Italian writer, director Luciano De Crescenzo dies at 90

Luciano De Crescenzo, an Italian writer, actor and director, has died in Rome after being hospitalised for a few days. He was 90.

Joyain S

Updated:19th Jul, 2019 at 12:42 AM

ROME (AP): Luciano De Crescenzo, an Italian writer, actor and director, has died in Rome after being hospitalised for a few days. He was 90.

The publishing house Mondadori announced his death on Thursday.

Born in Naples on Aug 20, 1928, De Crescenzo gained famed in 1977 with his bestseller Così parlò Bellavista (Thus spoke Bellavista), a collection of anecdotes about his beloved Naples.

Over the years, De Crescenzo became an internationally successful author. His books sold almost 20 million copies in Italy and abroad and were translated in 25 countries.

De Crescenzo was particularly successful in delivering philosophy to the general public with his books.

In the 1980s, he debuted as actor in Il pap'occhio, (In the Pope's Eye), a comedy directed by Renzo Arbore and starring Oscar-winning actor Roberto Benigni.

Italian writer Luciano De Crescenzo (Virginia Farneti/ANSA via AP)