Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World War I. In 1917 he ventured into film directing for the first time. Before the arrival of sound films he worked for a period in Germany in films directed by

Luis Trenker Luis Trenker (born Alois Franz Trenker, 4 October 1892 – 13 April 1990) was a South Tyrolean film producer, director, writer, actor, architect, alpinist, and bobsledder. Biography Early life Alois Franz Trenker was born on 4 October 1892 in ...

. Back in Italy in 1932, he became a prolific director working with the major stars of the time as:

Assia Noris Assia Noris (16 February 1912 – 27 January 1998) was a Russian-Italian film actress. Born Anastasia Noris fon Gerzfeld (Anastassia Noris von Herzfeld), she appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1965. She starred in films such as the Mar ...

Elsa Merlini Elsa Merlini (26 July 1903 – 22 February 1983), was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 29 films between 1931 and 1976. She was born in Trieste, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * '' The Private Secretary'' (1931) ...

, Amedeo Nazzari, Luisa Ferida, Henry Viarisio. ''Il feroce Saladino'' (1937) was the most popular of his films of the 1930s. During the war he continued to work. In the post World War II period his films, ranging from comedies to period dramas enjoyed much success. However, today he's no longer well known. One of his last films was '' The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1959). An illness made him leave production early, so the film was completed by

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...

. His brother was the composer Giulio Bonnard, who frequently wrote

film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...

s for Mario's productions.

Selected filmography

* '' Floretta and Patapon'' (1913) * '' Love Everlasting'' (1913) * ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

'' (1915) * '' The Betrothed'' (1923) * '' The Circus of Life'' (1926) * '' The Golden Abyss'' (1927) * '' Struggle for the Matterhorn'' (1928) * ''

Theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

'' (1928) * '' The Sinner'' (1928) * '' The Call of the North'' (1929) * '' Call at Midnight'' (1929) * ''

The Son of the White Mountain ''The Son of the White Mountain'' (German: ''Der Sohn der weißen Berge'') is a 1930 German mystery romance film directed by Mario Bonnard and Luis Trenker and starring Trenker, Maria Matray and Renate Müller. It was part of the popular seri ...

'' (1930) * ''

Five to Nil ''Five to Nil'' (Italian: ''Cinque a zero'') is a 1932 Italian sports comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Angelo Musco, Milly, and Osvaldo Valenti.Moliterno p.5 It was inspired by a 5–0 victory by A.S. Roma against their rival ...

'' (1932) * ''

Three Lucky Fools ''Three Lucky Fools'' (Italian: ''Tre uomini in frack'') is a 1933 French-Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Tito Schipa, Eduardo De Filippo, and Fred Pasquali. It marked the film debut of Assia Noris, who went on to be ...

'' (1933) * '' The Wedding March'' (1934) * ''

Territorial Militia ''Territorial Militia'' (Italian: ''Milizia territoriale'') is a 1935 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Antonio Gandusio, Rosina Anselmi and Leda Gloria.Chiti & Poppi p.224 The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...

'' (1935) * ''

Adam's Tree ''Adam's Tree'' (Italian: ''L'albero di Adamo'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Elsa Merlini, Antonio Gandusio and Renato Cialente.Goble p.663 The film's sets were designed by the art d ...

'' (1936) * ''

Thirty Seconds of Love ''Thirty Seconds of Love'' (Italian:''Trenta secondi d'amore'') is a 1936 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Nino Besozzi, Elsa Merlini and Enrico Viarisio Enrico Viarisio (3 December 1897 – 1 November 1967) w ...

'' (1936) * ''

The Ferocious Saladin ''The Ferocious Saladin'' (Italian: ''Il feroce Saladino'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Angelo Musco, Alida Valli and Lino Carenzio. The film was made at Cinecittà in Rome. On 28 Ap ...

'' (1937) * '' The Count of Brechard'' (1938) * ''

I, His Father ''I, His Father'' (Italian: ''Io, suo padre'') is a 1939 Italian sports drama film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Erminio Spalla, Mariella Lotti and Clara Calamai. It was shot at the Scalera Studios in Rome. The film's sets were designed ...

'' (1939) * ''

Frenzy ''Frenzy'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career. The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the 1966 novel ''Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Squa ...

'' (1939) * '' Father For a Night'' (1939) * ''

The King's Jester ''The King's Jester'' ( it, Il re si diverte) is a 1941 Italian historical drama film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Michel Simon, María Mercader and Rossano Brazzi. The film is an adaptation of the play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hug ...

'' (1941) * '' Marco Visconti'' (1941) * ''

Before the Postman ''There's Room Up Ahead'' (Italian: ''Avanti c'è posto'') is a 1942 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Aldo Fabrizi, Andrea Checchi and Adriana Benetti.Moliterno p.45 It was made at Cinecittà in Rome. Plot A young gi ...

'' (1942) * ''

The Peddler and the Lady ''The Peddler and the Lady'' (Italian title: ''Campo de' fiori'') is a 1943 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Aldo Fabrizi, Caterina Boratto and Anna Magnani.Reich & Garofalo p.101 Much of the film is set on the Campo d ...

'' (1943) * '' Romulus and the Sabines'' (1945) * '' Farewell, My Beautiful Naples'' (1946) * '' City of Pain'' (1948) * ''

Margaret of Cortona Margaret of Cortona (1247 – 22 February 1297) was an Italian penitent of the Third Order of Saint Francis. She was born in Laviano, near Perugia, and died in Cortona. She was canonized in 1728. She is the patron saint of the falsely accused, ...

'' (1950) * '' Il voto'' (1950) * ''

Stasera sciopero ''Stasera sciopero'' is a 1951 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard. Plot Augusto, rich and miserly ''pizzicagnolo'', is attacked on his way home. During the fight the attacker is fatally wounded with his own revolver. He was a poor ...

'' (1951) * '' The Last Sentence'' (1951) * ''

Torment of the Past ''Torment of the Past'' (Italian:''Tormento del passato'') is a 1952 Italian melodrama film co-written and directed by Mario Bonnard. Cast *Hélène Rémy as Luisa *Marc Lawrence as Andrea Rossi *Raffaella Carrà as Graziella (credited as Raff ...

'' (1952) * ''

I figli non si vendono ''I figli non si vendono'' (literally, ''Children must not be sold'') is a 1952 Italian melodrama film by Mario Bonnard. Plot Cast * Lea Padovani as Anna * Jacques Sernas as Carlo Dazzeni / Roberto Dazzeni * Maria Grazia Francia as Luisa * ...

'' (1952) * ''

Frine, Courtesan of Orient ''Frine, Courtesan of Orient'' ( it, Frine, cortigiana d'Oriente) is a 1953 Italian epic adventure film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Elena Kleus and Pierre Cressoy. Sergio Leone served as assistant director. Plot Cast * Elena Kleus: ...

'' (1953) * ''

Concert of Intrigue ''Concert of Intrigue'' ( it, Tradita) is a 1954 Italian historical melodrama film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Brigitte Bardot. It recorded admissions of 959,000 in France. Plot During the First World War, Enrico and Franco, two brot ...

'' (1954) * '' They Stole a Tram'' (1954) * ''

La ladra ''La ladra'' (french: Les anges aux mains noires) is a 1955 Italian-French crime- melodrama film co-written and directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Lise Bourdin and Fausto Tozzi. Plot Whistle is an orphaned boy, raised in an environment uns ...

'' (1955) * ''

Allow Me, Daddy! ''Allow Me, Daddy!'' ( it, Mi permette, babbo!) is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard. Plot Rodolfo, a young man with the ambitions of an opera singer in the bass register, does not work, gets up at midday and lives on the sho ...

'' (1956) * '' Slave Women of Corinth'' (1958) * '' The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1959) * ''

Gastone Gastone is a masculine Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: * Gastone Baldi (1901–1971), Italian professional football player * Gastone Bean (born 1936), Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker * Gasto ...

'' (1960) * '' Rome 1585'' (1961)

External links

* 1889 births 1965 deaths Italian male film actors Italian male silent film actors 20th-century Italian male actors Italian film directors {{Italy-actor-stub