Ezio Marano (Busto Arsizio, August 6, 1927 – Rome, April 26, 1991) was an Italian theater, film, and television actor. Trained at the Accademia dei Filodrammatici in Milan, his career began on the stage, where he became a prominent performer at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan under the direction of Giorgio Strehler. Starting in the 1960s, he established himself as one of the most prolific and recognizable character actors in Italian cinema, demonstrating great versatility in a variety of genres, from comedy to *poliziottesco*. His numerous film credits include standout performances in films such as Elio Petri's *Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto* (1970), Mario Monicelli's *Romanzo popolare* (1974), and Steno's cult film *Febbre da cavallo* (1976), in which he played the unforgettable informant "dottor Mezzanotte". For his role in *Romanzo popolare*, he won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor in 1975. His slender figure and distinctive voice made him a familiar and well-liked face to the general public.