Massimo Girotti, 84; Acted for Directors Such as De Sica, Rossellini

Massimo Girotti, 84, an Italian actor who worked with such cinematic luminaries as Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini, died Sunday of heart failure at Rome’s Polyclinic Institute.

Born May 18, 1918, in Mogliano, Italy, the handsome and athletic Girotti studied engineering and was a polo and swimming champion. He made his film debut in the 1939 “Dora Nelson” and continued acting until his death, recently completing a picture by Ferzan Ozpetek to be released next month in Italy.

Girotti initially was a leading man, starring in such Italian hits as “Obsession” by Luchino Visconti, an adaptation of “The Postman Always Rings Twice,” in 1943. Other early triumphs included De Sica’s 1943 “Door of the Sky” and Rossellini’s 1942 “A Pilot Returns.”

In later years, Girotti slipped into character roles for such movies as Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Last Tango in Paris” in 1972 and Roberto Benigni’s “The Monster” in 1994.