Writing

Ottavio Alessi

Biography

Ottavio Alessi was an Italian screenwriter, producer, and film director whose career spanned from the 1940s to the 1970s. Born in Cammarata, Sicily, he entered the film industry in 1940 as an assistant director. By 1945, Alessi had transitioned to screenwriting, contributing to both genre and art films. He collaborated with notable directors such as Pietro Germi, Franco Rossi, Folco Quilici, and Luciano Salce. Alessi directed two films in the 1960s: What Ever Happened to Baby Toto? (1964), a parody of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and Top Sensation (1969). His screenwriting credits include The Testimony (1946), Amici per la pelle (1955), A Woman Alone (1956), The Mongols (1961), Charge of the Black Lancers (1962), Emanuelle in Bangkok (1976), and Emanuelle in America (1977). Alessi's work is noted for its versatility and contribution to Italian cinema during a transformative era.