Alberto Sordi

Actor Alberto Sordi, who depicted Italy ' s virtues and vices in more than 160 movies and contributed to making Italian comedy famous worldwide, has died. He was 82.

Mr. Sordi died of a heart attack Monday in his Rome home, publicist Maria Rhule Committeri said.

Mr. Sordi was born in Rome, and some of the actor ' s most successful movies are set in the capital, including the 1954 classic " An American in Rome, " in which he poked fun at Italy ' s growing passion for things American.

His movies include Federico Fellini ' s " The White Sheik " in 1952 and, a year later, " I Vitelloni, " in which he played one of the title ' s immature loafers, the weak and effeminate Alberto.

" Sordi helped us understand post-World War II Italy while making us smile, " Culture Minister Giuliano Urbani said.

Born to a schoolteacher and a musician, Mr. Sordi grew up in a working-class neighborhood. He went to Milan ' s dramatic arts academy but was soon kicked out because of the thick Roman accent that would later become his trademark.

His movie career began in the late 1930s, but not on screen: Mr. Sordi ' s first break was as Oliver Hardy ' s dubbed voice. From there he went on to radio and theater, but it was cinema that shot him to stardom.

Throughout a career that spanned more than 50 years, Mr. Sordi worked with some of the finest Italian directors, including Vittorio de Sica, Mario Monicelli and Dino Risi, and such stars as Vittorio Gassman, Vittorio de Sica and Monica Vitti.

" He has been, on screen, abusive, cowardly, ferocious, corrupting and corrupted. In other words, the Italian man who emerged from the fearfulness of war ready to grab any opportunity, " Monicelli said.

" Along with being a great actor, Sordi was a great observer, " Risi said.

He starred in the 1957 " Il Conte Max, " ( " Count Max " ), playing a newspaper vendor who pretends to be a Roman count, and two years later in Monicelli ' s " The Great War, " considered to be among the best Italian comedies. In 1965, he had a role in another hugely popular comedy, " I Complessi " ( " Complexes " ).

In 1961, he starred with David Niven in the World War II comedy " The Best of Enemies. "

Mr. Sordi also successfully tried his hand at dramatic roles. In 1977 ' s " Un Borghese Piccolo Piccolo, " ( " An Average Little Man " ), he portrayed a middle-aged man who decides to take justice in his hands when his son is killed.

His movies often addressed social problems and personal weaknesses like corruption, terrorism and drug addiction.

" All my films are based on very serious and dramatic subjects, taken from real-life stories, " he told Milan daily Corriere della Sera in a 1987 interview.

Mr. Sordi also directed a few movies. But his greatest accolades came for acting. He received the David di Donatello, Italy ' s most important movie award, and a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 1995.

As reserved in life as he was exuberant on the screen, the elegant Mr. Sordi enjoyed collecting antiques and had a passion for opera.

Mr. Sordi is survived by his sister, Aurelia.