Fernando Di Leo (11 January 1932 - 1 December 2003) was an Italian film director and script writer born in San Ferdinando di Puglia. During his career from 1964 to 1985, Di Leo directed 20 films and was involved in the writing process in 43. His films influenced many popular contemporary directors, such as Quentin Tarantino and John Woo.Di Leo started his career mostly writing scripts for spaghetti westerns. He worked on the script for Per un pugno di dollari (A Fistful of Dollars, 1964) and later as assistant director and assistant to Sergio Leone in Per qualche dollaro in più (For a Few Dollars More, 1965). Later, he wrote scripts for such westerns as Navajo Joe (1966) and Johnny Yuma (1967). Di Leo is now best remembered for his poliziotteschi films, especially the Milieu Trilogy, which he both wrote and directed. The trilogy contains Milano calibro 9 (1972), La mala ordina (Manhunt, 1972) and Il boss (The Boss, 1973).
Planned to make a movie called "Il dio Kurt" ("God Kurt"), an adaptation of Oedipus Rex settled in an concentration camp written by Franco Arcalli and based on a play by Alberto Moravia. Henry Fonda and Charlotte Rampling were supposed to star, but the producers eventually canceled the project.
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In 1972 he planned to make a movie about homosexuality in Italy entitled "Il pederasta" ("The Homosexual") with Barbara Bouchet, Margaret Lee and Gianni Macchia. The project was postponed because of Lee's heath problems, and then the producers refused to back the movie. Only a brief scene was eventually shot.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Madness: Vacanze per un massacro
earlier screenplay announced
Killer contro killers
1985
screenplay / story
Razza violenta
1984
screenplay / story
Madness
1980
screenplay
To Be Twenty
1978
screenplay / story
Diamanti sporchi di sangue
1977
Young, Violent, Dangerous
1976
screenplay / story
Rulers of the City
1976
screenplay / story
Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man
1976
screenplay / story
Kidnap Syndicate
1975
screenplay
Colpo in canna
1975
screenplay / story
Shoot First, Die Later
1974
screenplay
La seduzione
1973
screenplay
The Boss
1973
screenplay / story
The Italian Connection
1972
dialogue / screenplay / story
Caliber 9
1972
dialogue / screenplay / story
La bestia uccide a sangue freddo
1971
screenplay / story
Naked Violence
1969
screenplay / story
Amarsi male
1969
writer
Brucia ragazzo, brucia
1969
writer
Gangsters '70
1968
writer
God Made Them... I Kill Them
1968
writer
Code Name, Red Roses
1968
writer
Al di là della legge
1968
screenplay
The Ruthless Four
1968
screenplay / story
And Then a Time for Killing
1968
screenplay / story
La lunga sfida
1967
Con lui cavalca la morte
1967
Un poker di pistole
1967
Hate for Hate
1967
writer
Omicidio per appuntamento
1967
idea and screenplay
Pecos Cleans Up
1967
screenplay
Wanted
1967
screenplay
Up the MacGregors
1967
as Fernand Lion
Long Days of Vengeance
1967
Navajo Joe
1966
screenplay
Sugar Colt
1966
Johnny Yuma
1966
The Brute and the Beast
1966
screenplay / story
Kiss Kiss - Bang Bang
1966
screenplay / story
7 pistole per i MacGregor
1966
as Fernando Lion
For a Few Dollars More
1965
uncredited
The Return of Ringo
1965
story and screenplay
A Fistful of Dollars
1964
uncredited
Gli eroi di ieri... oggi... domani
1964
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Killer contro killers
1985
Razza violenta
1984
Pover'ammore
1982
uncredited
L'assassino ha le ore contate
1981
TV Mini-Series 6 episodes
Madness
1980
To Be Twenty
1978
Diamanti sporchi di sangue
1977
Rulers of the City
1976
Nick the Sting
1976
Kidnap Syndicate
1975
Colpo in canna
1975
Sesso in testa
1974
uncredited
Shoot First, Die Later
1974
La seduzione
1973
The Boss
1973
The Italian Connection
1972
Caliber 9
1972
La bestia uccide a sangue freddo
1971
Naked Violence
1969
Amarsi male
1969
Brucia ragazzo, brucia
1969
Code Name, Red Roses
1968
Gli eroi di ieri... oggi... domani
1964
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mamá querida
1988
Perros de la noche
1986
Vecino
Seré cualquier cosa, pero te quiero
1986
Alejandra, mon amour
1979
Policia
To Be Twenty
1978
Man Giving Directions (uncredited)
Nick the Sting
1976
Film Director in Front of Police Station (uncredited)