Ugo Fantozzi

Ugo Fantozzi
Fantozzi character
Ugo Fantozzi (Paolo Villaggio) in the film Fantozzi, during the iconic five-pin match scene
First appearanceFantozzi (1971 novel)
Fantozzi (1975 film)
Last appearanceFantozzi 2000 – La clonazione (1999 film)
Tragica vita del ragionier Fantozzi (2012 novel)
Created byPaolo Villaggio
In-universe information
Nickname
  • Pupazzi, Fantocci, Bambocci, Bagherozzi, Beccacci, Cagnacci, Mortacci, Fantozzo and Tozzi-Fan (mistakenly)
  • Puccettone (by Calboni)
RaceWhite
OccupationAccountant
SpousePina Fantozzi
ChildrenMariangela Fantozzi (daughter)
RelativesUga Fantozzi (granddaughter)
NationalityItalian

Ugo Fantozzi (pronounced [ˈuːɡo fanˈtɔttsi]) is a fictional character, appearing in Italian literature and film, created by Paolo Villaggio. The character, initially part of Villaggio's television monologues, later became protagonist of a series of short stories published at first on newspapers, later in collections, which in turn inspired a successful film series starring Villaggio himself as the main character.[1]

Of the many films telling of Fantozzi's misadventures, the most notable and famous were Fantozzi (1975) and Il secondo tragico Fantozzi (1976), both directed by Luciano Salce, but many others were produced. The other films were Fantozzi contro tutti (1980) directed by Neri Parenti, Fantozzi subisce ancora (1983) by Neri Parenti, Superfantozzi (1986) by Neri Parenti, Fantozzi va in pensione (1988) by Neri Parenti, Fantozzi alla riscossa (1990) by Neri Parenti, Fantozzi in paradiso (1993) by Neri Parenti, Fantozzi – Il ritorno (1996) by Neri Parenti and Fantozzi 2000 – La clonazione (1999) by Domenico Saverni.

Although Villaggio's movies tend to bridge comedy with a more elevated social satire, this character had a great impact on Italian society, to such a degree that the adjective fantozziano entered the lexicon.[2] Ugo Fantozzi represents the archetype of the average Italian of the 1970s, middle-class with a simple lifestyle with the anxieties common to an entire class of workers,[3] being re-evaluated by critics.[4] For the 40 years since the character's debut in the cinema, in 2015, the first two films have been restored and re-proposed in theaters.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Fantozzi" (in Italian). Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Fantozziano" (in Italian). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Fantozzi, antieroe moderno" (in Italian). Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Aldo Grasso: "Villaggio l'ha sfruttato troppo Molto meglio il suo Fracchia televisivo"" (in Italian). Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Torna il ragioniere. Villaggio: "Oggi tutti gli italiani sono Fantozzi"" (in Italian). 22 October 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Fantozzi compie 40 anni. I film e un'app per ricordare il ragioniere - Macitynet.it" (in Italian). 24 October 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2017.