
Marlon Brando’s iconic performance in On The Waterfront earned him an Academy Award, but his experience with the film’s Italian premiere was far from enjoyable. In fact, he was so upset by it that he walked out during the screening. According to a book written by an American couple, Hank Kaufman and Gene Lerner, who lived in Rome during the 1950s, Brando’s reaction was rooted in a major surprise—his voice had been dubbed by an Italian actor for the local version of the film.
Brando was reportedly furious when he discovered this, feeling as though he’d been turned into a puppet. His agent recalled the actor staggering up as if he’d been struck by a heart attack, before whispering, “Get me out of here.” Brando expressed his frustration, saying, “I’m an actor, not a ventriloquist’s dummy… You feel like a goddam freak in a sideshow. Why didn’t somebody prepare me?” His anger was palpable, but after some time and persistence from those around him, he eventually returned to the theater for the film’s climax. When he did, he acknowledged the applause and support from the audience.
The book, written by Kaufman and Lerner, provides a unique look into Hollywood and the Italian film industry of the 1950s. The couple moved to Rome in 1953, where they became close with stars of the era, and their memoir Hollywood on the Tiber has become a valuable account of that time. While the Italian edition of the book was published in 1982, the English translation is set to be released soon by Sticking Place Books, translated by Paul Cronin. The publisher teases that the memoir offers a fascinating mix of “La Dolce Vita meets Call My,” hinting at a narrative brimming with both glamour and behind-the-scenes drama.