Marcello Ciorciolini was an Italian screenwriter, director, playwright, television and radio author, and lyricist. Born in Rome, he began his career in 1950 as a radio writer, often collaborating with Alberto Talegalli. Shortly thereafter, he entered the cinema industry as a screenwriter, specializing in the comedy genre, and also directed a number of films. As a lyricist, he authored several hits, notably Mina's "Una zebra a pois" and "Ti guarderò nel cuore," the theme song of Mondo cane. Between the 1970s and 1980s, he was mainly active as an author of television variety shows. On stage, he was active as an author of revues and comedy plays, and more sporadically of dramas. Ciorciolini was one of the favorite authors of the comic duo Franco and Ciccio, with whom he collaborated in television, cinema, and even for some songs.