Photo: Elena Torre from Viareggio, Italia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Vittorio Gassman was born on September 1, 1922 in Genoa, Liguria, Italy. Vittorio Gassman was a film director, television actor and screenwriter. Death is recorded on June 29, 2000, at the age of 77. Awards on record include Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor (1975), Donostia Award (1988), Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts (1997) and 5 more. Credited works include Il sorpasso, Big Deal on Madonna Street and March on Rome.
My Take
Vittorio Gassman embodies, for me, the full grandeur of Italian cinema. Nicknamed Il Mattatore, he could pivot from the bittersweet comedy of Il Sorpasso and Big Deal on Madonna Street to weighty dramatic turns with apparent ease. That range is what I admire most: stage and screen, laughter and gravity, all under one commanding presence. His 1975 Cannes Best Actor prize and a shelf of David di Donatello and Nastro d'Argento awards confirm what audiences already felt. Decades after his death in 2000, his name still carries weight in Italy. He is, simply, an actor's actor I look up to.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Vittorio Gassman
- Name (Japanese)
- ヴィットリオ・ガスマン
- Reading
- ゔぃっとりお・がすまん
- Born
- September 1, 1922 – June 29, 2000
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Dog
- Origin
- Genoa, Liguria, Italy
- Occupation
- film director / television actor / screenwriter / stage actor / film actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1975 Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor
- 1988 Donostia Award
- 1997 Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts
- David di Donatello for Best Actor
- David di Donatello Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor
- Nastro d'Argento Special
- Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Il sorpasso | — | |
| Notable work | Big Deal on Madonna Street | — | |
| Notable work | March on Rome | — | |
| Notable work | Scent of a Woman | — | |
| Notable work | Life Is a Bed of Roses | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Vittorio Gassman born?
Born September 1, 1922.
When did Vittorio Gassman die?
Died June 29, 2000, aged 77.
Where was Vittorio Gassman from?
Vittorio Gassman was from Genoa, Liguria, Italy.
What did Vittorio Gassman do?
Vittorio Gassman worked as film director, television actor, screenwriter, stage actor, film actor.
What was Vittorio Gassman known for?
Notable works include Il sorpasso, Big Deal on Madonna Street, March on Rome.
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