Ricky Memphis (stage name of Riccardo Fortunati; born 29 August 1968) is an Italian television and film actor. He is best known for his interpretation of ''Inspector Mauro Belli'', in the police drama series, '' Distretto di Polizia'' ('Police Precinct'), which was broadcast weekly for eight seasons by Italian network

Canale 5 Canale 5 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel of Mediaset, owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. It was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980. On 4 December 2012, Mediaset launched Canale 5 HD, a s ...

from 2000 to 2009.

Career

Ricky Memphis was born in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. His career in the entertainment business began at the end of the 1980s with his first television appearance as an urban poet on the

Maurizio Costanzo Maurizio Costanzo (born 28 August 1938) is an Italian television host, journalist, screenwriter and film director. Biography Costanzo began his career as a journalist, first as a contributing writer to ''Paese Sera'' and then as managing editor ...

talk show. He chose his stage name "Memphis" in honour of American singer

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. His first role in a major picture was in the 1990 film '' Ultrà'', directed by

Ricky Tognazzi Ricky Tognazzi (born Riccardo Tognazzi; ; 1 May 1955) is an Italian actor and film director. He has appeared in 50 films and television shows since 1963. His film '' The Escort'' was entered into the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. In 1991, he won t ...

. Memphis won the award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of ''Red'' at the European Film Awards. He followed with roles in ''Pugni di rabbia'', ''La scorta'' and ''Il branco''. Memphis received national popularity with his interpretation of the compassionate ''Inspector Mauro Belli'' in Mediaset's Canale 5 television police drama series ''Distretto di Polizia'' ('Police District'), which aired for eight seasons from 26 September 2000 to November 2009. His character left the series in the sixth season of the series. There was talk of Memphis returning to the series in his former role of ''Inspector Mauro Belli''.Scavicchia la Notizia, La Voce Della-Emittenza, 14 November 2008, retrieved on 15 January 2009 Memphis's television work also includes the Canale 5/ Italia 1 production of ''Crimini bianchi'' ('White Crimes'), in which he played the role of lawyer ''Claudio Bruni'', and

Rai Uno Rai 1 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's flagship television channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream and general ...

's ''Caccia al re - La Narcotici'' in 2011.

Filmography

Film

*''

Ultra adopted by British military intelligence in June 1941 for wartime signals intelligence obtained by breaking high-level encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter communications at the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park. '' ...

'' (1991) *''Pugni di rabbia'' (1991) *'' The Escort'' (1993) *''Briganti - Amore e libertà'' (1993) *'' The Heroes'' (1994) *'' Il branco'' (1994) *''L'anno prossimo... Vado a letto alle dieci'' (1995) *''

Palermo - Milan One Way ''Palermo - Milan One Way'' ( it, Palermo Milano - Solo andata) is a List of Italian films of 1995, 1995 Cinema of Italy, Italian crime film, crime-action film directed by Claudio Fragasso. The film premiered at the 1995 Venice Film Festival. It w ...

'' (1995) *''

Strangled Lives ''Strangled Lives'' ( it, Vite strozzate, french: Le jour du chien) is a 1996 French-Italian crime film directed by Ricky Tognazzi. It was entered into the 46th Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Alfred Bauer Prize. Cast * Vinc ...

'' (1995) *''

Other Men ''Other Men'' ( it, Altri uomini) is a 1997 Italian crime drama film written and directed by Claudio Bonivento. It is based on real-life characters documented in the Antonio Carlucci and Paolo Rossetti's book ''Io il Tebano'' ("I, the Theban"). ...

'' (1997) *''

Kaputt Mundi ''Kaputt Mundi'' ( it, L'ultimo capodanno) is a 1998 Italian comedy drama film directed by Marco Risi. It is based on the short story '' L'ultimo capodanno dell'umanità'' by Niccolò Ammaniti. Cast *Monica Bellucci: Giulia Giovannini *Marco Gi ...

'' (1998) *''

We'll Really Hurt You ''We'll Really Hurt You'' ( it, Le faremo tanto male) is a 1998 Italian comedy film written and directed by Pino Quartullo. Plot Cast * Pino Quartullo as Marco * Ricky Memphis as Ruggero * Stefania Sandrelli as Federica Birki * Anna ...

'' (1998) *''S.O.S.'' (1999) *''

Paz! ''Paz!'' is a 2002 Italian comedy film written and directed by Renato De Maria. Set in 1977 in Bologna, it is based on several comic characters created by Andrea Pazienza. Cast * Claudio Santamaria: Pentothal * Flavio Pistilli: Massimo Zanard ...

'' (2002) *''Milan - Palermo: The Return'' (2007) *''La bella società'' (2010) *''

The Immature ''The Immature'' ( it, Immaturi) is a 2011 Cinema of Italy, Italian comedy film directed by Paolo Genovese. The film was a commercial success, grossing over 19 million dollars at the Italian box office. It was nominated for three David di Donatell ...

'' (2011) *'' Ex 2: Still Friends?'' (2011) *''

Vacanze di Natale a Cortina ''Vacanze di Natale a Cortina'' () is a 2011 Italian comedy film written and directed by Neri Parenti. The film features many cameos including Bob Sinclar, Renato Balestra, Edinson Cavani, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Cesare Prandelli, Mara Venier ...

'' (2011) *'' The Immature: The Trip'' (2012) *'' Us in the U.S.'' (2012) *''

The Fifth Wheel ''The 5th Wheel'' was an American dating Reality television, reality series that aired in Broadcast syndication, syndication from 2001 to 2004. The show was initially hosted by comedian Aisha Tyler, but when Tyler left after completing the first ...

'' (2013) *''

The Move of The Penguin ''The Move of the Penguin'' ( it, La mossa del pinguino, also known as ''The Penguin's Move'') is a 2013 Italian comedy film written and directed by Claudio Amendola, as his directorial debut. It stars Edoardo Leo, Ricky Memphis, Antonello Fassar ...

'' (2013) *''

A Fairy-Tale Wedding ''A Fairy-Tale Wedding'' ( it, Un matrimonio da favola) is a 2014 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. Cast *Adriano Giannini as Luca Maggi *Ricky Memphis as Daniele Baldini *Paola Minaccioni as Paola De Donno *Andrea Osvárt as ...

'' (2014) *''

Soap Opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' (2014) *''

Ma tu di che segno sei? ''Ma tu di che segno sei?'' () is a 2014 Italian comedy film directed by Neri Parenti. Cast *Massimo Boldi as Carlo Rabagliati *Gigi Proietti as Giuliano De Marchis *Vincenzo Salemme as Augusto Fioretti *Ricky Memphis as Saturno Bolla * Pio D'Anti ...

'' (2014) *''

Torno indietro e cambio vita ''Torno indietro e cambio vita'' () is a 2015 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. The film is a loose remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells ...

'' (2015) *''

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...

'' (2016) *''Ovunque tu sarai'' (2017) *''Sconnessi'' (2018) *'' Loro'' (2018) *'' Natale a cinque stelle'' (2018) *'' Don't Stop Me Now'' (2019) *''Il grande salto'' (2019) *''Parasite'' (2020) *''

Lockdown all'italiana ''Lockdown all'italiana'' () is a 2020 Italian comedy film directed by Enrico Vanzina. Cast *Ezio Greggio as Giovanni *Ricky Memphis as Walter *Paola Minaccioni as Mariella *Martina Stella as Tamara *Marialuisa Jacobelli as Monica *Romina Pierdom ...

'' (2020)

Television

*1998: ''Ultimo'' (TV Movie) - Solo *1999: ''Ultimo II - La sfida'' (TV Movie) - Solo *1999: ''

Excellent Cadavers ''Excellent Cadavers'' is a 1995 non-fiction book by American author Alexander Stille about the Sicilian Mafia, concentrating on magistrate Giovanni Falcone's fight against the Mafia and his 1992 assassination. Book title The name of the book ...

'' (TV Movie) - Mafioso #1 *1999: ''Il morso del serpente'' (TV Movie) - Sante Venuti *2000-2006: '' Distretto di Polizia'' - Ispettore capo Mauro Belli *2001: ''Sindone - 24 ore, 14 ostaggi'' (TV Movie) - Alberto *2008: ''Crimini bianchi'' ('White Crime') - Avvocato Claudio Bruni *2010: ''Un paradiso per due'' (A Paradise For Two) (TV Movie) - Nerone *2011: ''Caccia al re - La Narcotici'' - Livio Vitale *2011: ''Come un delfino'' (TV Movie) - Don Luca

Short

*1998: ''Taxi'' *2005: ''Storia di Mario'' - Ricky

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Memphis, Ricky 1968 births 20th-century Italian male actors Italian male film actors Italian male television actors Living people European Film Awards winners (people) Male actors from Rome 21st-century Italian male actors