On April 28, 2003 he passed away Francesco “Ciccio” Ingrassia. Born in Palermo in 1923, Ingrassia achieved success thanks to his artistic partnership with Franco Franchi, with whom he made around one hundred and thirty films. Together Ciccio and Franco left an indelible mark in the history of Italian cinema in the 60s and 70s thanks to cult films such as “The Two of the Legion”, “The Long, the Short, the Cat”, “The Two Escapees”, “Farfallon”. Even on his own, after splitting from Franco Franchi at the beginning of the ’70s, Ciccio Ingrassia was able to ride the wave of success veering from comic to dramatic roles. Federico Fellini chose him for “Amarcord” in 1973 and Elio Petri for “All the way“, which allowed him to win the Nastro d’argento as best supporting actor. After his experience as a director in “The exorcise” and the reunion with his colleague Franco, Ciccio Ingrassia also conquered television with the hosting of numerous programs in the 80s such as “Drim”, “Patatrac” it’s still “Well, well done, encore”, “Domenica In” And “Happy Sunday”.
The separation from Franco Franchi
The end of artistic partnership between Franco and Ciccio marked a turning point in Ingrassia’s career. It is said that the latter did not like his colleague’s egocentrism and that Franco, against him, reproached his partner for his arrogance. After over eighty films shot as a couple, in 1972 Ciccio Ingrassia acted alone in the drama “Violence: fifth estate” by Florestano Vancini and two years later he made his directorial debut with “The exorcise“, which would become a cult film of the 70s. Franco and Ciccio they remained apart for eight years, each engaged in their own projects including cinema, theater and even music, but the two artists never revealed the reasons for the separation.
“The comic-parody genre was close to dad”, Giampiero Ingrassia confessed to The truth years ago during an interview: “This is why he always argued with Franco and why they are separated. My father wanted to make comic films but with a certain depth, while Franco wanted them to continue like this. It was something they then paid for.” However, the misunderstandings and differences in views never really dissolved the bond that united Ciccio and Franco, and in 1980 Pippo Baudo he managed to make them reconcile live in Sunday In. “I would like him to be closer to me, we have made such a number of films that we deserve to get back together. We love each othere”, Franco Franchi said to Ciccio, sealing the return of their comic duo to the scene.
When Scola chose him for Captain Fracassa
In the interview given to Piero Chiambretti in 1995, for the broadcast “The bachelor”, the Sicilian actor spoke openly about his true artistic nature. Ciccio and Franco represented the Italian comedy of the 60s and 70s, but i dramatic roles they were the ones who most reflected him. “I’m more suited to being tragic than comical. In the end, it was discovered who Ciccio was thanks to “Amarcord”, “The Fifth Power”, “Kaos” and others“, Ingrassia confessed to Chiambretti. Precisely because of his ability to take on dramatic roles, in 1990 Ettore Scola chose him for the film The journey of Captain Fracassa and it was precisely his face that convinced the director. “Scola said he mistook you for Captain Fracassa because you have a pitiful face“, Chiambretti teased him again and Ciccio Ingrasia replied that in any case it was an honor to have been chosen by Scola.
Death and memory
Unlike his partner Franco Franchi, who died in 1992 at just 64 years old, Ciccio Ingrassia had a longer life and died at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on 28 April 2003 at the age of 81. In 2001 he discovered he had one illness lungs and spent the last months of his life away from the public scene, retired to his home and surrounded by the affection of his family. Rejection guests and cameos on TV, claiming to want to rest after so many years of work, but in reality he was fighting his battle for life. In 2002 his condition worsened due to pulmonary emphysema, which forced him to breathe with an oxygen tank. On 18 December 2002 he was supposed to be on stage at the Franco Franchi National Prize in Palermo, but he was forced to cancel due to his worsening conditions. conditions. Immediately after his death, at the public funeral Pippo Baudo wanted to pay homage to him with words of esteem and admiration: “A truly great artist, sincere but who, alone or with Franchi, was never vulgar. A reserved person, full of talents and sensitivity“. Even the actor and fellow countryman Pino Caruso wanted to pay homage to him with a tribute: “He somatised that crazy fantasy of Palermo. Even his physique represented that feeling.
He, on the other hand, was a somewhat shy sage”.
