Nino Manfredi, one of Italy's most prolific and popularactors, has died in Rome after a long illness. He was 83.

Manfredi was often described as one of Italy's four greatacting musketeers, the other three commedia all'italiana legends being the lateUgo Tognazzi, Alberto Sordi and Vittorio Gassman.

The Roman actor appeared in more than 100 films and TVdramas, and also wrote and directed a number of pictures during a career thatspanned almost sixty years.

His best known film roles include Luigi Comencini's 1972classic, Pinocchio, where he playedGeppetto, Franco Brusati's Bread and Chocolate, and Ettore Scola's We All Loved EachOther So Much.

Manfredi will lie in state in Rome's Campidoglio, wherethousands ofItalians expected to pay their respects over the weekend.