Massimo Troisi

Massimo Troisi (1989)

Massimo Troisi (born February 19, 1953 in San Giorgio a Cremano , † June 4, 1994 in Rome ) was an Italian actor , director and author.

Life

Troisi was born in 1953 as the son of a train engineer near Naples. He processed the experiences with his family in his first films. After graduating from high school, Troisi wrote some poems inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini. In 1969, he and a few childhood friends (including Lello Arena and Enzo Decaro ) started a drama company that started acting in a small, local theater. Troisi's health became increasingly limited due to the early death of his mother, which allegedly led to the development of his later heart problems. He had attacks of rheumatic fever during his youth. In 1976 he had to visit the United States for heart valve surgery, the cost of which was paid with the help of his friends.

In 1972 he began his artistic career as a member of the trio "The Saracens" as a cabaret artist. Members were De Caro and Arena. He became known regionally on television with "Non Stop", "La Berla" and "Luna Park". Troisi soon became the leader of the trio and was considered the Italian Steve Martin. He was known for his facial expressions and apparently confused language, taking inspiration from Totò , Eduardo and Peppino De Filippo . He had his first leading role in a movie in 1981.

Troisi came to international fame with the success of " The Postman ", which was directed by Michael Radford . After filming, he died of a heart attack at his sister's home in Ostia, twelve hours after the shoot was finished. It was reported that he had postponed a necessary operation to complete the film.

In 1996 he was posthumously nominated for an Oscar . Only a few received this honor, u. a. James Dean , Spencer Tracy , Peter Finch , Sir Ralph Richardson and Heath Ledger .

As a good friend of the musician and singer Pino Daniele (who also composed most of the soundtracks for the Troisi films), he wrote texts for his music or adapted his poems to them. Eduardo De Filippo once said that he was "an actor of the future, but with roots in the past".

A square in his hometown of San Giorgio a Cremano near Naples bears his name.

Movies

• 1981: I'm Starting from Three (Ricomincio da tre), also director
• 1982: A Neapolitan Story (Scusate il ritardo), also director & screenplay
• 1983: No Thanks, Coffee Makes Me Nervous (No grazie, il caffè mi rende nervoso), also screenplay
• 1984: The Lucky Boys (Non ci resta che piangere), also co-director & screenplay
• 1987: Hotel Colonial
• 1987: The ways of the Lord are finite (Le Vie del Signore sono finite), also director & screenplay
• 1989: what time is it? (Che ora è?)
• 1989: Splendor
• 1990: The Journey of Capitan Fracassa (Il Viaggio di Capitan Fracassa)
• 1991: I thought it was love (Pensavo fosse amore invece era un calesse), also director & screenplay
• 1994: The Postman (Il Postino), also screenplay

Web links

• Massimo Troisi in the Internet Movie Database (English)