Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwriter and journalist.

Life and career

Born in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Simonelli obtained a high school diploma in business studies, then he started working as a journalist, and even as a film critic, for the weekly magazines ''Avvenimento'' and ''Gente nostra''. In 1928, at 22, he made his directorial debut co-directing with

Nicola Fausto Neroni Nicola may refer to: People * Nicola (name), including a list of people with the given name or, less commonly, the surname **Nicola (artist) or Nicoleta Alexandru, singer who represented Romania at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest * Nicola people ...

''Maratona'' and two years later he was among the screenwriters of the first Italian talking film, '' The Song of Love'' by

Gennaro Righelli Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...

. From 1934 Simonelli mainly devoted himself to the film editing, then, since 1940, he reprised his activity as a director specializing in comedy films of great commercial success, in which he directed some of the more popular actors of the period, including Totò, Eduardo and

Peppino De Filippo Peppino De Filippo (born Giuseppe De Filippo; 24 August 1903 – 27 January 1980) was an Italian actor. De Filippo was born in Naples, brother of actor and dramatist Eduardo De Filippo and of Titina De Filippo. He made his stage debut at th ...

, Nino Taranto, Renato Rascel, Walter Chiari, Ugo Tognazzi, Macario, Alberto Sordi and

Aldo Fabrizi Aldo Fabrizi (; born Aldo Fabbrizi; 1 November 1905 – 2 April 1990) was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and comedian, best known for the role of the heroic priest in Roberto Rossellini's ''Rome, Open City'' and as partner of Totò in ...

. He concluded his career by signing many successful works interpreted by the comedy duo Franco and Ciccio. His last film was the western-parody '' Two Sons of Ringo'', in which just before the end of filming he was replaced by Giuliano Carnimeo for health reasons.

Selected filmography

Director

* ''

The Cuckoo Clock ''The Cuckoo Clock'' is a British children's fantasy novel by Mary Louisa Molesworth, published in 1877 by Macmillan. It was originally published under the pen name Ennis Graham and reissued in 1882 as by Mrs. Molesworth, the name by which she ...

'' (1938) * ''

A Husband for the Month of April ''A Husband for the Month of April'' (Italian: ''Un marito per il mese di aprile'') is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Vanna Vanni, Carlo Romano and Pina Renzi.Brunetta p.96 It was shot ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Two Tigers ''The Two Tigers'' (original title: ''Le due tigri'') is the fourth adventure novel in the Sandokan series written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1904. Plot summary India, 1857. Just when Tremal-Naik's life was getting back to n ...

'' (1941) * ''

Two Hearts Among the Beasts ''Two Hearts Among the Beasts'' (Italian: ''Due cuori fra le belve'') is a 1943 Italian comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Totò, Vera Carmi and Enrico Glori.Parish p.139 A dancing master takes part in an expedition to Africa fi ...

'' (1943) * '' Eleven Men and a Ball'' (1948) * '' The Transporter'' (1950) * '' I'm the Capataz'' (1951) * ''

Auguri e figli maschi! ''Auguri e figli maschi!'' is a 1951 Italian film directed by Giorgio Simonelli. Plot A marshal's daughters are engaged to three boys, but they can't get married because they can't find apartments to live in on their own. The boys finally find ...

'' (1951) * ''

La paura fa 90 ''La Paura fa 90'' is a 1951 Italian comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli. Cast * Silvana Pampanini: Luisa * Ugo Tognazzi: Anastasio/Duca Di Boffignac * Franca Marzi: Nanda * Carlo Croccolo: Pinotto * Virgilio Riento: Bargilio * Galeaz ...

'' (1951) * '' I, Hamlet'' (1952) * ''

Passionate Song ''Passionate Song'' (Italian: ''Canzone appassionata'') is a 1953 Italian musical melodrama film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Nilla Pizzi, Gérard Landry and Vira Silenti.Parish p.100 Plot Lucia Spinelli, orphaned by both parents, ...

'' (1953) * ''

Saluti e baci ''Saluti e baci'' is a Franco-Italian comedy-drama film directed by Maurice Labro and Giorgio Simonelli Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwrit ...

'' (1953) * '' Love Song'' (1954) * '' It Happened at the Police Station'' (1954) * ''

Noi siamo due evasi ''Noi siamo due evasi'' is a 1959 Italian crime-comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli. Cast * Ugo Tognazzi: Bernardo Cesarotti * Magali Noël: Odette * Raimondo Vianello: Camillo Gorini * Sandra Mondaini: Isabella * Titina De Filippo ...

'' (1959) * ''

Robin Hood and the Pirates ''Robin Hood and the Pirates'' ( it, Robin Hood e i pirati) is a 1960 Italian adventure film directed by Giorgio Simonelli, and starring Lex Barker and Jackie Lane. Plot Robin Hood, the protagonist, leaves Sherwood Forest, and joins the pirates ...

'' (1960) * ''

Ursus in the Land of Fire ''Ursus in the Land of Fire'' ( it, Ursus nella terra di fuoco), released directly to U.S. television as ''Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire'', is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Ed Fury as Ursus, and Adrian ...

'' (1961) *''

I due mafiosi '' I due mafiosi'' ( es, Dos de la mafia, literally "Two Mafiamen") is a 1964 Italian-Spanish crime comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring the comedy duo Franco and Ciccio. It is a parody of Alberto Lattuada's ''Mafioso (film), Mafi ...

'' (1964) * ''

Two Mafiamen in the Far West ''Two Mafiamen in the Far West'' ( it, Due mafiosi nel Far West) is a 1964 in film, 1964 Italy, Italian comedy film, comedy western film directed by Giorgio Simonelli. Its stars Franco and Ciccio, and Fernando Sancho. Cast * Franco Franchi as ...

'' (1964) * '' Two Mafiosi Against Goldfinger'' (1965) * ''

Two Sergeants of General Custer ''Two Sergeants of General Custer'' ( it, I due sergenti del generale Custer) is a 1965 Italian Spaghetti Western comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli starring the comic duo Franco and Ciccio. Cast * Franco Franchi as Franco La Pera * Ci ...

'' (1965) * ''

I due toreri ''I due toreri'' ( es, Dos toreros de aúpa) is a 1965 Italian-Spanish comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli starring the comic duo Franco and Ciccio. Plot In Sicily Franco and Ciccio are empowered by a local mafia man to guard for a wide ra ...

'' (1965) * '' Two Sons of Ringo'' (1966)

Screenwriter

* '' The Song of Love'' (1930) * ''

Fountain of Trevi The Trevi Fountain ( it, Fontana di Trevi) is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini and several others. Standing high and wide, it is the lar ...

'' (1960) * ''

The Hot Port of Hong Kong ''The Hot Port of Hong Kong'' or ''Hong Kong Hot Harbor'' (German: ''Heißer Hafen Hongkong'') is a 1962 Italian-West German crime film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Marianne Koch, Klausjürgen Wussow and Dominique Boschero.Bergfelder p. ...

'' (1962)

Film editor

* '' The Blue Fleet'' (1932) * ''

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

'' (1932) * ''

La Wally ''La Wally'' is an opera in four acts by composer Alfredo Catalani, to a libretto by Luigi Illica, first performed at La Scala, Milan, on 20 January 1892. The libretto is based on a hugely successful ' by Wilhelmine von Hillern (1836–1916), ' ...

'' (1932) * '' Seconda B'' (1934) * ''

Loyalty of Love ''Loyalty of Love'' (Italian: ''Teresa Confalonieri'') is a 1934 Italian historical drama film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Marta Abba, Nerio Bernardi and Luigi Cimara. It is based on the story of Teresa Confalonieri, a celebrated fig ...

'' (1934) * '' Don Bosco'' (1935) * '' Golden Arrow'' (1935) * ''

Cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

'' (1936) * ''

Queen of the Scala ''Queen of the Scala'' (Italian: ''Regina della Scala'') is a 1937 Italian drama film directed by Camillo Mastrocinque and Guido Salvini and starring Margherita Carosio, Nives Poli and Giuseppe Addobbati.Lancia & Poppi p.93 The film's sets were ...

'' (1937) * ''

Mother Song ''Mother Song'' (German: ''Mutterlied'') is a 1937 German-Italian musical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Beniamino Gigli, Maria Cebotari and Hans Moser.Waldman p.202 It was produced by Itala Film, a Berlin-based production co ...

'' (1937) * ''

Luciano Serra, Pilot ''Luciano Serra, Pilot'' (Italian: ''Luciano Serra pilota'') is a 1938 Italian war drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Germana Paolieri and Roberto Villa. It was screened at the Venice Film Festival in A ...

'' (1938) * '' The Widow'' (1939) * ''

Cardinal Messias ''Cardinal Messias'' (Italian: ''Abuna Messias'') is a 1939 Italian historical drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Camillo Pilotto, Enrico Glori and Mario Ferrari.Moliterno p.313 The film was awarded the Mussolini Cup at the ...

'' (1939) * ''

No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...

'' (1939) * ''

A Thousand Lire a Month ''A Thousand Lire a Month'' (Italian: ''Mille lire al mese'') is a 1939 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, Umberto Melnati and Osvaldo Valenti.Nowell-Smith p.119 It is a rema ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Thrill of the Skies ''The Thrill of the Skies'' (Italian: ''L'ebbrezza del cielo'') is a 1940 Italian war film directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Silvana Jachino, Mario Giannini and Mario Ferrari. A group of aspiring young pilots in the city of Asiago construct ...

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1941)

References

External links

* 1901 births 1966 deaths Italian film directors 20th-century Italian screenwriters Italian male screenwriters Italian male non-fiction writers Writers from Rome Italian film editors Italian film critics 20th-century Italian male writers Italian parodists Comedy film directors Parody film directors {{Italy-film-director-stub