Sergio Donati

{{Short description|Italian screenwriter (1933–2024)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Sergio Donati

| image = Cropped_Photo_of_Sergio_Donati.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|4|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Rome, Italy

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|8|13|1933|4|13|df=y}}

| death_place = Mentana, Italy

| occupation = Screenwriter

| yearsactive = 1952–2008

}}

Sergio Donati (13 April 1933 – 13 August 2024) was an Italian screenwriter. He wrote for more than 70 films beginning in 1952. He was born in Rome, Italy. He started as a writer and had some of his books optioned for film. He is well known for his collaboration with Italian director Sergio Leone, who encouraged him to take up screenwriting as a full-time career, and with Italian producer Dino de Laurentis.{{cite web|url=http://zakka.dk/euroscreenwriters/screenwriters/sergio_donati.htm | title = The Storytellers - Interview with Sergio Donati | author=Mikael Colville-Andersen | access-date =4 January 2015}}

{{Quote|text=What is film? In the first act, you hang a man up in a tree. In the second act, you throw stones at him. In the third act, he falls down. If he is alive, it is a comedy. If he is dead, it is a drama.|sign=Sergio Donati|source=from an interview}}

Donati died in Mentana on 13 August 2024, at the age of 91.{{Cite web|url=https://www.repubblica.it/spettacoli/cinema/2024/08/13/news/sergio_donati_morto_sceneggiatore_sergio_leone_marco_bellocchio-423445869/|title=Addio allo sceneggiatore Sergio Donati, amato da Leone e Bellocchio. Suoi 'C'era una volta Il west' e 'Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina'|date=13 August 2024|website=la Repubblica}}