Taken from Mail Online:

“Reclining in a chair in his office, a sharp-suited young Silvio Berlusconi sits with a 357 Magnum in its holster clearly visible on his desk, proof of the emerging businessman’s ruthless streak.

Seventies Italy was a dangerous time and the Italian president-to-be feared kidnap by the Mafia or worse – but wasn’t going to take the threat lying down.

The black and white photograph, taken in 1977 when Berlusconi was an emerging industrialist, has been discovered in the archives of a photographer during a clear-out.

‘At the time I remember I didn’t like it and I had put it to one side. My boss had given me as assignment to shoot Berlusconi for a media magazine and I said: “Who is he?”‘

‘My boss told me: “He’s about to buy il Giornale (a newspaper) and open a TV station. Mark my words he will be talked about for a long time to come.”‘”

Read the entire article here.

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 at 12:43 am