Centenary of Alberto Sordi: Celebrating the Italian Cinema Icon

Alberto Sordi, the legendary Italian actor, would have turned 100 in 2020. Born in Rome's Trastevere district to a music professor and a primary school teacher, he began his career as a child singer in the Cappella choir and studied operatic singing. In 1936, he recorded a children's fairy tale record for Fonit and used the proceeds to attend the Accademia dei Filodrammatici in Milan, but was expelled due to his Roman dialect. Returning to Rome, he worked as an extra in Cinecittà, appearing in the 1937 film Scipione l'Africano, and later became a voice actor, dubbing films including Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Radio was his first love; he created iconic characters like "Signor Dice" and "Compagnuccio della Parrocchietta" on Rai Radio. His film breakthrough came in the 1950s with Federico Fellini's Lo Sceicco Bianco (1952) and I vitelloni (1953), followed by Steno's Un giorno in pretura, Un americano a Roma, and Piccola posta. Sordi became synonymous with the "commedia all'italiana," portraying the average Italian. He also co-wrote many of his films. His first major film role was in Mario Mattoli's I tre aquilotti, based on a story by Vittorio Mussolini. Sordi's famous line "Maccarone, m'hai provocato e io ti distruggo" from Un americano a Roma was reportedly shot in one take. He received 9 David di Donatello, 6 Nastri d'argento, a Golden Bear and a Silver Bear at Berlin, a Golden Globe, and a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival.