Dino De Laurentiis

Italian film producer (1919-2010)

Dino De Laurentiis was an Italian film producer and businessman who had a successful career in both Italy and Hollywood. He produced over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations. He was also the creator and operator of DDL Foodshow, a chain of Italian specialty foods stores.

Table of Contents

Family Info

Siblings

Luigi De Laurentiis

Spouses

Martha De Laurentiis

Silvana Mangano

Children

Veronica De Laurentiis

Raffaella De Laurentiis

About the Dino De Laurentiis

Agostino “Dino” De Laurentiiswas an Italian film producer and businessman who held both Italian and American citizenship. Following a brief acting career in the late 1930s and early 1940s, he moved into film production; alongside Carlo Ponti, he brought Italian cinema to the international scene in the post-World War II period. He produced or co-produced over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations. He was also the creator and operator of DDL Foodshow, a chain of Italian specialty foods stores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dino De Laurentiis was an Italian film producer and businessman who held both Italian and American citizenship. He had a successful career in the film industry, producing or co-producing over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations.

Dino De Laurentiis started his career with a brief acting stint in the late 1930s and early 1940s, before moving into film production. He later brought Italian cinema to the international scene in the post-World War II period, alongside Carlo Ponti.

Dino De Laurentiis produced or co-produced over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations. He was also the creator and operator of DDL Foodshow, a chain of Italian specialty foods stores.

Dino De Laurentiis played a significant role in bringing Italian cinema to the international stage in the post-World War II period, alongside Carlo Ponti. He produced or co-produced over 500 films, many of which were well-received and garnered Academy Award nominations.

Dino De Laurentiis left a lasting legacy in the film industry, having produced or co-produced over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations. He was instrumental in bringing Italian cinema to the international scene in the post-World War II era.

20 Quotes by Dino De Laurentiis

  1. 1.

    I’ve been very lucky in my long life. On three continents, in diverse cultures, through happy moments, not-so-happy moments, and moments as marvelous as this one, I’ve had the privilege of working with the cinema’s greatest masters.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  2. 2.

    Mr Tony Hopkins says he’s willing to do it if he likes the script.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  3. 3.

    When I cook, my brain stops completely.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  4. 4.

    To me the only real star of the movie is the writer. And I work with writers very closely, from outline to first draft and on to the seventh draft, whatever it takes. Then my job is to support the director to make the best movie we can. Some producers try to go past them, but my job is to support them.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  5. 5.

    If no producer, no movie.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  6. 6.

    These scenes deal with what happened before Hannibal Lecter was captured for the first time.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  7. 7.

    If you lived in a provincial town like Torre Annunziata, where there was nothing to do in the evening but go to the movies with your friends, the cinema was a world of fantasy. I had always been in love with it.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  8. 8.

    The audience wants to be attracted not by the critics, but by a great story. You must deliver to the audience emotion – and when I say emotion, I mean suspense, drama, love.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  9. 9.

    I see my face in the mirror, and I said, No, my ambition is not to be an actor.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  10. 10.

    I have two young girls, 8 and 10. They really keep me young.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  11. 11.

    After the war, there was no industry. We lost the war. We had our whole city destroyed. No money. No studio. No film. No camera. No equipment. We would shoot in the street. We had no actors. Nothing. But we wanted to do movies. And we did the best movies in the world.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  12. 12.

    The pope dies, you get another pope.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  13. 13.

    My philosophy is very simple. To feel young, you must work as long as you can.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  14. 14.

    I realized the exciting place was behind the camera with the producer, director and so on.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  15. 15.

    After The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, the audience would like to know where, when, and who arrests Hannibal Lecter for the first time. This is the story of Red Dragon.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  16. 16.

    We set ourselves a limit and cut characters which weren’t so vital.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  17. 17.

    It’s a fantastic review. Sixty percent of the American reviews are sensational, 20% are mixed, not so good.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  18. 18.

    Nobody taught Picasso how to paint – he learned for himself. And nobody can teach you to be a producer. You can learn the mechanics, but you can’t learn what’s right about a script or a director or an actor. That comes from instinct and intuition. It comes from inside you.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  19. 19.

    Making movies is all about instinct.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)

  20. 20.

    If you get a book which is 600 pages, you have to reduce it to a script of 100 pages. In two hours of film, you cannot possibly include all the characters.

    Dino De Laurentiis

    Italian film producer (1919-2010)