Toth Database  - Cinema 

Eduardo De Filippo

(Born 24 may 1900-31 Rome, October 1984)

His father was actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta, her mother Luisa De Filippo Theatre seamstress.Eduardo, Titina and Peppino, natural children of Scarpetta, were recognized by his mother, as the latter was already married to Luisa's aunt, Rosa. The brothers grow up in the theatrical setting, in fact Titina, already very young, worked in the company of Vincenzo Scarpetta, legitimate son of Scarpetta. After spending a period in college with his brother Peppino, began working as an actor, and between a company and the other knows Totò. In 1914 the company enters in Edward's half-brother, Vincenzo Scarpetta, bringing his sister Titina; three years later, with the entry into the company of Peppino, the three brothers find themselves acting together. During his military service is responsible for organizing small performances for the soldiers.His first play the writes in 1920 pharmacy, represented the following year by the compagnia di Vincenzo Scarpetta. In 1922 he writes I made the trouble? I'll fix it! that is staged at the Teatro Fiorentini four years later and after the definitive title of man and gentleman; in this comedy, one of the most comical Edwardian repertoire, treating of "madness" (real or alleged) and "betrayal". 

In 1921 in Surriento Friendly, musical Idyll by Enzo Lucio Murolo, also directing. Lives with a young man named Jerry, for which composed love poems including and margarite. After a brief period, in the company of Louis cute, back into that Scarpetta, where Meanwhile landed his brother Peppino, in '26 writes No rest in the anema soja ... . ( later become the dead don't scare ) that reads as an old man, after a few years, says "I couldn't wait to get old: so, I thought, I won't need to wear makeup. And then, if I'm old now, I can carry on. If I start to make the younger, soon they will say, "has aged!"».

In 1927, always tell him "Yes" back the theme of madness real and not presumed. During these years, Eduardo, with his brother Peppino and sister Titina, and together with other actors, gives life to the Company Galdieri-Dahl, with Director Eduardo, and debuting with success at Fiorentini in Naples on July 27 with the show entitled superstitious the magazine ... they won't like it. Knows Meanwhile Dorothy Pennington ("Dodô"), an American from Philadelphia, who marries in Rome with the Gospel 12 December 1928 the rite. In the same year he wrote the one-act Philosophically, however, is the only text of the Neapolitan author never was brought to the scene.

In 1929, using pseudonyms (r. Maffei, g. Renzi and h. Recti), Eduardo and Peppino stage the comedy showrehearsal. Three ways to make people laugh, work in three acts with Prologue and epilogue by Galdieri, performed at Florence. Many will, in years to come, when Eduardo you will sign, as a playwright, with various pseudonyms (among the best known, Tricot, Molise, c. Consul); in order to overcome the difficulties he had in those years to be recognized by its copyright owners. Eduardo, Titina and Peppino, join the Company Molinari, where will form an autonomous company within the company the "Limelight Gaia", with Pietro Carloni, Carlo Pisacane, Agostino Salvietti, Tina Pica and John Bernardi. Get a good success, in the magazine Punch Prince in a dream ... and with Sik-Sik, the magical, among the most successful comedies. Gets success in Naples, which fails in the next summer in Palermo, where representation Titina is whistled. In 1931, the three brothers founded the compagnia del Teatro Umoristico "Dahl" that debuts in Rome. After Milan, the company is located in Naples, the Teatro Kursaal, where it represents or Key of Charles Mauro, Sik-Sik and for the first time the play written by Peppino Don Raffaele IL trombone . They then staged the last button andThose figures of thirty years ago. Among the best known comedies of Eduardo we find Natale in casa Cupiello brought on stage for the first time at the Teatro Kursaal Naples, 25 December 1931, which marked the beginning of three brothers in the company of "Humorous Theatre I De Filippo". Eduardo signed a contract with the impresario's initial, nine days of performances, but the success was such as to extend the contract until 21 May 1932. In addition to Christmas at the Cupiello's, the company proposed often Sik-Sik, Those recorded thirty years ago or comedies in collaboration with Mary Scarpetta, half-sister of Eduardo, as Talk to the doorman, a nice touch, we are navigators, the tea of five, Wise Guys Cook kitchen. The 8 October 1932, who is cchiu ' felice ' e me!, two acts by Eduardo, written in 1929 and loves and crossbows, one-act play by Peppino, the three brothers debuted at the Teatro Sannazaro. It begins to form a first "Repertory Company" Edwardian " I De Filippo" brings to the stage, alternating with works written by Peppino e Titina themselves or by Mary liner, Ernesto Murolo and Gino Rocca. Between 1943 and 1944 "the brothers Dahl trod Fréjus tunnel scenes», and in December ' 44 States modified at teatro Diana Napoli, alongside Peppino, with which final Brawl erupted then founded the new theater company called simply "Il Teatro di Eduardo". Opens January 22, 1954, with the opera Palummella zompa & fly, Teatro San Ferdinando di Napoli. Theatre who acquired, partially destroyed and where he invested all his earnings. In addition to his works, he staged texts by other authors, from speech popular to give official language, a language of Neapolitan theatrical dignity, between Italian and napoletano, developing a universal language. 

Napoli milionaria!,these ghosts! and Filumena Marturano, My family, Bene mio e core mio, De Magistrate Vincenzo, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, are among the main works of this period. In 1962, Soviet Union tour, Poland and Hungary could touch the public and intellectuals had great admiration for him. The following year he was awarded the "Premio Feltrinelli" for representing The Mayor of the Health Ward. 

In Rome, with exams never end, he won the "premio Pirandello". 

In 1980 he received two honorary degrees, first in Birmingham, in 1977, and then in Rome in 1980, and after a year he was appointed Senator for life by joining the Group of "independent left". At his death he was the temporary mortuary in the Senate and was buried at Verano.Eduardo's debut in film, takes place in 1932, with three men in tailcoat, by Mario Bonnard. In 1940, his first Director, A star has fallen in the countryside. Care the screenplay for marriage Italian style, remake of Filumena Marturano, Vittorio De Sica and his friend, invent characters in Our-Zibaldone Times n. 2 and the gold Naples; in 1950, with toto, directs and plays Millionaire Naples!.  From 1966 he devoted himself to TV, where his plays, and turned his attention in 1984 played his last role: the old master in scripted Heart, directed by Luigi Comencini and based on the book by Edmondo De Amicis. Dahl was married three times. With Dorothy Pennington in 1928, marriage annulled in 1955; with Thea Prandi, 1956, mother of his children, Luisa and Luke; and with Isabella Quarantotti, 1977. Life at times sad, marked by several family bereavements, first the daughter Luisella and then his sister Titina. He died in 1984. Failed to retrieve the relationship with his brother Peppino, has written that the news of the worsening condition of Peppino, Eduardo went to visit him but, after the death of his brother, did not attend the funeral and in the evening, aimed at the public of Teatro Duse in Bologna said: "Now I miss it. As a partner, as a friend, but not as a brother". Eduardo exercised his skills as a teacher having been instructed by the University "La Sapienza" of Rome as a Professor of Dramaturgy between 1981 and 1982.

Radio prose

6 March 1937/ My first love 

23 July 1959 / Inner voices 

Past productions

1932/ Sik-sik the magical

1950; 1964 /Napoli milionaria!

1951/ These ghosts!

1995/ Cantata of the odd days

1956/ Well my and core my

1956/ Who is cchiù felice ' e me!

1956/ My family. Comedy in three acts

1957/ De Pretore Vincenzo

1958/ Long-legged lies

1958/ The son of Pulcinella

Cantata of the odd day

1964/ Christmas at the Cupiello's

1964/ Filumena Marturano

1964/ Inner voices

1964/ I'm not paying you

1964/ Peppino Bolting

1965/ The art of comedy

1966/ Always tell him yes

1966/ Man and gentleman

1966/ Saturday, Sunday and Monday

1966/ Cantata of the odd day

1967/ The contract

1971/ The monument, 

1971/ Every year point and Cape

1971/ Well my and my core 

Works by Eduardo, 2 vols., Turin, Einaudi, 1971; 1979. Contains: Volume : Ditegli sempre di sì; Sik-Sik, the magical; Natale in casa Cupiello; I'm not paying you; Napoli milionaria!; These ghosts!; Filumena Marturano;Inner voices. Volume II: my family; De Pretore Vincenzo; Saturday, Sunday and Monday; Il Sindaco del Rione Sanità; The art of comedy; The contract.

1973/ Exams never end

1973/ La grande magia

1976/ I the heir

1980/ Thomas of Amalfi

1992/ Three comedies. Contains: lies with long legs; La grande magia; Bene mio core mio.

1999/ Three theatrical adaptations. Contains: a Midsummer night's hangover, the nun fauza, dogs and cats!.

Bibliography

1950/ Luigi Silor, Eduardo De Filippo

1970/ Vito Pandolfi, Eduardo De Filippo

1974/ Federico Frascani, Eduardo secret

1976/ Peppino De Filippo, a family hard

1981/ John Antonucci, Eduardo De Filippo: introduction and study guide Edwardian opera house – history and anthology of criticism

1982/ Andrea Baksh, Invito alla lettura di Eduardo De Filippo

1983/ Emma Giammattei, Eduardo De Filippo

1985/ Paolo Calcagno, Eduardo: life is odd

1985/ Isabella Quarantotti Dahl, Sergio Martin (ED), Eduardo: controversy, thoughts

1991/ Stefano De Matteis, imitation of life, Bologna

1992/ Anne Baber, Introduction to Eduardo

1993/ Augusto Campos, Christmas at de Filippo's house