Dino De Laurentiis

Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (Italian: [ˈdiːno de lauˈrɛnti.is]; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian (later naturalized American) film producer. Along with Carlo Ponti, he was one of the producers who brought Italian cinema to the international scene at the end of World War II. He produced or co-produced more than 500 films, of which 38 were nominated for Academy Awards. He also had a brief acting career in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Dino De Laurentiis
De Laurentiis in 2009
Born
Agostino De Laurentiis

(1919-08-08)8 August 1919
Died10 November 2010(2010-11-10) (aged 91)
Resting placeCimitero Comunale Torre Annunziata
OccupationFilm producer
Years active1938–2010
Spouse(s)
Children6, including Veronica and Raffaella
Relatives

Early life

De Laurentiis was born at Torre Annunziata in the province of Naples, and grew up selling spaghetti made by his father's pasta factory. He started his studies at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome in the years 1937–1938 then interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War.[1]

Career

Film production

Following his first film, L'ultimo Combattimento (1940), De Laurentiis produced nearly 150 films during the next seven decades. In 1946 his company, the Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, moved into production. In the early years, De Laurentiis produced Italian neorealist films such as Bitter Rice (1949) and the early Fellini works La Strada (1954) and Nights of Cabiria (1956), often in collaboration with producer Carlo Ponti. In the 1960s, Laurentiis built his own studio facilities, although these financially collapsed during the 1970s. During this period, though, De Laurentiis produced such films as Barabbas (1961), a Christian religious epic; The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966), Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die, an imitation James Bond film; Navajo Joe (1966), a Spaghetti Western; Anzio (1968), a World War II film; Barbarella (1968) and Danger: Diabolik (1968), both successful comic book adaptations; and The Valachi Papers (1972), made to coincide with the popularity of The Godfather.

De Laurentiis relocated to the US in 1976,[2] and became an American citizen in 1986.[3] In the 1980s he had his own studio, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG), based in Wilmington, North Carolina. The building of the studio made Wilmington a center of film and television production.[4] In 1990, De Laurentiis obtained backing from an Italian friend and formed another company, Dino De Laurentiis Communications in Beverly Hills.

De Laurentiis made a number of successful and/or acclaimed films, including The Scientific Cardplayer (1972), Serpico (1973), Death Wish (1974), Mandingo (1975), Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Shootist (1976), Drum (1976), Ingmar Bergman's The Serpent's Egg (1977), Ragtime (1981), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Blue Velvet (1986) and Breakdown (1997). De Laurentiis' name became well known through the 1976 King Kong remake, which was a commercial hit; Lipstick (1976), a rape and revenge drama; Orca (1977), a killer whale film; The White Buffalo (1977), a western; the disaster movie Hurricane (1979); the remake of Flash Gordon (1980); David Lynch's Dune (1984); and King Kong Lives (1986). De Laurentiis also produced several adaptations of Stephen King works, including The Dead Zone (1983), Cat's Eye (1985), Silver Bullet (1985), and Maximum Overdrive (1986). De Laurentiis's company was involved with the horror sequels Halloween II (1981), Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992).

De Laurentiis also produced the first Hannibal Lecter film, Manhunter (1986), an adaptation of the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon. He passed on adapting the novels' sequel, The Silence of the Lambs (1991), but produced the two follow-ups, Hannibal (2001) and Red Dragon (2002), a re-adaptation of the novel. He also produced the prequel Hannibal Rising (2007), which tells the story of how Hannibal becomes a serial killer.

DDL Foodshow

DDL Foodshow was an Italian specialty foods store with the three locations, two in New York City and one in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. They were opened in the early 1980s and owned and operated by De Laurentiis.[5]

The first store was opened in the restored palm court in the ornate lobby of the Endicott Hotel on Manhattan's Upper West Side in close proximity to the older establishment, Zabar's food emporium on Broadway.[6] The first NYC store opened in November 1982, and it was reported that the store "opened to crowds of 30,000 over the Thanksgiving weekend, when de Laurentiis himself greeted customers at the door." The store's assistant manager said that "it was like the premiere of a movie."[7]

Food critic Gael Greene wrote a scathing review on the opening in New York.[6] In an interview with The Chicago Tribune a month later, she admitted that the store was "probably the most stunningly handsome grocery in the world, certainly in New York," but "the pricing was insane. They hadn't paid enough attention to the competition." She reported that she'd talked to De Laurentiis: "Dino's reaction was that I'm full of it. And we're meeting over a bowl of pasta to discuss it."[8] A review in The San Francisco Examiner said that it was "worth a peek and a purchase."[9][10]

DDL Foodshow was later considered to be a forebear of the new Italian specialty goods food-store restaurant dining attraction Eataly.[11]

Family

His brief first marriage in Italy was annulled.[12] In 1949, De Laurentiis married actress Silvana Mangano, with whom he had four children: Veronica; Raffaella, who is also a film producer; Federico, another producer who died in a plane crash in 1981 (Dino's movie Dune is dedicated to him); and Francesca. De Laurentiis and Mangano divorced in 1988;[13] she died in 1989. In 1990, he married Martha Schumacher, who produced many of his films since 1985, and with whom he had two daughters, Carolyna and Dina. One of his grandchildren is Giada De Laurentiis, host of Everyday Italian, Behind the Bash, Giada at Home, and Giada's Weekend Getaways on Food Network. He was the younger brother of Luigi De Laurentiis, who became a film producer after Dino did, and uncle of Aurelio De Laurentiis, also a producer and the chairman of S.S.C. Napoli football club.

Awards and recognitions

In 1958, he won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film for producing La Strada, back when producers and directors would win the award instead of the country it was made in.

In 2001, he received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 2012, he received the America Award of the Italy-USA Foundation (in memory).

Death

De Laurentiis died on 10 November 2010 at his residence in Beverly Hills at the age of 91.[14][15][16][17]

Selected filmography

Films produced

YearTitleDirector
1946Black EagleRiccardo Freda
The BanditAlberto Lattuada
1947The Captain's DaughterMario Camerini
Bullet for StefanoDuilio Coletti
1948Bitter RiceGiuseppe De Santis
The Street Has Many DreamsMario Camerini
1949The Wolf of the SilaDuilio Coletti
1951AnnaAlberto Lattuada
1952Europe '51Roberto Rossellini
Toto in ColorSteno
1953Funniest Show on EarthMario Mattoli
The UnfaithfulsMario Monicelli
Man, Beast and VirtueSteno
1954La StradaFederico Fellini
AttilaPietro Francisci
Woman of RomeLuigi Zampa
The Gold of NaplesVittorio De Sica
Poverty and NobilityMario Mattoli
Where Is Freedom?Roberto Rossellini
A Slice of LifeAlessandro Blasetti, Paul Paviot
An American in RomeSteno
1955UlyssesMario Camerini
The River GirlMario Soldati
MamboRobert Rossen
The Miller's Beautiful WifeMario Camerini
1956War and PeaceKing Vidor
Nights of CabiriaFederico Fellini
1958This Angry AgeRené Clément
TempestAlberto Lattuada
1959The Great WarMario Monicelli
1960Everybody Go HomeLuigi Comencini
Five Branded WomenMartin Ritt
Under Ten FlagsDuilio Coletti
CrimenMario Camerini
The Hunchback of RomeCarlo Lizzani
1961The Last JudgmentVittorio De Sica
A Difficult LifeDino Risi
The FascistLuciano Salce
The Best of EnemiesGuy Hamilton
Black CityDuilio Coletti
1962MafiosoAlberto Lattuada
The Italian BrigandsMario Camerini
1963Il BoomVittorio De Sica
The Verona TrialCarlo Lizzani
1964My WifeLuigi Comencini, Mauro Bolognini, Tinto Brass
1965Battle of the BulgeKen AnnakinUncredited
1966The Bible: In the BeginningJohn Huston
Kiss the Girls and Make Them DieHenry Levin
Navajo JoeSergio Corbucci
The Hills Run RedCarlo Lizzani
1967The StrangerLuchino Visconti
MatchlessAlberto Lattuada
The WitchesLuchino Visconti, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Franco Rossi, Vittorio De Sica
1968Danger: DiabolikMario Bava
BarbarellaRoger Vadim
AnzioEdward Dmytryk, Duilio Coletti
Bandits in MilanCarlo Lizzani
Caprice Italian StyleMauro Bolognini, Mario Monicelli, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Steno
1969Fräulein DoktorAlberto Lattuada
Brief SeasonRenato Castellani
The BanditCarlo Lizzani
1970A Man Called SledgeVic Morrow
WaterlooSergei Bondarchuk
The DeserterBurt Kennedy
1972The Valachi PapersTerence Young
The Assassin of RomeDamiano Damiani
The Most Wonderful Evening of My LifeEttore Scola
1973SerpicoSidney Lumet
ChinoJohn Sturges
Mean Frank and Crazy TonyMichele Lupo
1974Death WishMichael Winner
Two MissionariesFranco Rossi
Crazy JoeCarlo Lizzani
Three Tough GuysDuccio Tessari
1975MandingoRichard Fleischer
1976King KongJohn Guillermin
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History LessonRobert Altman
DrumSteve Carver
The Serpent's EggIngmar Bergman
The ShootistDon Siegel
1977OrcaMichael Anderson
1978The Brink's JobWilliam Friedkin
King of the GypsiesFrank Pierson
1979HurricaneJan Troell
1980Flash GordonMike Hodges
1981Halloween IIRick Rosenthal
RagtimeMiloš Forman
1982Fighting BackLewis Teague
Conan the BarbarianJohn Milius
Amityville II: The PossessionDamiano Damiani
1983Amityville 3-DRichard Fleischer
Halloween III: Season of the WitchTommy Lee Wallace
Dead ZoneDavid Cronenberg
1984The BountyRoger Donaldson
FirestarterMark L. Lester
Conan the DestroyerRichard Fleischer
DuneDavid Lynch
1985Maximum OverdriveStephen King
MarieRoger Donaldson
Silver BulletDaniel Attias
Cat's EyeLewis Teague
Year of the DragonMichael Cimino
Red SonjaRichard Fleischer
1986Crimes of the HeartBruce Beresford
Raw DealJohn Irvin
Blue VelvetDavid Lynch
Trick or TreatCharles Martin Smith
Tai-PanDaryl Duke
ManhunterMichael Mann
King Kong LivesJohn Guillermin
1987Million Dollar MysteryRichard Fleischer
Hiding OutBob Giraldi
Evil Dead IISam Raimi
The Bedroom WindowCurtis Hanson
From the HipBob Clark
1989Collision CourseLewis Teague
1990Sometimes They Come BackTom McLoughlin
Desperate HoursMichael Cimino
1992Once Upon a CrimeEugene Levy
KuffsBruce A. Evans
Army of DarknessSam Raimi
Body of EvidenceUli Edel
1995Solomon & ShebaRobert Young
Slave of DreamsRobert Young
RumpelstiltskinMark Jones (I)
AssassinsRichard Donner
1996UnforgettableJohn Dahl
BoundThe Wachowskis
1997BreakdownJonathan Mostow
2000U-571Jonathan Mostow
2001HannibalRidley Scott
2002Red DragonBrett Ratner
2006The Last LegionDoug Lefler
2007Hannibal RisingPeter Webber
Virgin TerritoryDavid Leland

References

  1. "Dino De Laurentiis". Telegraph.co.uk. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. Lane, John Francis (11 November 2010). "Obituary: Dino De Laurentiis". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  3. Delugach, Al (20 February 1988). "De Laurentiis Resigns From Film Group". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  4. "Laurentiis has others looking our way". Wilmington Morning Star. 9 July 1984. p. 1C. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  5. Kalogerakis, George (February 2002). "Let's Do Lunch". Foodandwine.com. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  6. Greene, Gael, "Dino's Food Show", New York Magazine, December 20, 1982. Cf. p.82.
  7. Mink, Claudia Gellman (7 March 1983). "Food's the Star In New De Laurentiis Show". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. D1. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  8. Daniels, Mary (16 January 1983). "Are discriminating New Yorkers going to buy this deli with a difference?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. Alexander, Dick (4 September 1983). "DDL isn't your run-of-the-meal delicatessen". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  10. Sifton, Sam, "Eataly Offers Italy by the Ounce", The New York Times, October 19, 2010
  11. Sheraton, Mimi, "DDL FOODSHOW: A TASTER FINDS IT'S GOOD, AND NOT SO GOOD", The New York Times, May 4, 1983, WednesdayLate City Final Edition, Section C, Page 1, Column 1
  12. Arnold, Laurence (11 November 2010). "Dino De Laurentiis, Producer of Film Spectacles, Dies at 91". Business Week. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  13. Reuters (11 November 2010). "Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis dies". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  14. "Filmmaker Dino De Laurentiis Dies at Age 91". USA Today. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  15. "Movie Producer Dino de Laurentiis dies". CNN. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  16. Mondello, Bob (11 November 2010). "Dino De Laurentiis: For Decades, A Big-Picture Guy". NPR. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  17. "Funeral services for De Laurentiis will be held Monday". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles: Tribune Co. 13 November 2010. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
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