Mario Zampi (1 November 19032 December 1963) was an Italian film producer and director. A co-founder of

Two Cities Films Two Cities Films was a British film production company. Formed in 1937, it was originally envisaged as a production company operating in the two cities of London and Rome which gave the company its name. The driving forces behind the company were ...

, a British production company, he is most closely associated with British comedies of the 1950s.

Biography

Zampi began his career as an actor in Italy at the age of 17. By 1930, he was working for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

as a

film editor Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film which increasingly involves the use of digital technology. The film edit ...

in London. In 1937, he and compatriot

Filippo Del Giudice Filippo Del Giudice, (26 March 1892 – 1 January 1963), born in Trani, Apulia, Trani, Italy, was an Italian film producer. Giudice was a lawyer, legal advisor and film producer. He worked with people that were already well known in their field ...

founded Two Cities Films. While the company was noted for such serious films as ''

In Which We Serve ''In Which We Serve'' is a 1942 British patriotic war film directed by Noël Coward and David Lean. It was made during the Second World War with the assistance of the Ministry of Information (United Kingdom), Ministry of Information. The scree ...

'', ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

'', and ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', Zampi is most remembered for comedies. He made his mark with such films as ''

Laughter in Paradise ''Laughter in Paradise'' is a 1951 British comedy film, starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton. The film was remade as ''Some Will, Some Won't'' (1970). Plot In his will, notorious practical joker Henry Russell leave ...

'' (1951), ''

The Naked Truth The Naked Truth may refer to: Literature * ''The Naked Truth'' (novel), a 1993 fictional memoir by Leslie Nielsen * ''The Naked Truth'' (book), a 2007 commentary on film ratings Film * ''The Naked Truth'' (1914 film), a silent Italian film * ...

'' (1957), and ''

Too Many Crooks ''Too Many Crooks'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi. The plot concerns a bunch of inept crooks who kidnap the wife of a shady businessman, only for him to decide he doesn’t want her back. It stars George Cole, Sidney Ja ...

'' (1959), often in the dual role of director and producer.

Filmography

Director and producer unless otherwise indicated. *'' Tredici uomini e un cannone'' (1936) producer *'' 13 Men and a Gun'' (1938) *''

French Without Tears ''French Without Tears'' is a comic play written by a 25-year-old Terence Rattigan in 1936. Setting It takes place in a cram school for adults needing to acquire French for business reasons. Scattered throughout are Franglais phrases and sch ...

'' (1940) producer *'' Spy for a Day'' (1940) *''

Freedom Radio ''Freedom Radio'' (a.k.a. ''A Voice in the Night'') is a 1941 British propaganda film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Clive Brook, Diana Wynyard, Raymond Huntley and Derek Farr. It is set in Nazi Germany during the Second World War a ...

'' aka ''A Voice in the Night'' (1941) producer (uncredited) *''

The Phantom Shot ''The Phantom Shot'' is a 1947 British mystery film directed by Mario Zampi and starring John Stuart, Olga Lindo and Howard Marion-Crawford. It marked Zampi's return to filmmaking after he had been interned during the Second World War.Chibnall & ...

'' (1947) *'' Third Time Lucky'' (1948) producer *'' The Fatal Night'' (1948) *'' The Happiest Days of Your Life'' (1950) producer *''

Shadow of the Past ''Shadow of the Past'' is a 1950 British crime film directed by Mario Zampi and starring Joyce Howard, Terence Morgan, and Michael Medwin. The screenplay involves a man who catches sight of a woman believed by everyone to be dead. Cast * Joyce ...

'' (1950) *'' Come Dance with Me'' (1950) *''

'' (1951) *''

Top Secret Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to know, ...

'', aka ''Mr. Potts Goes to Moscow'' (1952) * ''

I Chose Love ''I Chose Love'' (French: ''J'ai choisi l'amour'', Italian: ''Ho scelto l'amore'') is a 1953 French-Italian comedy film directed by Mario Zampi and starring Renato Rascel and Marisa Pavan. It was shot at the Cinecittà studios in Rome. Plot Bor ...

'' aka ''Ho scelto l'amore'' (1953) director *'' Happy Ever After'', aka ''Tonight's the Night'' (1954) *'' Now and Forever'' (1956) *''

'', aka ''Your Past Is Showing'' (1957) *''

'' (1959) *'' Bottoms Up'' (1960) *''

Five Golden Hours ''Five Golden Hours'' is a 1961 Italian-British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi and written by Hans Wilhelm, starring Ernie Kovacs, Cyd Charisse and George Sanders, and featuring Dennis Price and John Le Mesurier. Plot Aldo Bondi (Kovacs) ...

'', aka ''Cinque ore in contanti'' (1961) director

References

*Kay Weniger. ''Das große Personenlexikon des Films'', Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag, Berlin 2001,

External links

*
Biography at britmovie.co.uk
Italian film directors Italian film producers 1903 births 1963 deaths Italian emigrants to the United Kingdom {{film-producer-stub