Ugo Tognazzi (March 23, 1922 - October 27, 1990) was an Italian film, TV and theatre actor, director and screenwriter.
Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy, but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a traveller clerk for an insurance company.
After his return in the native city in 1936, he worked in a salami production plant. In World War II he was called to the Army, returning home after the Armistice of September 1943. His passion for spectacles and acting dates from his early years, and also during the conflict he had organized spectacles for his fellow soldiers. In 1945 he moved to Milan, where he was enrolled in the theatrical company led by Wanda Osiris.
In 1950 Tognazzi made his debut for cinema, in I cadetti di Guascogna directed by Mario Mattoli. In the following year he met Raimondo Vianello, with whom he formed a successful comical duo for the new-born RAI TV (1954-1960). Their shows, sometimes containing satyrical aspects, were also among the first ones to be censored in Italian television.
After the successful role in The Fascist (Il Federale) (1961), directed by Luciano Salce, Tognazzi became one of the most renowned characters of the so-called Commedia all'Italiana (Italian comedy style). He worked with all the main directors of Italian cinema, including Mario Monicelli (Amici miei), Marco Ferreri (La grande abbuffata), Nanni Loy, Dino Risi, Pier Paolo Pasolini (Porcile), Ettore Scola, Alberto Lattuada, Pupi Avati and others. Tognazzi also directed some of his films. In 1981 he won the Best Male Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Tognazzi was also a respected theater actor and director. He resided also in France.
Ugo Tognazzi died in Rome in 1990.
His sons Ricky (born in 1955) and Gianmarco Tognazzi (born in 1955 and 1967, respectively) are also cinema actors. He was also the father of the Norwegian film director and film producer Thomas Robsahm (born in 1964). His daughter Maria Sole Tognazzi (born in 1971) is, like Ricky, also a film director.
