Carlo Ponti Italian film producer Date of Birth: 11.12.1912 Country: Italy

Biography of Carlo Ponti

Carlo Ponti was an Italian film producer who had an illustrious career working on over 140 films. He is best known as the husband of the legendary Italian actress, Sophia Loren.

Born in Magenta, Italy, Ponti initially studied law at the University of Milan. After completing his education, he joined his father's law firm where he first encountered the world of cinema while drafting various contracts. Intrigued by the film industry, Ponti decided to pursue its development in Milan. He later produced the film "Piccolo Mondo Antico" by Mario Soldati, which marked the breakthrough role for Alida Valli. The film was dedicated to the Italian conflicts with the Austrians regarding the status of northeastern Italy during the period of the Risorgimento, the struggle for Italy's political unification. The film was well-received by audiences, particularly for its portrayal of the Austrians as an analogy to the Germans during World War II. However, the film's success played a cruel joke on Ponti as he was later imprisoned by the Nazi government.

In 1941, Ponti accepted an offer from the Roman film company "Lux Film" and released a series of successful commercial films starring comedian Totò. In 1954, he produced the film "La Strada" by Federico Fellini, which many consider to be the pinnacle of Ponti's career. However, Fellini denies any significant contribution from Ponti to the film, stating that "La Strada" was released despite Ponti and De Laurentiis. In 1962, Ponti collaborated with director Luchino Visconti on "Boccaccio '70." He then went on to produce "Marriage Italian Style" in 1964 and "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" in 1965. In the same year, "Doctor Zhivago" by David Lean, which Ponti produced, became the most popular and commercially successful film in his career. This was followed by three successful projects with Michelangelo Antonioni: "Blowup" in 1966, "Zabriskie Point" in 1970, and "The Passenger" in 1974.

In 1946, Ponti married Giuliana Fiastri. However, it was during his role as a judge at a beauty pageant in his fifties that he met the relatively unknown actress Sofia Lazzaro. He provided her with roles in several successful films, and in 1952, she changed her name to Sophia Loren. In 1957, Ponti divorced his first wife in Mexico and married Loren, though it was done through a proxy. The problem arose because divorce was prohibited by Italian laws at the time. If Ponti returned to Italy, he would have faced official charges of bigamy, while Loren would have been accused of cohabitation without marriage. Ponti released several films with Loren in Hollywood, which brought her considerable fame, although the films themselves failed. In 1960, Ponti and Loren returned to Italy and appeared in court, denying their marital bond. Eventually, Ponti was able to finalize the divorce and obtain French citizenship for himself and his two wives.

In 1979, Ponti was convicted of currency and art smuggling. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but his French citizenship protected him from extradition. Ponti passed away in Geneva due to a lung illness. He was survived by Loren, their sons Carlo (a conductor and director), Alessandro (a film producer, following in his father's footsteps), Edoardo (a film director and former actor), and their daughter Ginevra (a lawyer). Carlo Ponti's body rests in Magenta, Italy.