Italian Director who was a leader in the neorealist movement of the 1940's and 1950's. His 1948 film Ladri di Biciclette (Bicycle Thieves) is widely considered one of the most important films in cinematic history, telling the story of a man and his son searching for a stolen bicycle throughout the course of a day.
He started his career as a theatre actor and he formed his own theatre company in 1933.
For his role as Major Rinaldi in the 1957 film A Farewell to Arms he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He was married to Giuditta Rissone from 1937 to 1954 and Maria Mercader from 1959 to 1974. He had three children named Emi, Manuel and Christian.
He directed the 1964 Italian film Matrimonio all'italiana (Marriage Italian-Style) starring Sophia Loren.
