Paolo Villaggio, or Accountant Ugo Fantozzi

Paolo Villaggio is an Italian actor, writer, director and comedian, especially famous for his grotesque irony and satire.

Villagio's books were translated and officially distributed in the countries behind the Iron Curtain, garnering very positive reviews and an impressive number of copies sold. The first book even received the Gogol Prize in Moscow. 
Ironically, while the governments of the East Bloc countries saw the satire of the ills of Capitalism in the books, the readers identified their plight with Fantozzi's, feeling victimized by authoritarian, faceless societies. 


Villagio has an impressive C.V. in books, films, theatre and television productions, but only with Fantozzi, directed by Luciano Salce in 1975, did he rise to film stardom.

Being a worker's man, Villagio was a faithful wearer of the Basque beret. 


Thanks, Massimo!