A Zombie's Life Italy's Whipping Boy Talks Life and Career

Book excerpt: Italian horror film actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice shares insider details of his long career in this autobiography filled with compassion, irony, wit and humor, as well as over 150 photos from his film roles and personal life. Giovanni chose a life in show business over intellectual pursuits, becoming the black sheep in his aristocratic Italian family. As with most actors, Giovanni faced periods of film success and periods of unemployment and economic uncertainty. He went from the stage to television and films. The films saved him from financial disasters and tossed him into the world of graphic horror-B movies. Giovanni, known as Johnny to friends and fans, talks about the start of his career on stage, where he progressed from acting to directing and becoming an artistic director for regional theater. He also worked on television where he acted and was also a screenwriter. This fascinating autobiography recounts work with famed genre directors such as Deodato, Margheiti, Fulci, Lenzi, Bava and Argento. He candidly relates stories of the cast and crews he worked with, as well as delving into his uncommon private life including his bisexuality, marriage, son, drug use and a secret love affair that spanned almost 50 years.