Michele Placido
An Italian actor whose soulful intensity made him the defining face of anti-mafia drama, both on television and as a director.
Born 1946 (age 80)·Italian actor and film director·Birthday: May 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Michele Placido’s face tells stories of conflict and conscience. He first made his mark on the Italian stage and in cinema, winning a Silver Bear at Berlin for his role in "Ernesto." But it was his embodiment of police inspector Corrado Cattani in the groundbreaking TV series "La piovra" (The Octopus) that etched him into the national psyche. For years, he was the weary, determined symbol of the fight against organized crime, a role that resonated deeply in a country grappling with mafia violence. Placido, however, refused to be typecast. He stepped behind the camera, directing films that often explored social and political fissures, from the immigrant experience in "Pummarò" to the biography of a controversial bandit in "Il grande sogno." His career embodies a particularly Italian blend of artistic commitment and civic engagement, using his craft to interrogate the nation's toughest questions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Michele was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michele Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Michele's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 29th Berlin International Film Festival for his role in "Ernesto".
- Gained international fame for his leading role as Inspector Corrado Cattani in the long-running anti-mafia TV series "La piovra".
- His directorial debut, "Pummarò," was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.
- Founded the theatre company "Gruppo della Rocca" with other actors early in his career.
Did You Know?
He is the father of actress Violante Placido.
Before acting, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and worked as a painter.
He was married to actress Simonetta Stefanelli, who played Michael Corleone's first wife in "The Godfather".
He directed and starred in "Il grande sogno," a film loosely based on his own experiences as a young police officer.
“A character is not a mask; it's a truth you wear on your skin.”
