Husband of Sophia Loren passes away...movie producer Carlo Ponti - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Ireneparalegal · 01-15-2007, 01:40 PM

ROME (AFP) - Carlo Ponti, a producer who was known both for classic films such as "Doctor Zhivago" and for his long marriage to the film star Sophia Loren, has died at a hospital in Geneva. He was 94.

Family sources told the ANSA news agency that Ponti, who had been married to Loren for half a century, was being treated for a pulmonary infection in the Swiss city, where the couple lived.

Born in Magenta, northern Italy, on December 11, 1912, Ponti started out in life as a lawyer, going into film production in the late 1930s.

He was to work with most of the great directors of his period, including compatriots Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Vittorio de Sica and Michelangelo Antonioni, and David Lean, who directed "Doctor Zhivago" in 1965.

Starting out in film production during the terrible years of World War II in Italy, Ponti had early success with Rossellini, whose "Rome, Open City" was a dramatic depiction of the home-grown resistance against the German occupation.

The work, which appeared in 1945, was to win the New York Critics' Prize two years later.

He was to confirm his reputation for picking winners with Fellini's "La Strada", co-produced with Dino De Laurentis in 1954.

In all, Ponti had more than 140 films to his credit, including "Doctor Zhivago", and Antonioni's "Blowup" (1966) and "Zabriskie Point" (1970).

Sophia Loren, who survives her husband, featured in some three dozen of his productions.

Ponti was married twice, first to Guiliana Fiastri in 1946, and then to Loren, whom he first noticed, according to her official biography, when she was trying to advance a budding film career by taking part in beauty contests under pressure from her family.

A divorce Ponti obtained in Mexico from Fiastri -- with whom he had had a son, Alex, and a daughter, Guendalina -- was not recognised in Italy, and a first marriage to Loren, in 1957, had to be annulled to head off charges of bigamy.

At the time Sofia Scicolone, as she then was, was 22 and he 44.

The couple nevertheless went on living together -- a scandal in itself at the time -- and finally Ponti obtained French citizenship in 1964, enabling them to remarry two years later.

Sophia Loren, now aged 72, continues to make waves as a star, featuring last year as a pin-up on the Pirelli tyre company's calendar.

Ponti's three sons are all in one branch or other of show business.

Carlo Ponti, Jr. is the music director of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra in the United States, while Edoardo Ponti is a film director.

Alex Ponti is a film producer like his father.

01-15-2007, 01:40 PM	#1
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Husband of Sophia Loren passes away...movie producer Carlo Ponti ROME (AFP) - Carlo Ponti, a producer who was known both for classic films such as "Doctor Zhivago" and for his long marriage to the film star Sophia Loren, has died at a hospital in Geneva. He was 94. Family sources told the ANSA news agency that Ponti, who had been married to Loren for half a century, was being treated for a pulmonary infection in the Swiss city, where the couple lived. Born in Magenta, northern Italy, on December 11, 1912, Ponti started out in life as a lawyer, going into film production in the late 1930s. He was to work with most of the great directors of his period, including compatriots Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Vittorio de Sica and Michelangelo Antonioni, and David Lean, who directed "Doctor Zhivago" in 1965. Starting out in film production during the terrible years of World War II in Italy, Ponti had early success with Rossellini, whose "Rome, Open City" was a dramatic depiction of the home-grown resistance against the German occupation. The work, which appeared in 1945, was to win the New York Critics' Prize two years later. He was to confirm his reputation for picking winners with Fellini's "La Strada", co-produced with Dino De Laurentis in 1954. In all, Ponti had more than 140 films to his credit, including "Doctor Zhivago", and Antonioni's "Blowup" (1966) and "Zabriskie Point" (1970). Sophia Loren, who survives her husband, featured in some three dozen of his productions. Ponti was married twice, first to Guiliana Fiastri in 1946, and then to Loren, whom he first noticed, according to her official biography, when she was trying to advance a budding film career by taking part in beauty contests under pressure from her family. A divorce Ponti obtained in Mexico from Fiastri -- with whom he had had a son, Alex, and a daughter, Guendalina -- was not recognised in Italy, and a first marriage to Loren, in 1957, had to be annulled to head off charges of bigamy. At the time Sofia Scicolone, as she then was, was 22 and he 44. The couple nevertheless went on living together -- a scandal in itself at the time -- and finally Ponti obtained French citizenship in 1964, enabling them to remarry two years later. Sophia Loren, now aged 72, continues to make waves as a star, featuring last year as a pin-up on the Pirelli tyre company's calendar. Ponti's three sons are all in one branch or other of show business. Carlo Ponti, Jr. is the music director of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra in the United States, while Edoardo Ponti is a film director. Alex Ponti is a film producer like his father.
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