Franco e Ciccio, also known as Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia, were a famous Italian comedy duo active mainly in the 1960s and 1970s. Their comedy was characterised by physical gags, hilarious dialogue and an innate ability to improvise.

Franco Franchi, born on 18 September 1928 in Palermo, Sicily, and Ciccio Ingrassia, born on 5 October 1922 in Palermo, started their artistic career as theatre and cabaret actors. They later achieved great success in Italian cinema, becoming one of the country’s best-loved comedy duos.

One of the best known films in which they starred is ‘Don Quixote’, released in 1968 and directed by Giovanni Grimaldi. The film is a comedy freely inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ famous novel ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’. Francio and Ciccio play Don Quixote and Sancho Panza respectively, bringing their comedy into the context of the classic story.

Another important film in their filmography is ‘Ku-Fu? Dalla Sicilia con furore’, released in 1973 and directed by Nando Cicero. In this film, Francio and Ciccio play two small-time crooks who find themselves involved in a series of adventures set in Sicily. The title of the film refers to the Chinese martial art of kung fu, which is comically parodied by the two actors.

“2 Mattacchioni al Moulin Rouge” is a 1964 film directed by Carlo Infascelli. In this film, Francio and Ciccio play two Sicilians who travel to Paris to seek their fortune, but find themselves involved in comic and adventurous situations at the famous Moulin Rouge nightclub.

The duo Franchi and Ingrassia worked together in numerous other films, becoming an icon of Italian comedy. Their comic interpretations and unique style have left an indelible mark on the Italian film scene, making them a reference point for many generations of viewers.

Watch the full movies on www.movieitalyplus.com or watch the clips at www.visititalywithmovies.com

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