▁films ▁as ▁perform er , ▁ 3 ▁as ▁director , ▁count less ▁tv - mov ies , ▁hundreds ▁of ▁hours ▁of ▁TV ▁broadcast s , ▁hundreds ▁of ▁hours ▁of ▁Radio . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁small ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Pic colo ▁Teatro ▁di ▁Milano , ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁( and ▁more ▁years ) ▁he ▁worked ▁in ▁Teatro ▁St abile ▁in ▁Gen oa , ▁with ▁F y odor ▁D osto ev sky , ▁Pir and ello , ▁William ▁Shakespeare , ▁Vitt orio ▁Alf ieri ▁and ▁G ira ud oux ▁successful ▁stage ▁adapt ations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁with ▁ ▁I vo ▁Gar ran i ▁and ▁Gian car lo ▁S b rag ia , ▁he ▁founded ▁the ▁stage ▁company ▁" N u ova ▁Comp ag nia ▁degli ▁Associ ati ". ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁he ▁star red ▁in ▁Who ' s ▁Af raid ▁of ▁Virginia ▁W ool f ? ▁by ▁Edward ▁Al be e , ▁co - st arring ▁Sarah ▁Ferr ati , ▁stage ▁direction ▁by ▁ ▁Franco ▁Ze ff ire l li . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁star ▁of ▁By ron ' s ▁Man fred , ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁an ▁actor ▁rec iting ▁the ▁musical ▁score ▁by ▁Sch umann , ▁conducted ▁by ▁Cla udio ▁Abb ado , ▁directed ▁by ▁Mau ro ▁Bolog n ini . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁direction ▁film ▁debut ▁with ▁the ▁love ▁drama ▁box ▁office