- Vittorio De Sica, Pane, amore e fantasia/Bread, Love And Dreams, Italy, 1953. Written for Cervi, played by De Sica. And good job, too. Although director Luigi Comencini won all the praise, Gina Lollobrigida swore that De Sica had really directed the comedy – and the sequel, Bread, Love and Jealousy. She only made the films because he co-starred… and yet he had to be pushed into defending her in the classic Trial sketch of Altri Tempi/Times Goes By, 1952. He bonded best with Sophia Loren, who made the third of the series and he directed her to her Oscar for Two Women, 1960.
- Lionel Stander, Don Camillo et les contestataires, France-Italy, 1971.“It’s the same people,” said Fernandel. “Don Camillo, Peppone and Jesus…” Christian-Jacque was directing the sixth of the series when his star fell ill and died of cancer a few months later. Gino Cervi, five times his co-star as Mayor Peppone across 19 years, immediately quit. “The film,” he said, “has lost its soul.” Mario Camerini finished it with the soul-less Moschin and Hollywoodian blacklist victim Lionel Stander as Peppone. Flop! Ditto for Terence Hill’s 1983 re-make. The priest of priests was not James Bond. There is one only Don Camillo. As even proved in a 35 minute version compiled from his scenes.
Birth year: 1901Death year: 1974Other name: Casting Calls: 0