Sergio Leone Net Worth

Sergio Leone's Quotes

• [on Henry Fonda] I have never known an actor with such craft, with such professional seriousness; such a pleasant man, full of humor, so reserved and so keenly quick-witted.
• [on Lee Van Cleef] His glance makes holes in the screen.
• In my childhood, America was like a religion. Then, real-life Americans abruptly entered my life - in jeeps - and upset all my dreams. I found them very energetic, but also very deceptive. They were no longer the Americans of the West. They were soldiers like any others...materialists, possessive, keen on pleasures and earthly goods.
• [on Clint Eastwood] As an actor, he has two expressions: with and without the hat.
• [on Orson Welles] He was a hard man. He'd lose his temper. He broke telephones. He also drank. But he could also be sensitive. [...] At any rate, I found him fascinating. I had infinite admiration for his directing.

Interesting Facts about Sergio Leone

1. Composer Ennio Morricone has said that Leone asked him to compose a film's music before the start of principal photography - contrary to normal practice. He would then play the music to the actors during takes to enhance their performance.
2. Was very insecure about the films he made and every film he made was almost his last. Between A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984) he produced several films and directed several commercials. He also did some uncredited directing work on some of the films he produced. Before his death he planned on making a film called The 900 Days about the siege on Leningrad. He was able to get $100 million in financing without even having written a script and he planned to cast Robert De Niro.
3. Started many feuds with his collaborators - Sergio Donati, for not being credited for co-writing The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966); Luciano Vincenzoni; and Tonino Valerii, whom he usurped on the set of Il mio nome è Nessuno (1973) by directing many scenes of that film.
4. Was often noted to embellish events that occurred on the sets of his films, as noted by many of his collaborators.
5. Although they did not work together until 1964, as children Leone and composer Ennio Morricone were classmates.
6. He had two daughters, Francesca Leone and Raffaella Leone, and a son, Andrea Leone. Francesca appeared in her father's For a Few Dollars More (1965) as a baby. Both girls were reportedly among the extras in Flagstone in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). For Leone's final film, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Francesca was given a bit part and Raffaella was credited as Assistant Costume Designer.
7. Clint Eastwood was amused by Leone's on-set behavior during their collaborations, having called the short, heavy Leone "Yosemite Sam" for his over-the-top temper and attempts to act like a cowboy through his thick Italian accent.
8. Was voted the 41st Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly, having directed only 11 films.
9. When he made Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), his stylistic influence switched from the more frenetic pace of Hollywood westerns (which he put on hyper-drive for the "Dollars" trilogy with Clint Eastwood) to the slower, tenser style of Japanese samurai films, mainly those of Akira Kurosawa.
10. He died at the age of 60 from a heart attack, which was most likely resulted from his eating habits. He had an infamous love for food and gained weight throughout his life until he was borderline obese in the 1980s.
11. Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945- 1985". Pages 577-581. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.
12. Son of director Roberto Roberti.
13. Son of Bice Valerian, father of Francesca Leone, Andrea Leone and Raffaella Leone.
14. Famously feuded with director Peter Bogdanovich over the directing reigns of A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) - Leone claimed that Bogdanovich was fearful of such a large production and backed out at the last minute. Bogdonavich stands by the story that Leone hired him as a patsy, as he wanted to direct the film all along.
15. His favorite actor from childhood was Henry Fonda, who was offered a role in every one of Leone's early Westerns. After Fonda finally worked with him on Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), he returned the compliment, later citing that film as his favorite role.
16. His favorite movies were reportedly (in no particular order) Yojinbo (1961), Warlock (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Klokslag 12 (1952), Shane (1953), and Vera Cruz (1954).
17. Aside from saying 'Goodbye', Sergio Leone never spoke a word of English and always relied on a translator when talking to American actors. According to an interview with Eli Wallach, he spoke to Sergio in broken up French and discovered he is fluent in the language. This is how he communicated to Sergio Leone when shooting The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly").
18. Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 24th Cannes International Film Festival in 1971.
19. Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival in 1978.
20. Was sued by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa for remaking his Yojinbo (1961) as "A Fistful of Dollars" (A Fistfull of Dollars (1964)) shot-for-shot without crediting him, and copyright infringement. The production of A Fistfull of Dollars (1964) apologized, compensated Kurosawa with $100,000, and 15% of box office revenues.