GHERARDI, PIERO

(1909-1971)

Art director and production and costume designer. Originally trained as an architect, Gherardi gravitated toward the cinema after World War II, working first as a set decorator onMario Soldati'sDaniele Cortis(1947) andFuga in Francia(Flight into France, 1948) and then as art director forLuigi Zampa'sAnni facili(Easy Years, 1953). Quick to recognize Gherardi's enormous talents,Mario Monicelliemployed him as production designer for a number of his films, includingProibito(Forbidden, 1954),Totb e Carolina(Totb and Carolina, 1955),Padri e figli(A Tailor's Maid, 1955), and Monicelli's landmark comedy,I soliti ignoti(Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958).By this time Gherardi had also initiated what would be a close and fruitful association withFederico Fellini, designing both the sets and costumes forLe notti di Cabiria(Nights of Cabiria, 1957),La dolce vita(1960)—Gherardi was the one responsible for recreating the Via Veneto atCinecitta— andOtto e mezzo(8'A, 1963), his contribution to the last two films earning him the two Oscars of his relatively short career. His production design for Fellini'sGiulietta degli spiriti(Juliet of the Spirits, 1965) brought him the secondNastro d'argentoof his career, the first having already been conferred on him for his production design forLa dolce vitaand the third being awarded for his costume design for Monicelli'sL'armata Brancaleone(For Love and Gold, 1966). His most interesting later work was probably the costume design forMario Bava'sDiabolik(Danger:Diabolik, 1968).