Overview of the events of 1959 in Italian television
This is a list of Italian television related events from 1959.
Television shows
Drama
- I figli di Medea (The Medea's sons) – by Vladimiro Cajoli, directed by Anton Giulio Majano, with Alida Valli (at her debut on the little screen) and Enrico Maria Salerno, controversial experiment of fake "reality-show" (see Events).[15]
- Monetine da cinque lire (Five liras nickels)– by Paolo Emilio d’Emilio, with Dario Fo.[16]
The popular success of the plays with Gilberto Govi goes on; between January and February, the National Channel broadcasts four new titles, included the actor's signature play I maneggi per maritare una figlia (The schemes to marry a daughter).[17]
Miniseries
- I masnadieri (from Schiller’s The robbers) – by Anton Giulio Majano, with Virna Lisi, Aldo Giuffrè, Alberto Lupo.[18]
- L'idiota (from Dostoevsky’s The idiot) – by Giacomo Vaccari, with Giorgio Albertazzi (author of the script), Anna Proclemer and Gian Maria Volonté.[19]
- L'isola del tesoro (from Stevenson’s Treasure Island) – by Anton Giulio Majano, with Ivo Garrani, Arnoldo Foà and the young Alvaro Piccardi. The director is able to serve the charm and the adventurous spirit of the novel, in spite of the poor means (the show is integrally shot in studio); memorable the acting of Garrani as Long John Silver.[20]
- Il romanzo di un maestro (from De Amicis’ The novel of a schoolmaster) – by Mario Landi, with Armando Francioli.[21]
- Ottocento (Nineteenth century, from the Salvator Gotta’s novel and the Costantino Nigra’s memories) – by Anton Giulio Majano, with Sergio Fantoni (Costantino Nigra), Lea Padovani (Eugenie de Montijo) and Virna Lisi (Countess of Castiglione). Realized as a tribute to the centenary of the second War of independence, It gives a fictional version of its antecedents.[22]
- The Vicar of Wakefield (from Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield) – by Guglielmo Morandi, with Carlo D’Angelo.
- Una svolta pericolosa: una storia d’oggi (A dangerous turn: a today's story) –by Gianni Bongioanni. A newlywed couple is pushed by economic necessities to the crime; it's the first Italian miniseries of contemporary settings and with a social background.[23]
- Le avventure di Pinocchio (The adventures of Pinocchio) – by Enrico D’Alessandro, for kids.[24]
Variety
- Canzonissima 1959. It was the edition of the shows most appreciated by public and critics, thanks to the talent of authors (Garinei and Giovannini), director (Antonello Falqui) and hosts (Delia Scala, Nino Manfredi and Paolo Panelli). Nino Manfredi gets a huge success playing the barman of Ceccano, a caricature of the naive people from Lazio countryside, and his catchphrase "Fusse che fusse la volta bona" (Maybe it's the right time) becomes proverbial; but the true star is Delia Scala, who proves to be a complete show-girl. The contest is won by Joe Sentieri with Piove (the song had already triumphed at the Sanremo festival), while Mina is known by the general public singing Nessuno.
- Il mattatore (The spotlight chaser) – "mixed show" directed by Daniele D’Anza, script by Federico Zardi. It's virtually a Vittorio Gassman's one-man show (also if, technically, sometimes he shares the scene with other actors). The star of the Italian stage and cinema exhibits the whole extensions of his talent, passing from the classic theatre to the cabaret, often parodying himself and trying also the political satire (a taboo argument, till then, for the Italian television). The show, following its public and critical success, the next year is adapted into a movie.[25]
- Le divine (The divine women) – by Mario Ferrero, with Franca Valeri, Vittorio Caprioli and Monica Vitti, in six episodes; a parody of the history of the show business, from the belle èpoque to the television age, through the history of six imaginaries female stars, played by Franca Valeri.[26]
- Serata di gala – the show, in addition to the presence of many singing star, is remembered for the debut of Topo Gigio, voiced by Domenico Modugno.[27]
News and documentaries
- L'India vista da Rossellini (India seen by Rossellini). The famous director shows and comments the filmed material gathered in the processing of the film India.[28]
- La donna che lavora (The working woman) - first example of Italian TV investigative journalism, by Ugo Zatterin. The reporter travels all over Italy to interview women working in every field of the economy (agriculture, industry, tertiary). The enquiry has a great impact on public opinion and is now again a precious source of information about the female condition of the time; in 1993 another edition, with new interviews to the same women, had been realized by Raffaella Spaccarelli.[29]
- Incontri di Indro Montanelli (Indro Montanelli's encounters). The famous journalist meets important figures of the Italian culture, as Moravia, Guttuso, Carlo Levi, Guareschi and De Laurentis; the interviews often become, willingly, almost humorous sketches. It was the first (and long time the only) Montanelli's experience as a television journalist.[30]