Cervi, Gino

(1901-1974)

   Actor. A prolific and popular actor who appeared in over a hundred films, Cervi began his career on the stage in 1924 in the company of Alda Borelli (sister of the diva). A decade later he had become the leading male actor in the Tofano-Maltagliati company. His first film appearance was in Gennaro Righelli's L'armata azzurra (The Blue Fleet, 1932), following which he played the lead role in many of Alessandro Blasetti's most popular films: he was the heroic knight who embodies Italian courage and chivalry in Ettore Fieramosca (1938), the dashing righter of wrongs and defender of the ordinary people in Un'avventura di Salvator Rosa (An Adventure of Salvator Rosa, 1940), the evil king Sedemondo in La corona di ferro (The Iron Crown, 1941), and the hapless traveling salesman in Quattro passi fra le nuvole (A Stroll through the Clouds, 1942). He also played a very creditable Renzo in Mario Camerini's adaptation of Manzoni's classic 19th-century historical novel, I promessi sposi (The Betrothed, 1941).

   After the war he became best known for playing Peppone, the Communist mayor, opposite Fernandel in five of the extremely successful Don Camillo films, beginning with Don Camillo (1952), directed by Julien Duvivier and concluding with Il compagno Don Camillo (Comrade Don Camillo, 1965), directed by Luigi Comencini. By then he was becoming even more popular playing Inspector Maigret in a long-running Italian television series screening between 1964 and 1972 to prime-time audiences. His interpretation of the famous sleuth was praised by no less than the creator of the character Georges Simenon. Cervi's last film was Il commissario Maigret a Pigalle (Maigret at Pigalle, 1972), directed by Mario Landi.