Franco Merli
- Actor
Franco Merli was born on October 31, 1956 in Rome, Italy. In 1973,
famous Italian poet and filmmaker
Pier Paolo Pasolini discovered the
youngster. The 16-year-old was working as a gas station attendant at
that time (as Ninetto Davoli, a friend of Pasolini and actor in most of
his films, recounts). Pasolini was searching for a young man to play
the lead in his upcoming feature Arabian Nights
(Arabian Nights (1974)).
The director immediately knew that Franco Merli, with his small but
muscular physique, dark Mediterranean looks, and ready smile, was the
perfect choice for the role of Nur Ed Din.
Arabian Nights was an international success and Merli got a taste for
the film business. Following his debut he appeared (his hair dyed
blond) in La collegiale (1975), a
rather stupid soft-sex-comedy that did little for his reputation other
than showing that he was able to play an unsympathetic character, as
well.
In 1975 Pasolini hired him once again, for the role of one of the male
victims in his infamous
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
or the 120 Days of Sodom (Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma). In this
film, Merli was, like the other non-professional actors, addressed by
his real first name, Franco. The director chose Merli once again, not
only because he embodied the "Pasolini-type" to a fault but also
because the young actor had already proven in Arabian Nights that he
was perfectly comfortable appearing nude in front of a camera. In a
way, Salò made Franco's face immortal since one of the most highly
publicised images of the film was the close-up of young Merli as his
tongue is cut out in the final torture scenes. Another famous still
(from the scene where the victims are forced to pose as dogs)
prominently showed Franco naked, on all fours, only 'wearing' a dog
collar - a fact that didn't help further his career.
In 1976, Merli appeared on-screen as Fernando, the son of Nino
Manfredi, who earns his money as a transvestite prostitute in Down and
Dirty
(Ugly, Dirty and Bad (1976)).
This brilliant social satire by Italian director
Ettore Scola was also (but for a small part
in Il malato immaginario (1979)) Franco Merli's swan song as an actor.
Incidently, it is probable that he secured the role of Fernando thanks
to his connection with Pasolini, since the director not only was a
friend of Scola but also had been supposed to write a foreword to the
film - but Pasolini was murdered before this came to pass.
Since Merli's mentor had died and his choice of roles (or perhaps the
ones he got offered) had been a rather off-beat one, he soon didn't
find work in the industry anymore, even though he had shown himself to
be a versatile actor with a range from pure innocence to debauchery.
And the fact that, as said above, he had become the "face" and "body"
of Salò probably didn't help, either.
Today, Franco Merli lives in Rome and works in a bank. He has two sons
and owns a dog (pinscher) called Attila.
famous Italian poet and filmmaker
Pier Paolo Pasolini discovered the
youngster. The 16-year-old was working as a gas station attendant at
that time (as Ninetto Davoli, a friend of Pasolini and actor in most of
his films, recounts). Pasolini was searching for a young man to play
the lead in his upcoming feature Arabian Nights
(Arabian Nights (1974)).
The director immediately knew that Franco Merli, with his small but
muscular physique, dark Mediterranean looks, and ready smile, was the
perfect choice for the role of Nur Ed Din.
Arabian Nights was an international success and Merli got a taste for
the film business. Following his debut he appeared (his hair dyed
blond) in La collegiale (1975), a
rather stupid soft-sex-comedy that did little for his reputation other
than showing that he was able to play an unsympathetic character, as
well.
In 1975 Pasolini hired him once again, for the role of one of the male
victims in his infamous
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
or the 120 Days of Sodom (Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma). In this
film, Merli was, like the other non-professional actors, addressed by
his real first name, Franco. The director chose Merli once again, not
only because he embodied the "Pasolini-type" to a fault but also
because the young actor had already proven in Arabian Nights that he
was perfectly comfortable appearing nude in front of a camera. In a
way, Salò made Franco's face immortal since one of the most highly
publicised images of the film was the close-up of young Merli as his
tongue is cut out in the final torture scenes. Another famous still
(from the scene where the victims are forced to pose as dogs)
prominently showed Franco naked, on all fours, only 'wearing' a dog
collar - a fact that didn't help further his career.
In 1976, Merli appeared on-screen as Fernando, the son of Nino
Manfredi, who earns his money as a transvestite prostitute in Down and
Dirty
(Ugly, Dirty and Bad (1976)).
This brilliant social satire by Italian director
Ettore Scola was also (but for a small part
in Il malato immaginario (1979)) Franco Merli's swan song as an actor.
Incidently, it is probable that he secured the role of Fernando thanks
to his connection with Pasolini, since the director not only was a
friend of Scola but also had been supposed to write a foreword to the
film - but Pasolini was murdered before this came to pass.
Since Merli's mentor had died and his choice of roles (or perhaps the
ones he got offered) had been a rather off-beat one, he soon didn't
find work in the industry anymore, even though he had shown himself to
be a versatile actor with a range from pure innocence to debauchery.
And the fact that, as said above, he had become the "face" and "body"
of Salò probably didn't help, either.
Today, Franco Merli lives in Rome and works in a bank. He has two sons
and owns a dog (pinscher) called Attila.