Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri
Alessandro "Dado", Principe Ruspoli (Rome, December 9, 1924 – Rome, January 11, 2005) was an occasional actor and a playboy and eccentric aristocrat, the 9th Principe di Cerveteri, 9th Marchese di Riano and 14th Conte di Vignanello, who is said to have inspired Federico Fellini into making his famous movie La Dolce Vita. He was the first cousin once removed of Brazilian director Jayme Monjardim. His paternal grandmother's mother was an American heiress from New York City, New York, and his great-great-great-great-great-uncle was Bartolomeo Ruspoli. He is also the father in law of actress Olivia Wilde and a fifth cousin of actor Bart Ruspoli.
Dado was born in Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome in 1924. His mother and father's first wife Claudia dei Conti Matarazzo, who died when he was 9, was heiress to one of the largest fortunes in Brazil. His father Francesco Ruspoli, 8th Prince of Cerveteri, later a poet, fought in both world wars. Dado became known for his extravagant lifestyle in the 1950s and 60s. He was friends with Brigitte Bardot, Salvador Dali, Truman Capote, Roger Vadim, Roman Polanski and many others.
Filmography
- La casa del sorriso aka The House of Smiles (1988) .... Andrea
- The Godfather Part III (1990) .... Vanni
- Il giardino dei ciliegi aka The Cherry Orchard (1992) ....
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1 episode, "Florence, May 1908", 1993) .... Professor Reale
- Just Say Know (2002) ... Himself
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid (2007) (V) .... Professor Reale
- Marco Ferreri, il regista che venne dal futuro (2007) .... Himself
Marriages and children
He married firstly in Rome on December 8, 1947 Nobile Francesca dei Baroni Blanc (Rome, June 27, 1920 – Milan, February 27, 1962), daughter of Nobile Mario dei Baroni Blanc and wife Anita Felici, without issue.
He married secondly at Vignanello on May 5, 1964, later divorced, Nancy de Girard de Charbonnières (Pouillon, April 18, 1939 –), daughter of Roger Jean de Girard de Charbonnières and wife Andrée Marie Pommarede, and had issue, an only son:
Between marriages he had two sons by actress Debra Berger (March 17, 1957 –), daughter of William Berger's first marriage:
- Tao Ruspoli (Bangkok, November 7, 1975 –), married in Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia, June 7, 2003 actress Olivia Wilde (New York City, New York, March 10, 1984 –)
- Bartolomeo Ruspoli (Rome, October 6, 1978 –), who appeared as himself in his brother's film Just Say Know (2002), married in November, 2004 Aileen Getty (July 14, 1957 –), daughter of John Paul Getty II and first wife Abigail "Gail" Harris, aunt of Balthazar Getty and formerly married with issue to Christopher Edward Wilding (New Westminster, Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, February 2, 1955 –), son of Michael Wilding and Elizabeth Taylor, without issue
He married thirdly in Rome on November 20, 1993 Theresa Patricia Genest, and had issue, a daughter and a son:
- Mathilda Mélusine dei Principi Ruspoli (Paris, July 25, 1994 –)
- Théodore Alexandre dei Principi Ruspoli (Paris, April 30, 1997 –)
References
- "Prince Dado Ruspoli". Telegraph Media Group. 2005-01-15. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
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External links
- Dado Ruspoli at IMDb
- Ruspoli Genealogy
- Alessandro Ruspoli on a genealogical site
- Daily Telegraph obituary