Rossano Brazzi was an Italian stage and film actor. He was married to Lydia Brazzi until her death, and to Ilse Fischer, his second wife, until his death. He's most familiar to English-speaking audiences for his role as Emile De Becque in South Pacific (1958), playing opposite Mitzi Gaynor. He died in Rome of complications following a neural virus, on December 24, 1994.After being arrested for involvement in arms smuggling, he was fully acquitted of all charges at his trial in Venice (1985). Was a Freemason. Claimed he could see the future in his dreams. He foretold his first girlfriend's illness/death, as well as wife Lydia's illness/death before their illnesses were even diagnosed. Brother of Oscar Brazzi. Uncle of Fabrizio Brazzi. In 1937, in his twenties, he earned his law degree, and was sent by his father to practice law in Rome with an established lawyer who was a friend of the family. While there he was approached by a theatrical company. As a young man, Rossano was quite athletic -- soccer, swimming, tennis, golf, fencing and boxing. He was particularly good at soccer, and assumed the role of goalkeeper for the Florentine college team, where he stayed for two years. During his university years he was also an amateur boxer. He quit boxing when he unintentionally but seriously hurt an opponent. Ths son of Adelmo, a shoemaker who later owned a leather factory, and Maria Ghedini Brazzi. His baptismal name stems from the fact that his father, when Rossano was conceived, was in military service and stationed in Rossano Veneto. Rossano as well as his siblings, Oscar and Franca, often worked for their father. A respected stage director in Italy. Made films in France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Great Britain. He starred in several popular telenovelas and TV movies in Italy and at least two European (and one American) television series. In 1940, Brazzi married Florentine Baroness Lidia Bertolini (1921-1981). She developed a serious endocrine dysfunction and the couple were unable to have children. She died of pancreatic cancer in 1981. Four years after his wife's death he married a German woman, Ilse Fischer. She survived him. Attended San Marco University in Florence, Italy, a city in which he lived since the age of four. Lost both parents to the Fascist Italian government and, according to some sources, was active in the Resistance during the war. Was a native of Bologna and studied law in Florence before World War II. He has starred in and produced a series of Italian films. Famous to British audiences in a mostly silent role, particularly during the opening-credit prologue in the 1969 original The Italian Job, driving a Lamborghini Miura P400 while wearing Renauld Mustang sunglasses.Sometimes my face is more beautiful than the leading lady's. "Many producers think that actors are idiots. I'm not an idiot. I was a lawyer before beginning to act".