Gigi Ballista

Gigi Ballista (1 December 1918 – 2 August 1980) was an Italian film and television actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1961 and 1980. Born in Florence, Ballista graduated in Law, then he started working as a PR consultant in the field of advertising and industrial documentaries. He debuted as an actor at a mature age in the early 1960s with some minor roles, but his breakout came in 1966 with a role of weight in Pietro Germi's The Birds, the Bees and the Italians. Following the critical and commercial success of the film, Ballista decided to pursue a professional career as an actor, and he became, mainly thanks to his characteristic hoarse and dysphonic voice, one of the most recognizable character actors in Italian cinema and television. Description above from the Wikipedia article Gigi Ballista, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Midnight Express (1978)

Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. The Turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his family, and the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alan Parker
CAST:  Brad Davis  •  Irene Miracle  •  Bo Hopkins  •  Randy Quaid

Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. The Turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his family, and the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alan Parker
CAST:  Brad Davis  •  Irene Miracle  •  Bo Hopkins  •  Randy Quaid

Stavisky... (1974)

Irresistible charm and talent helps Serge Alexandre alias Stavisky, small-time swindler, to make friends with even most influential members of French industrial and political elite during the early 30s. But nothing lasts forever and when his great scam involving ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alain Resnais
CAST:  Jean-Paul Belmondo  •  François Périer  •  Michael Lonsdale  •  Roberto Bisacco

Irresistible charm and talent helps Serge Alexandre alias Stavisky, small-time swindler, to make friends with even most influential members of French industrial and political elite during the early 30s. But nothing lasts forever and when his great scam involving ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alain Resnais
CAST:  Jean-Paul Belmondo  •  François Périer  •  Michael Lonsdale  •  Roberto Bisacco

Il fischio al naso (1967)

In this unusual offbeat black comedy directed by Ugo Tognazzi, Giuseppe (Tognazzi) is a middle-aged industrialist obsessed with gadgets. When his nose starts to whistle uncontrollably, he checks into a clinic to resolve the problem. What begins as a minor ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ugo Tognazzi
CAST:  Ugo Tognazzi  •  Franca Bettoia  •  Tina Louise  •  Gigi Ballista

In this unusual offbeat black comedy directed by Ugo Tognazzi, Giuseppe (Tognazzi) is a middle-aged industrialist obsessed with gadgets. When his nose starts to whistle uncontrollably, he checks into a clinic to resolve the problem. What begins as a minor ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ugo Tognazzi
CAST:  Ugo Tognazzi  •  Franca Bettoia  •  Tina Louise  •  Gigi Ballista

Policewoman (1974)

A young policewoman discovers an ecological scandal and must face the corruption in the Milan Police department.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steno
CAST:  Mariangela Melato  •  Orazio Orlando  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Armando Brancia

A young policewoman discovers an ecological scandal and must face the corruption in the Milan Police department.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steno
CAST:  Mariangela Melato  •  Orazio Orlando  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Armando Brancia

Galileo (1968)

A humble scientist from Padua proves that the Earth revolves and that it is not the center of the universe.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Liliana Cavani
CAST:  Cyril Cusack  •  Georgi Kaloyanchev  •  Nikolay Doychev  •  Gigi Ballista

A humble scientist from Padua proves that the Earth revolves and that it is not the center of the universe.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Liliana Cavani
CAST:  Cyril Cusack  •  Georgi Kaloyanchev  •  Nikolay Doychev  •  Gigi Ballista

Snow Job (1972)

A famous skier, his mistress and a ski instructor rob a bank in the Alps and hide the loot in a crevasse.  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Englund
CAST:  Jean-Claude Killy  •  Danièle Gaubert  •  Cliff Potts  •  Vittorio De Sica

A famous skier, his mistress and a ski instructor rob a bank in the Alps and hide the loot in a crevasse.  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Englund
CAST:  Jean-Claude Killy  •  Danièle Gaubert  •  Cliff Potts  •  Vittorio De Sica

Confessions of a Lady Cop (1976)

Gianna Amicucci works in the house of the head of her hometown police force and enters the academy with a kickback from him. She is a beautiful woman (she generously sheds clothes during the film) and has to overcome her male colleagues prejudices, but she gains ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michele Massimo Tarantini
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Giuseppe Pambieri  •  Francesco Mulè

Gianna Amicucci works in the house of the head of her hometown police force and enters the academy with a kickback from him. She is a beautiful woman (she generously sheds clothes during the film) and has to overcome her male colleagues prejudices, but she gains ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michele Massimo Tarantini
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Giuseppe Pambieri  •  Francesco Mulè

Black Turin (1972)

Mino and Lello, two sons of a worker wrongly accused of murder, try to find out evidence of his innocence and begin to investigate mafia business in Torino.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Carlo Lizzani
CAST:  Bud Spencer  •  Marcel Bozzuffi  •  Françoise Fabian  •  Andrea Balestri

Mino and Lello, two sons of a worker wrongly accused of murder, try to find out evidence of his innocence and begin to investigate mafia business in Torino.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Carlo Lizzani
CAST:  Bud Spencer  •  Marcel Bozzuffi  •  Françoise Fabian  •  Andrea Balestri

How I Learned to Love Women (1966)

An erotic comedy about the many affairs of a young man with different women.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Luciano Salce
CAST:  Michèle Mercier  •  Nadja Tiller  •  Elsa Martinelli  •  Anita Ekberg

An erotic comedy about the many affairs of a young man with different women.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Luciano Salce
CAST:  Michèle Mercier  •  Nadja Tiller  •  Elsa Martinelli  •  Anita Ekberg

Kill the Fatted Calf and Roast It (1970)

Whimsical

After many years of living abroad, a troubled young man returns home due to the death of his father (who he suspects was actually murdered). He attempts to untangle that mystery while still carrying an unhealthy obsession toward his mother, who committed suicide ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Salvatore Samperi
CAST:  Jean Sorel  •  Marilù Tolo  •  Maurizio Degli Esposti  •  Gigi Ballista

After many years of living abroad, a troubled young man returns home due to the death of his father (who he suspects was actually murdered). He attempts to untangle that mystery while still carrying an unhealthy obsession toward his mother, who committed suicide ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Salvatore Samperi
CAST:  Jean Sorel  •  Marilù Tolo  •  Maurizio Degli Esposti  •  Gigi Ballista

Poker in Bed (1974)

FunnyThrilling

A poker player on a losing streak meets a beautiful young woman. He's attracted to her, but she appears to be perfectly content with her boyfriend, a somewhat wussy writer. The gambler gets the idea that if he can get this woman into bed, it will change his luck at ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Giuliano Carnimeo
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Carlo Giuffrè  •  Didi Perego  •  Franca Valeri

A poker player on a losing streak meets a beautiful young woman. He's attracted to her, but she appears to be perfectly content with her boyfriend, a somewhat wussy writer. The gambler gets the idea that if he can get this woman into bed, it will change his luck at ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Giuliano Carnimeo
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Carlo Giuffrè  •  Didi Perego  •  Franca Valeri

Trastevere (1971)

A retired actor's search for his stray pet strings together this episodic portrait of the ancient Roman quarter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fausto Tozzi
CAST:  Nino Manfredi  •  Rosanna Schiaffino  •  Vittorio Caprioli  •  Ottavia Piccolo

A retired actor's search for his stray pet strings together this episodic portrait of the ancient Roman quarter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fausto Tozzi
CAST:  Nino Manfredi  •  Rosanna Schiaffino  •  Vittorio Caprioli  •  Ottavia Piccolo

Italian Sex (1974)

IntenseClassicEmotional

A sexy graduate student is giving her thesis presentation, which creates quite a stir since it reveals that she has just posed as a prostitute for several months to do sociological research for her thesis. She relates various stories of her experiences to her ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fernando Di Leo  •  Sergio Ammirata
CAST:  Pilar Velázquez  •  Didi Perego  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Toni Ucci

A sexy graduate student is giving her thesis presentation, which creates quite a stir since it reveals that she has just posed as a prostitute for several months to do sociological research for her thesis. She relates various stories of her experiences to her ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fernando Di Leo  •  Sergio Ammirata
CAST:  Pilar Velázquez  •  Didi Perego  •  Mario Carotenuto  •  Toni Ucci

The Queens (1966)

Disturbing

Four unrelated short comedies by four different directors. "Queen Sabina"chronicles the sexual misadventures of a teenage girl on the road home. "Queen Armenia" centers on a self-serving opportunistic gypsy babysitter who uses her employer's kids for her own gain. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Monicelli  •  Antonio Pietrangeli  •  Mauro Bolognini  •  Luciano Salce
CAST:  Capucine  •  Claudia Cardinale  •  Raquel Welch  •  Monica Vitti

Four unrelated short comedies by four different directors. "Queen Sabina"chronicles the sexual misadventures of a teenage girl on the road home. "Queen Armenia" centers on a self-serving opportunistic gypsy babysitter who uses her employer's kids for her own gain. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Monicelli  •  Antonio Pietrangeli  •  Mauro Bolognini  •  Luciano Salce
CAST:  Capucine  •  Claudia Cardinale  •  Raquel Welch  •  Monica Vitti

Emma Hamilton (1968)

The Making of a Lady: The Story of Lady Hamilton is a 1968 historical drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Michèle Mercier, Richard Johnson and John Mills.[1] It was based on the novel La San-Felice by Alexandre Dumas and depicts the love affair ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Christian-Jaque
CAST:  Richard Johnson  •  John Mills  •  Harald Leipnitz  •  Claudio Undari

The Making of a Lady: The Story of Lady Hamilton is a 1968 historical drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Michèle Mercier, Richard Johnson and John Mills.[1] It was based on the novel La San-Felice by Alexandre Dumas and depicts the love affair ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Christian-Jaque
CAST:  Richard Johnson  •  John Mills  •  Harald Leipnitz  •  Claudio Undari

The Birds, the Bees and the Italians (1966)

An anthology film that presents three storylines, all set in the Italian town of Treviso. In the first story, a husband pretends to be impotent as a cover for having an affair. In the second, a bank clerk abandons his wife for his mistress, but the rest of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Pietro Germi
CAST:  Virna Lisi  •  Gastone Moschin  •  Nora Ricci  •  Alberto Lionello

An anthology film that presents three storylines, all set in the Italian town of Treviso. In the first story, a husband pretends to be impotent as a cover for having an affair. In the second, a bank clerk abandons his wife for his mistress, but the rest of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Pietro Germi
CAST:  Virna Lisi  •  Gastone Moschin  •  Nora Ricci  •  Alberto Lionello

The Maniacs (1964)

An anthology of brief comic sketches based on manias, mainly sexual, featuring several figures of Italian society.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lucio Fulci
CAST:  Walter Chiari  •  Raimondo Vianello  •  Enrico Maria Salerno  •  Ciccio Ingrassia

An anthology of brief comic sketches based on manias, mainly sexual, featuring several figures of Italian society.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lucio Fulci
CAST:  Walter Chiari  •  Raimondo Vianello  •  Enrico Maria Salerno  •  Ciccio Ingrassia

Giovannona Long-Thigh (1973)

EpicBrainyBeautifulDramatic

When a judge shuts down a high profile cheese factory for violating pollution standards, the owner bribes a monsignor to fix the problem. After they discover the judge has a predilection for married women, the owner employs a prostitute to pose as his wife in an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sergio Martino
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Pippo Franco  •  Gigi Ballista  •  Riccardo Garrone

When a judge shuts down a high profile cheese factory for violating pollution standards, the owner bribes a monsignor to fix the problem. After they discover the judge has a predilection for married women, the owner employs a prostitute to pose as his wife in an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sergio Martino
CAST:  Edwige Fenech  •  Pippo Franco  •  Gigi Ballista  •  Riccardo Garrone

Salon Kitty (1976)

Kitty runs a brothel in Nazi Germany where the soldiers come to "relax". Recording devices have been installed in each room by a power hungry army official who plans to use the information to blackmail Hitler and gain power himself. A girl named Margherita ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tinto Brass
CAST:  Helmut Berger  •  Ingrid Thulin  •  Teresa Ann Savoy  •  John Steiner

Kitty runs a brothel in Nazi Germany where the soldiers come to "relax". Recording devices have been installed in each room by a power hungry army official who plans to use the information to blackmail Hitler and gain power himself. A girl named Margherita ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tinto Brass
CAST:  Helmut Berger  •  Ingrid Thulin  •  Teresa Ann Savoy  •  John Steiner

Torture Me But Kill Me with Kisses (1968)

When Marino goes to Rome for an event, he certainly does not imagine meeting Marisa, who will become the love of his life. But once love is found, it is a matter of spreading it and here the difficulties begin: first the father who opposes it; then, after the death ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Dino Risi
CAST:  Nino Manfredi  •  Pamela Tiffin  •  Ugo Tognazzi  •  Moira Orfei

When Marino goes to Rome for an event, he certainly does not imagine meeting Marisa, who will become the love of his life. But once love is found, it is a matter of spreading it and here the difficulties begin: first the father who opposes it; then, after the death ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Dino Risi
CAST:  Nino Manfredi  •  Pamela Tiffin  •  Ugo Tognazzi  •  Moira Orfei
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