Italian film actress Maria-Pia Casilio (1935-2012) appeared in 35 films between 1952 and 1997. Casilio performed in many classic films by such great and respected Italian maestros as Vittorio de Sica and Luigi Comencini.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 241.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 296. Photo: Documento Film.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 823. Photo: publicity still for Appasionatamente/Passionately (Giacomo Gentilomo, 1954).
Maria-Pia Casilio (often written as Maria Pia Casilio) was born in 1935, in San Pio Delle Camere in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
She made her film debut in one of the enduring masterpieces of Italian neorealism, Umberto D (Vittorio de Sica, 1952). She only attended the auditions for Umberto D to watch, but she was spotted by director Vittorio de Sica who decided she was perfect for the role of the maid Maria.
She was not keen to be in a film, and demanded an enormous fee, assuming they would reject her. But the studio agreed, and so she made the film. In her role as the maid of the aging former civil servant Umberto D. (Carlo Battisti), Casilio evoked life's loneliness and quiet desperation beautifully.
Director Luigi Comencini also recognised her comedy talent. She appeared in the hit comedy Pane, Amore e Fantasia/Bread, Love and Dreams (Luigi Comencini, 1953), and the sequel Pane amore e gelosia/Bread, Love and Jealousy (Luigi Comencini, 1954) both starring Vittorio de Sica and Gina Lollobrigida.
She also appeared in Comencini’s film about film preservation and the heritage of the silent cinema, La Valigia dei Sogni/A Bag of Cinema Dreams (Luigi Comencini, 1953). This remarkable film boasts clips of numerous acclaimed silent film divas like Francesca Bertini, Lyda Borelli, Pina Manichelli, and Helena Makowska, who also acts in this film.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 599.
Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1455. Photo: Agenzia Liliana Biancini Sabatello.
Italian postcard by Levibrom, Milano (Milan).
Maria-Pia Casilio won a David di Donatello award (the Italian Oscar) for her role in Stazione Termini/Terminal Station (Vittorio De Sica, 1953) starring Montgomery Clift and Jennifer Jones. However, for the 26 minutes shorter US version, Indiscretion of an American Wife, producer David O’Selznick cut out all her scenes.
During the 1950s Casilio appeared as a character actress in several Italian comedies like Il viale della speranza/The Street of Hope (Dino Risi, 1953), and Carosello Napoletano/Neapolitan Carousel (Ettore Giannini, 1954).
She worked with great Italian comedians like Aldo Fabrizi in Siamo tutti inquilini/We Are All Outsiders (Mario Mattoli, 1953), I pappagalli/The Parrots (Bruno Paolinelli, 1955), Mogli pericolose/Dangerous Wives (Luigi Comencini, 1958); and Alberto Sordi in Un americano a Roma/An American in Rome (Steno, 1954) and Il giudizio universale/The Last Judgment (Vittorio de Sica, 1961).
With Totò, she played in Il medico dei pazzi/The Doctor of Madmen (Mario Mattoli, 1954), Racconti romani/Roman Tales (Gianni Franciolini, 1955) and in Totò, Peppino e i fuorilegge/Totò, Peppino and the Outlaw (Camillo Mastrocinque, 1956).
She also appeared in international coproductions, including Thérèse Raquin/The Adultress (Marcel Carné, 1953) starring Simone Signoret, L'air de Paris/Air of Paris (Marcel Carné, 1954) starring Jean Gabin, Le tournant dangereux/The Harbour Café (Robert Bibal, 1954) with Viviane Romance and the Italian-German war comedy Pezzo, capopezzo e capitano/Always Victorious (Wolfgang Staudte, 1958).
Italian postcard by Bromostampa, Milano (Milan), no. 214.
Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1184. Photo: Foto Consolazione.
Tullio Kezich writes in 'Federico Fellini, La vita e i film' (2002) that Fellini did a screentest with Maria-Pia Casilio for the lead in his classic La Strada/The Road (1954). History took another turn.
After her marriage to the voice actor Giuseppe Rinaldi, she semi-retired from acting. The couple remained together till his death in 2007.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Casilio played less frequently in films but she appeared in small parts in more high-profile films.
For Vittorio de Sica she played a supporting part in Lo chiameremo Andrea/We'll Call Him Andrew (1972) with Nino Manfredi.
For Ettore Scola she performed in uncredited parts in the black comedy Brutti, sporchi e cattivi/Ugly, Dirty and Bad (1976) and in La cena/The Dinner (1998) with Fanny Ardant, and for Michelangelo Antonioni in Identificazione di una donna/Identification of a Woman (1982).
After a break of seven years, she returned to the cinema in 2005 in La bestia nel cuore/Don’t tell (Cristina Comencini, 2005).
Maria-Pia Casilio died of natural causes in her hometown Rome. She was 76.
Italian postcard by B.F.F. Edit, Firenze, no. 3046. Photo: Titanus. Maria Pia Casilio in Pane, Amore e Gelosia/Bread, Love and Jealousy (Luigi Comencini, 1954).
Trailer for Umberto D (1952). Source: Cult Films (YouTube).
Sources: Tullio Kezich (Federico Fellini, La vita e i film), AllMovie, Wikipedia (Italian), and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 3 November 2020.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 241.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 296. Photo: Documento Film.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 823. Photo: publicity still for Appasionatamente/Passionately (Giacomo Gentilomo, 1954).
Enormous Fee
Maria-Pia Casilio (often written as Maria Pia Casilio) was born in 1935, in San Pio Delle Camere in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
She made her film debut in one of the enduring masterpieces of Italian neorealism, Umberto D (Vittorio de Sica, 1952). She only attended the auditions for Umberto D to watch, but she was spotted by director Vittorio de Sica who decided she was perfect for the role of the maid Maria.
She was not keen to be in a film, and demanded an enormous fee, assuming they would reject her. But the studio agreed, and so she made the film. In her role as the maid of the aging former civil servant Umberto D. (Carlo Battisti), Casilio evoked life's loneliness and quiet desperation beautifully.
Director Luigi Comencini also recognised her comedy talent. She appeared in the hit comedy Pane, Amore e Fantasia/Bread, Love and Dreams (Luigi Comencini, 1953), and the sequel Pane amore e gelosia/Bread, Love and Jealousy (Luigi Comencini, 1954) both starring Vittorio de Sica and Gina Lollobrigida.
She also appeared in Comencini’s film about film preservation and the heritage of the silent cinema, La Valigia dei Sogni/A Bag of Cinema Dreams (Luigi Comencini, 1953). This remarkable film boasts clips of numerous acclaimed silent film divas like Francesca Bertini, Lyda Borelli, Pina Manichelli, and Helena Makowska, who also acts in this film.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Milan), no. 599.
Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1455. Photo: Agenzia Liliana Biancini Sabatello.
Italian postcard by Levibrom, Milano (Milan).
Great Comedians
Maria-Pia Casilio won a David di Donatello award (the Italian Oscar) for her role in Stazione Termini/Terminal Station (Vittorio De Sica, 1953) starring Montgomery Clift and Jennifer Jones. However, for the 26 minutes shorter US version, Indiscretion of an American Wife, producer David O’Selznick cut out all her scenes.
During the 1950s Casilio appeared as a character actress in several Italian comedies like Il viale della speranza/The Street of Hope (Dino Risi, 1953), and Carosello Napoletano/Neapolitan Carousel (Ettore Giannini, 1954).
She worked with great Italian comedians like Aldo Fabrizi in Siamo tutti inquilini/We Are All Outsiders (Mario Mattoli, 1953), I pappagalli/The Parrots (Bruno Paolinelli, 1955), Mogli pericolose/Dangerous Wives (Luigi Comencini, 1958); and Alberto Sordi in Un americano a Roma/An American in Rome (Steno, 1954) and Il giudizio universale/The Last Judgment (Vittorio de Sica, 1961).
With Totò, she played in Il medico dei pazzi/The Doctor of Madmen (Mario Mattoli, 1954), Racconti romani/Roman Tales (Gianni Franciolini, 1955) and in Totò, Peppino e i fuorilegge/Totò, Peppino and the Outlaw (Camillo Mastrocinque, 1956).
She also appeared in international coproductions, including Thérèse Raquin/The Adultress (Marcel Carné, 1953) starring Simone Signoret, L'air de Paris/Air of Paris (Marcel Carné, 1954) starring Jean Gabin, Le tournant dangereux/The Harbour Café (Robert Bibal, 1954) with Viviane Romance and the Italian-German war comedy Pezzo, capopezzo e capitano/Always Victorious (Wolfgang Staudte, 1958).
Italian postcard by Bromostampa, Milano (Milan), no. 214.
Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1184. Photo: Foto Consolazione.
Fellini Screentest
Tullio Kezich writes in 'Federico Fellini, La vita e i film' (2002) that Fellini did a screentest with Maria-Pia Casilio for the lead in his classic La Strada/The Road (1954). History took another turn.
After her marriage to the voice actor Giuseppe Rinaldi, she semi-retired from acting. The couple remained together till his death in 2007.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Casilio played less frequently in films but she appeared in small parts in more high-profile films.
For Vittorio de Sica she played a supporting part in Lo chiameremo Andrea/We'll Call Him Andrew (1972) with Nino Manfredi.
For Ettore Scola she performed in uncredited parts in the black comedy Brutti, sporchi e cattivi/Ugly, Dirty and Bad (1976) and in La cena/The Dinner (1998) with Fanny Ardant, and for Michelangelo Antonioni in Identificazione di una donna/Identification of a Woman (1982).
After a break of seven years, she returned to the cinema in 2005 in La bestia nel cuore/Don’t tell (Cristina Comencini, 2005).
Maria-Pia Casilio died of natural causes in her hometown Rome. She was 76.
Italian postcard by B.F.F. Edit, Firenze, no. 3046. Photo: Titanus. Maria Pia Casilio in Pane, Amore e Gelosia/Bread, Love and Jealousy (Luigi Comencini, 1954).
Trailer for Umberto D (1952). Source: Cult Films (YouTube).
Sources: Tullio Kezich (Federico Fellini, La vita e i film), AllMovie, Wikipedia (Italian), and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 3 November 2020.
1 comment:
Once again Bob, you are a fountain of knowledge! What a wonderful career she had. R.I.P
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