Education: Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, Rome
One of the first students at Rome's famed cinema school, Zampa worked as a scenarist before making his directorial bow with L'Attore Scomparso in 1941. Although he began working early in the fascist era on "white telephone" comedies, Zampa reached his creative peak during the post-war neorealist movement with such films as Vivere in Pace/Live in Peace (1946) and Processo alla citta (1952). Zampa's best films combine social realism with light satire, and his heroes are frequently workers suffering under government bureaucracy or corruption. A working-class woman (Anna Magnani) leads a protest against city officials in Angelina (1947); Difficult Years (1948) deals with an office worker's attempts to please his fascist employers; and City on Trial (1952) condemns a government controlled by the Mafia. L'arte Di Arrangiarsi/The Art of Making Do (1954) was the first in a series of films that continued through the 1970s, in which comedian Alberto Sordi portrayed cyncial opportunists, petty thieves or corrupt public servants.

Filmography Luigi Zampa
1941 L'Attore Scomparso
1946 To Live in Peace/Vivere in Pace
1946 A Yank in Rome/Un Americano in Vacanza also screenwriter
1947 Anni Difficili
1947 L'Onorevole Angelina
1950 Cuori senza frontiere
1950 E Piu facile che un cammello
1952 Processo alla Citta
1953 Anni facili
1953 We, the Women/Siamo Donne
1954 La Romana
1957 La Ragazza del Palio also screenwriter
1962 Anni Ruggenti
1963 Frenesia dell'estate
1968 Anyone Can Play/Le Dolci signore
1968 Il Medico della mutua
1970 Contestazione generale
1971 Bello Onesto Emigrato Australia Sposerebbe Compaesan Illibata
1973 Bisturi, la Mafica Bianca
1975 Gente di rispetto
1978 Letti Selvaggi
1979 Tigers in Lipstick/Wild Beds