Massimo Troisi
Encyclopedia
Massimo Troisi was an Italian actor, film director
, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994
film Il Postino
.
, a town near Naples
. His father was a train engineer. Some of his family experiences were later told in his first movies. After high school, Troisi wrote some poems inspired by his favourite author, Pier Paolo Pasolini
, and, in 1969, started to play in a small local theatre together with some childhood friends (including Lello Arena and Enzo Decaro). The early death of his mother condemned Troisi to a harsh period of activity, which is said to have had a role in the development of his increasingly serious heart problems which were brought on during his teenage years from bouts of rheumatic fever
. (In 1976 he had to visit the United States for a heart valve operation, the expenses for which were paid with the help of his friends.)
Troisi started his artistic career as a cabaret
showman in 1972, as a member of the comic trio called "I Saraceni" ("The Saracens") and, later, "La Smorfia" (from the name of the "book of the numbers" traditionally used in Naples for lottery
and tombola
, but also meaning "the face", as in "to make a face"). His mates were De Caro and Arena. They gained national fame on the radio and increased it consistently from 1977 onwards eventually becoming TV stars with the shows Non Stop, La sberla (1978) and Luna Park (1979). Troisi soon gained the status of leader of the trio. He was noted for his use of facial mimicry and of apparently confused speech—in these he drew inspiration from such famous figures of Neapolitan comedy as Totò
, and Eduardo
and Peppino De Filippo
.
Troisi starred opposite Roberto Benigni
in Non ci resta che piangere
(1985), in which they play two friends who are accidentally transported back in time to the 15th century; there they meet Leonardo da Vinci
and, upon realising which age they are in, travel to Spain to try to stop Christopher Columbus
from discovering the Americas
.
After some small acting roles, in 1987 Troisi directed Le vie del Signore sono finite, set during the Fascist era. The movie won a Silver Ribbon for best screenplay. In the following years, he starred alongside Marcello Mastroianni
, in Ettore Scola's Splendor (1988), Che ora è? (1989) and Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa (1990). His last movie as director (also as screenwriter and actor) was Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un calesse (1991), again centering on the every day difficulties of love between a man and a woman (portrayed by Francesca Neri
).
, directed by Michael Radford
. Troisi died in 1994 of a heart attack
in his sister's house in Ostia (Rome) twelve hours after the main filming on Il Postino had finished. It was reported that he postponed surgery to complete the film.
He was posthumously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor
for his role, becoming one of only seven actors to be posthumously nominated for an acting Academy Award. (The others were Jeanne Eagels
, James Dean
, Spencer Tracy
, Peter Finch
, Sir Ralph Richardson
, and Heath Ledger
.)
A good friend of the musician
and singer Pino Daniele
(who wrote most of the soundtracks for his movies), he wrote lyrics for his music or adapted his poetry for it. Eduardo De Filippo, father of Neapolitan theatre of the 20th century, said of him that he was a comic actor of the future, but with his roots in the past.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
film Il Postino
Il Postino
Il Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
.
Early years and TV star
Troisi was born into a large family in San Giorgio a CremanoSan Giorgio a Cremano
San Giorgio a Cremano is a primarily residential town and comune in the province of Naples, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is located on the foothills of Mount Vesuvius to the west of the volcano, and is six kilometres to the south east of the centre of Naples...
, a town near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. His father was a train engineer. Some of his family experiences were later told in his first movies. After high school, Troisi wrote some poems inspired by his favourite author, Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
, and, in 1969, started to play in a small local theatre together with some childhood friends (including Lello Arena and Enzo Decaro). The early death of his mother condemned Troisi to a harsh period of activity, which is said to have had a role in the development of his increasingly serious heart problems which were brought on during his teenage years from bouts of rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
. (In 1976 he had to visit the United States for a heart valve operation, the expenses for which were paid with the help of his friends.)
Troisi started his artistic career as a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
showman in 1972, as a member of the comic trio called "I Saraceni" ("The Saracens") and, later, "La Smorfia" (from the name of the "book of the numbers" traditionally used in Naples for lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
and tombola
Tombola
Tombola may refer to:* A type of raffle popular in Britain, Croatia, Italy, Turkey and Austria* Tómbola, an entertainment news TV show on TeleFutura* Operation Tombola, a WWII Allied operation in ItalySee also...
, but also meaning "the face", as in "to make a face"). His mates were De Caro and Arena. They gained national fame on the radio and increased it consistently from 1977 onwards eventually becoming TV stars with the shows Non Stop, La sberla (1978) and Luna Park (1979). Troisi soon gained the status of leader of the trio. He was noted for his use of facial mimicry and of apparently confused speech—in these he drew inspiration from such famous figures of Neapolitan comedy as Totò
Totò
Prince Antonio Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno De Curtis di Bisanzio Gagliardi, best known by his stage name Totò and nicknamed il principe della risata was an Italian comedian, film and theatre actor, writer, singer and songwriter...
, and Eduardo
Eduardo De Filippo
Eduardo De Filippo was an Italian actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and poet, best known for his Neapolitan works Filumena Marturano and Napoli Milionaria.-Biography:...
and Peppino De Filippo
Peppino De Filippo
Peppino De Filippo was an Italian actor.De Filippo was born in Naples, brother of actor and playwright Eduardo De Filippo and of Titina. He made his stage debut at the age of six. He played in several movies such as Rome-Paris-Rome, Variety Lights, A Day in Court, Ferdinand I, King of Naples and...
.
Cinema
Troisi wrote, directed, and starred in his first film, Ricomincio da tre ("I Start Over from Three") in 1981. He achieved wide success and critical praise, establishing himself as one of the most talented new Italian directors of the 1980s. Like his second movie, Ricomincio da tre is centered on the troublesome love life of a Neapolitan character, partly inspired by Troisi's youth, as well as featuring Lello Arena. Scusate il ritardo, similar to the preceding one, was released in 1983.Troisi starred opposite Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni
Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
in Non ci resta che piangere
Non ci resta che piangere
Non ci resta che piangere is a 1984 Italian comedy film, starring Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi, who are also directors and writers of the movie.-Plot:...
(1985), in which they play two friends who are accidentally transported back in time to the 15th century; there they meet Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
and, upon realising which age they are in, travel to Spain to try to stop Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
from discovering the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
After some small acting roles, in 1987 Troisi directed Le vie del Signore sono finite, set during the Fascist era. The movie won a Silver Ribbon for best screenplay. In the following years, he starred alongside Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
, in Ettore Scola's Splendor (1988), Che ora è? (1989) and Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa (1990). His last movie as director (also as screenwriter and actor) was Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un calesse (1991), again centering on the every day difficulties of love between a man and a woman (portrayed by Francesca Neri
Francesca Neri
Francesca Neri is an Italian actress.Neri was born in Trento, she has twice received the Silver Ribbon Award for Best Actress from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, for Pensavo fosse amore invece era un calesse, directed by Massimo Troisi and Carne trémula .She has also...
).
Il Postino
Troisi came to international fame through the success of Il PostinoIl Postino
Il Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
, directed by Michael Radford
Michael Radford
Michael Radford is an English film director and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Radford was born on 24 February 1946, in New Delhi, India, to a British father and an Austrian Jewish mother. He was educated at Bedford School before attending Worcester College, Oxford...
. Troisi died in 1994 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in his sister's house in Ostia (Rome) twelve hours after the main filming on Il Postino had finished. It was reported that he postponed surgery to complete the film.
He was posthumously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for his role, becoming one of only seven actors to be posthumously nominated for an acting Academy Award. (The others were Jeanne Eagels
Jeanne Eagels
Jeanne Eagels was an American actress on Broadway and in several motion pictures. She was a former Ziegfeld Follies Girl who went on to greater fame on Broadway and in the emerging medium of sound films....
, James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
, Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
, Peter Finch
Peter Finch
Peter Finch was a British-born Australian actor. He is best remembered for his role as "crazed" television anchorman Howard Beale in the film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a...
, Sir Ralph Richardson
Ralph Richardson
Sir Ralph David Richardson was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, also appeared in several classic films....
, and Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
.)
A good friend of the musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and singer Pino Daniele
Pino Daniele
Pino Daniele is an Italian vocalist, composer, and musician, whose influences cover a wide number of genres, fusing pop, blues, jazz, Italian and Middle eastern music into his own unique brand of world music.-Studio albums:...
(who wrote most of the soundtracks for his movies), he wrote lyrics for his music or adapted his poetry for it. Eduardo De Filippo, father of Neapolitan theatre of the 20th century, said of him that he was a comic actor of the future, but with his roots in the past.
Director
- Ricomincio da tre (1981)
- Morto Troisi, viva Troisi! (1982, TV special)
- Scusate il ritardo (1983)
- Non ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangere is a 1984 Italian comedy film, starring Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi, who are also directors and writers of the movie.-Plot:...
(1984, with Roberto BenigniRoberto BenigniRoberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
) - Le vie del Signore sono finite (1987)
- Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un calesse (1991)
Screenwriter
- Ricomincio da tre (1981)
- Morto Troisi, viva Troisi! (1982)
- Scusate il ritardo (1983)
- Non ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangere is a 1984 Italian comedy film, starring Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi, who are also directors and writers of the movie.-Plot:...
(1984) - Le vie del Signore sono finite (1987)
- Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un calesse (1991)
- Il PostinoIl PostinoIl Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
(1994)
Actor
- Ricomincio da tre (1981)
- Morto Troisi, viva Troisi! (1982)
- No grazie, il caffè mi rende nervoso (1982)
- Scusate il ritardo (1983)
- F.F.S.S., cioè.. che mi hai portato a fare sopra a Posillipo se non mi vuoi più bene? (1983)
- Non ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangereNon ci resta che piangere is a 1984 Italian comedy film, starring Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi, who are also directors and writers of the movie.-Plot:...
(1984) - Hotel Colonial (1986)
- Le vie del Signore sono finite (1987)
- Splendor (1988)
- Che ora è? (1989)
- Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa (1990)
- Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un calesse (1991)
- Il PostinoIl PostinoIl Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
(1994)