The films of Vittorio De Sica (1902-1974) are among the most enduring of the Italian post-war period. His career suggests an openness to form and a versatility uncommon among Italian directors.

De Sica was born in Sora, Italy on July 7, 1902. He attended the Institut Superieur de Commerce and University of Rome. De Sica began acting on stage as a teen-ager and played his first film role in 1918. In the 1920s his handsome features and talent made him something of a matinee idol. He performed in Tatiana Pavlova's stage company in 1923. De Sica married the Italian actress Giuditta Rissone, with whom he formed his own stage company in the late 1920s. By 1931, De Sica had become a leading film actor. He appeared in a number of films by Mario Camerini, including Gliuomini che mascalzoni!, Daro un milione, and Grandi magazzine.

Portrayed Comic Heroes

During his lifetime, De Sica acted...