Franco Prosperi (2 September 1926 – 17 October 2004) was an Italian film director and screenwriter, active between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s. Born Francesco Prosperi in Rome, Prosperi began his career as an assistant director with

Mario Bava Mario Bava (31 July 1914 – 27 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter, frequently referred to as the "Master of Italian Horror" and the "Master of the Ma ...

and with whom he also wrote several screenplays. In 1966, he made his directorial debut, credited as Frank Shannon, with the thriller film, ''Tecnica di un omicidio'' and over the years he built a solid reputation as a director of crime-action films. He also occasionally directed comedies (with

Lando Buzzanca Gerlando "Lando" Buzzanca (24 August 1935 – 18 December 2022) was an Italian stage, film, and television actor whose career spanned 65 years. Life and career Early years Born in Palermo the son of a cinema projectionist, at 16 years old Buz ...

Alighiero Noschese Alighiero Noschese (; 25 November 1932 – 3 December 1979) was an Italian TV impersonator and actor. Life and career Noschese was born in Naples. After an unsuccessful attempt to work as journalist, he debuted for Italian radio as imitator ...

) and, in the final stage of his career, at the beginning of the 1980s, several low-budget

sword and sorcery Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy, the tale ...

films.

Selected filmography

* ' (1966) * ''Hired Killer'' (1966) * ''Every Man Is My Enemy'' (1967) * ''

Ripped Off ''Ripped Off'' (also known as ''The Boxer'' and ''Un uomo dalla pelle dura'') is a 1972 American/Italian crime film directed by Franco Prosperi and starring Robert Blake and Ernest Borgnine. Plot A young boxer is framed for murdering his crook ...

'' (1971) * ''

The Funny Face of the Godfather ''L'altra faccia del padrino'' (internationally released as ''The Funny Face of the Godfather'') is a 1973 Italian parody film directed by Franco Prosperi. It is a spoof of Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film ''The Godfather''. Plot The film partial ...

'' (1973) (parody of ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...

'') * '' Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia'' (1974) * ''

Meet Him and Die ''Meet Him and Die'' ( it, Pronto ad uccidere) is a 1976 film directed by Franco Prosperi and starring Ray Lovelock, Martin Balsam and Elke Sommer. Cast * Ray Lovelock - Massimo Torlani * Martin Balsam - Giulianelli * Elke Sommer - Secretary ...

'' (1976) * ''

The Last House on the Beach ''The Last House on the Beach'' (Italian: ''La settima donna'', also known as ''Terror'' and ''The Seventh Woman'') is a 1978 Italian rape and revenge-thriller film directed by Franco Prosperi. The American title refers to Wes Craven's ''The Last ...

'' (1978) * '' Deadly Chase'' (1978) * ''

Gunan, King of the Barbarians ''Gunan, King of the Barbarians'' ( it, Gunan il guerriero) is a 1982 film directed by Franco Prosperi. Production ''Gunan, King of the Barbarians'' uses footage from ''One Million Years B.C.''. Release ''Gunan, King of the Barbarians'' was rele ...

'' (1982) (parody of ''

Conan the Barbarian Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...

'') * ''

The Throne of Fire ''The Throne of Fire'' is a 2011 fantasy adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan. It is the second novel in ''The Kane Chronicles'' series, which tells of the adventures of modern-day fourteen-year-old Carter Kane and his twelve-y ...

'' (1983)

References

External links

* 1926 births 2004 deaths Italian film directors 20th-century Italian screenwriters Italian male screenwriters Giallo film directors Film people from Rome 20th-century Italian male writers Italian parodists Comedy film directors Parody film directors {{italy-film-bio-stub