Vittorio Nino Novarese

Vittorio Nino Novarese
Born(1907-05-15)15 May 1907
Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Died17 October 1983(1983-10-17) (aged 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Costume designer
  • writer
  • art director
Years active1937–1981
ChildrenLetícia Román

Vittorio Nino Novarese (15 May 1907 – 17 October 1983) was an Italian costume designer, writer and art director. In a career spanning over four decades, he is recognized for his prolific work across film and television. He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design five times, and won twice for Cleopatra (1963) and Cromwell (1970).

Born in Rome, Novarese began his career in Italian cinema in the late 1930s, working in several roles, including both as costume designer and screenwriter. He then emigrated to the U.S. in 1949 and found great success in American cinema. Novarese died in Los Angeles on 17 October 1983, at the age of 76. He was the father of actress Letícia Román.

Selected filmography

Film

List of Vittorio Nino Novarese film credits
Year Title Director Credited as Notes
Costume Designer Writer
1934 1860 Alessandro Blasetti Yes No
1938 The Last Enemy Umberto Barbaro Yes No Also set decorator
Ettore Fieramosca Alessandro Blasetti Yes Yes Co-written with Augusto Mazzetti, Cesare Ludovici and Alessandro Blasetti
Co-designed with Marina Arcangeli
Novarese designed men's costumes, whereas Arcangeli designed gowns
1939 No Man's Land Mario Baffico Yes No
Hurricane in the Tropics Pier Luigi Faraldo
Gino Talamo 		Yes No
1940 Love Trap Raffaello Matarazzo Yes No Also set decorator
1941 Marco Visconti Mario Bonnard Yes Yes Also art director
Co-written with Cesare Ludovici and Oreste Gasperini
The King's Jester Yes No Also art director
1942 Before the Postman No No Art director
aka There's Room Up Ahead
Rossini Yes Yes Co-written with Parsifal Bassi, Luigi Bonelli, Mario Bonnard, Luciano Doria, Gherardo Gherardi, Vittorio Gui, Alberto Luchini and Edoardo Nulli
1943 Two Hearts Among the Beasts Giorgio Simonelli Yes No
1945 No Turning Back Alessandro Blasetti No Yes Co-written with Alba De Cespedes and Alessandro Blasetti
Two Anonymous Letters Mario Camerini No Yes Co-written with Ivo Perilli Mario Camerini, Carlo Musso and Turi Vasile
His Young Wife Mario Soldati Yes No
1947 Bullet for Stefano Duilio Coletti Yes No aka The Ferryman
1948 Prelude to Madness Gianni Franciolini No Yes Co-written with Gianni Franciolini, Gianna Manzini, Ivo Perilli, Antonio Pietrangeli and Guido Piovene
aka Loveless Lovers
Les Misérables Riccardo Freda No Yes Co-written with Riccardo Freda, Mario Monicelli and Stefano Vanzina
The Mysterious Rider Yes No Also art director
The Man with the Grey Glove Camillo Mastrocinque No Yes Co-written with Camillo Mastrocinque and Fulvio Palmieri
Pagliacci Mario Costa Yes No
1949 Hand of Death Carlo Campogalliani No Yes Co-written with Carlo Campogalliani and Paola Ojetti
aka Man of Death
Black Magic Gregory Ratoff Yes No Co-designed with Georges Annenkov
Prince of Foxes Henry King Yes No
1950 My Beautiful Daughter Duilio Coletti No Yes Co-written with Fulvio Palmieri
aka Miss Italia
Hawk of the Nile Giacomo Gentilomo Yes Yes
Shadow of the Eagle Sidney Salkow Yes No
Women and Brigands Mario Soldati Yes Yes Co-written with Pierre Lestringuez, Nicola Manzari and Mario Soldati
aka The King's Guerrillas
The Thief of Venice John Brahm Yes No
1951 The Rival of the Empress Jacopo Comin
Sidney Salkow 		Yes No
The Count of Saint Elmo Guido Brignone Yes Yes Co-written with Guido Brignone and Aldo De Benedetti
Messalina Carmine Gallone Yes Yes Also art director
Co-written with Carmine Gallone, Albert Valentin, Pierre Laroche and Cesare Ludovici
aka The Affairs of Messalina
Lorenzaccio Raffaello Pacini No Yes Co-written with Raffaello Pacini and Giampiero Pucci
1952 The Wonderful Adventures of Guerrin Meschino Pietro Francisci Yes No
The Adventures of Mandrin Mario Soldati Yes Yes Co-written with Giorgio Bassani, Augusto Frassinetti and Mario Soldati
aka The Affair of Madame Pompadour and Don Juan's Night of Love
The Dream of Zorro Yes No
The Queen of Sheba Pietro Francisci Yes Yes Co-written with Raul De Sarro, Pietro Francisci and Giorgio Graziosi
Il romanzo della mia vita Lionello De Felice No Yes Co-written with Lionello De Felice
La colpa di una madre Carlo Duse No Yes Co-written with Carlo Duse
Nessuno ha tradito Roberto Bianchi Montero No Yes Co-written with Carlo De Sanctis and Fulvio Palmieri
1953 Too Young for Love Lionello De Felice No Yes Co-written with Franco Brusati and Lionello De Felice
aka The Age of Indiscretion
The Pagans Ferruccio Cerio Yes No aka The Barbarians
Frine, Courtesan of Orient Mario Bonnard Yes No
The Story of William Tell Jack Cardiff Yes No Unfinished film
1954 Maddalena Augusto Genina Yes No
Crossed Swords Milton Krims Yes No
Concert of Intrigue Mario Bonnard Uncredited Yes Co-written with Mario Bonnard
Mata Hari's Daughter Carmine Gallone No Yes Co-written with Renzo Merusi, Piccini Vitali, Jean Aurel and André Tabet
Orient Express Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia No Yes Co-written with Jacques Companeez, Vitaliano Brancati, Aldo De Benedetti and Agenore Incrocci
House of Ricordi Carmine Gallone No Yes Co-written with Leonardo Benvenuti, Luigi Filippo D'Amico, Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci and Carmine Gallone
Loves of Three Queens Marc Allégret
Edgar G. Ulmer 		Yes No aka The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships
1955 Desperate Farewell Lionello De Felice No Yes Co-written with Lionello De Felice, Sergio De Pascale and Ernesto Guida
Beautiful but Dangerous Robert Z. Leonard Yes No Co-designed with Veniero Colasanti
La ladra Mario Bonnard No Yes Co-written with Mario Bonnard
1956 Symphony of Love Glauco Pellegrini Yes No
1958 Captain Falcon Carlo Campogalliani No Yes Co-written with Carlo Campogalliani, Isabella Conino, Gino Mangini and Emimmo Salvi
1959 Herod the Great Victor Tourjansky Yes No
Conspiracy of the Borgias Antonio Racioppi No Yes Co-written with Giorgio Costantini, Fernando Morandi and Antonio Racioppi
Knight Without a Country Giacomo Gentilomo No Story aka The Faceless Rider
Head of a Tyrant Fernando Cerchio Yes No aka Judith and Holofernes
Sheba and the Gladiator Guido Brignone Yes No aka Sign of the Gladiator
1960 The Savage Innocents Nicholas Ray Uncredited No
The Story of Ruth Henry Koster Yes No
1961 Francis of Assisi Michael Curtiz Yes No
1963 Cleopatra Joseph L. Mankiewicz Yes No Co-designed with Irene Sharaff and Renié
1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told George Stevens Yes No Co-designed with Marjorie Best
The Agony and the Ecstasy Carol Reed Yes No
The War Lord Franklin J. Schaffner Yes No
1967 The King's Pirate Don Weis Yes No
1970 Cromwell Ken Hughes Yes No
1971 Zachariah George Englund Yes No
1974 The Terminal Man Mike Hodges Yes No Co-designed with Donald Brooks
1978 Angela Boris Sagal Yes No Co-designed with François Barbeau

Television

List of Vittorio Nino Novarese television credits
Year Title Contribution Notes
Costume Designer Art Director
1976 Sandokan Yes Yes 6 episodes
Co-designed costumes with Fabrizio Caracciolo
1981 Masada Yes No 4 episodes
The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire Yes No Television film
aka Fugitive from the Empire and The Archer and the Sorceress
Peter and Paul Yes No 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
Academy Awards 1949 Best Costume Design – Black and White Prince of Foxes Nominated [1]
1963 Best Costume Design – Color Cleopatra Won [2]
1965 The Agony and the Ecstasy Nominated [3]
The Greatest Story Ever Told Nominated
1970 Best Costume Design Cromwell Won [4]
British Academy Film Awards 1970 Best Costume Design Cromwell Nominated [5]
Primetime Emmy Awards 1981 Outstanding Costume Design for a Series Masada (Episode: "Part IV") Nominated [6]
Outstanding Costume Design for a Special Peter and Paul Nominated

References

  1. ^ "22nd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 5 October 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "36th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 5 October 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "38th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 4 October 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "43rd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 4 October 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "24th BAFTA Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  6. ^ "Nino Novarese - Emmy Awards, Nominations, and Wins". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Retrieved August 15, 2023.


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