Gherardi, Piero

(1909-1971)

   Art director and production and costume designer. Originally trained as an architect, Gherardi gravitated toward the cinema after World War II, working first as a set decorator on Mario Soldati's Daniele Cortis (1947) and Fuga in Francia (Flight into France, 1948) and then as art director for Luigi Zampa's Anni facili (Easy Years, 1953). Quick to recognize Gherardi's enormous talents, Mario Monicelli employed him as production designer for a number of his films, including Proibito (Forbidden, 1954), Totb e Carolina (Totb and Carolina, 1955), Padri e figli (A Tailor's Maid, 1955), and Monicelli's landmark comedy, I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958). By this time Gherardi had also initiated what would be a close and fruitful association with Federico Fellini, designing both the sets and costumes for Le notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria, 1957), La dolce vita (1960)—Gherardi was the one responsible for recreating the Via Veneto at Cinecitta— and Otto e mezzo (8'A, 1963), his contribution to the last two films earning him the two Oscars of his relatively short career. His production design for Fellini's Giulietta degli spiriti (Juliet of the Spirits, 1965) brought him the second Nastro d'argento of his career, the first having already been conferred on him for his production design for La dolce vita and the third being awarded for his costume design for Monicelli's L'armata Brancaleone (For Love and Gold, 1966). His most interesting later work was probably the costume design for Mario Bava's Diabolik (Danger: Diabolik, 1968).