Gianrico Tedeschi (1920-2020) was one of the pillars of 20th-century Italian theater and cinema, a versatile and tireless actor whose career spanned over seventy years of entertainment history. A native of Milan, he discovered his vocation as an actor during World War II, while he was interned in a Nazi concentration camp, an experience that profoundly marked his life. Upon his return to Italy, he graduated from the National Academy of Dramatic Arts and became a central figure in prose theater, working with legendary directors such as Giorgio Strehler and Luchino Visconti. At the same time, he built a prolific film career, distinguishing himself as a luxury character actor in dozens of films, often in the Italian comedy genre, such as Luciano Salce's Il federale (1961) and Brancaleone alle crociate (1970). Well known to the general public also for his television appearances and iconic commercials for Carosello (such as the one for Sperlari candies), Tedeschi never abandoned the stage, continuing to act until late in life and winning prestigious awards, including two Ubu Awards.