm Night (Notte di tempesta)
  • 1947: husband to order (Il marito povero)
  • 1947: Coach No. 13 (Le fiacre 13)
  • 1951: Only you are my dream (Al diavolo la celebrità)
  • 1958: Capitan Fracassa (TV miniseries)
  • 1959: L'isola del tesoro (TV miniseries)
  • 1962: Alarm on the Valiant (The Valiant)
Director
  • 1952: Chi è d scena? (Documentary)
  • 1954: Violence at the lake (Violenza sul lago)
  • 1962: Two Italians watch the USSR (Russia sotto inchiesta) (documentary)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Roberto Chiti, article Leonardom Cortese , in: Roberto Chiti, Enrico Lancia, Andrea Orbicciani, Roberto Poppi: Dizionario del cinema italiano. Gli attori. Rome, Gremese 1998. pp. 138/139
  2. ^ Roberto Poppi: Dizionario del cinema italiano, I registi, Gremese 2002, pp. 121/122
personal data
SURNAME Cortese, Leonardo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Passatore, Leo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian actor and director
DATE OF BIRTH May 24, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Rome
DATE OF DEATH October 21, 1984
Place of death Rome