29/04/2003

Ciccio Ingrassia, the veteran Sicilian comic actor died yesterday afternoon in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital at the age of 80. Together with his long-standing professional partner, Franco Franchi, Ingrassia was one of Italy’s most popular post-war comics. The pair made over 150 comedies together, and appeared on countless TV programmes and theatrical plays and musicals.
The tall and lanky Ingrassia was the perfect foil for his shorter partner and although critics looked down their noses at their work, Franchi and Ingrassia were beloved by the Italian public. Federico Fellini offered Ingrassia a part in his classic, Amarcord, and an invitation followed from the Tavianis for Kaos. In 1968 Pier Paolo Pasolini cast both Franchi and Ingrassia opposite Totò in one of the episodes of Capriccio all’italiana entitled "Che cosa sono le nuvole". In 1971 they played the Cat and the Fox in Luigi Comencini’s classic TV version of Pinocchio, starring Nino Manfredi and Gina Lollobrigida.
Ciccio Ingrassia’s funeral will take place in Rome at the Church of Saint Agnes on the Via Nomentana at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 30 April.

(Translated from Italian)