Under the direction of Vittorio De Sica, Carlo Battisti left a remarkable mark in cinema history as the lead character in Umberto D. (1952), an Italian Neo-Realist classic about an elderly man who wanders through Rome with his dog Flike while trying to survive the Italy of post WWII. He was born on 10 October, 1882 in Trento - then an Austro-Hungary territory that later became part of Italy during the war years.He wasn't an actor by trade, in fact, he was a Linguistic professor. At the age of 70, De Sica discovered Battisti and chose him for the lead role in Umberto D. (1952), who didn't want a professional actor for the role, wanting to give a more realistic approach to the story just like Rossellini did with his films in the late 1940's. Battisti received excellent reviews and praise from audiences who loved his heart-breaking performance and his memorable scenes with his loyal companion, the cute dog Flike.After the movie, Battisti never appeared on another movie and returned to teaching until his retirement some years later. He died in 1977, aged 94.
