Fanfulla

Fanfulla
Born
Luigi Visconti

(1913-02-26)26 February 1913
Rome, Italy
Died5 January 1971(1971-01-05) (aged 57)
Bologna, Italy
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian

Luigi Visconti, better known by his stage name Fanfulla, (26 February 1913 – 5 January 1971) was an Italian actor and comedian.

Life and career

Born in Rome, Visconti debuted at very young age on stage alongside his mother, the actress Mercedes Menolesi (best known as "Diavolina").[1][2]

From the mid-forties to the late fifties, he adopted the stage name Fanfulla and was a popular comedian of cabaret and avanspettacolo shows, acclaimed for his brilliant style, referred to as "The King of Avanspettacolo"[2] and even paired with Ettore Petrolini.[1]

His career was relaunched by Federico Fellini, who chose him for the role of Vernacchio in Fellini Satyricon,[3] a role that gave Fanfulla a Nastro d'Argento for best supporting actor.[1][4] In 1970, Fellini gave him a main role in The Clowns.[1]

In 1971, Fanfulla died from a heart attack in a hotel in Bologna, while he was on tour with his avanspettacolo company.[1]

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Achille Valdata (6 January 1971). "E' morto Fanfulla, un "re" del varietà". La Stampa. p. 6.
  2. ^ a b Enrico Lancia. Dizionario del cinema italiano. Gli attori. Gremese Editore, 2003. ISBN 8884402131.
  3. ^ Tullio Kezich (2007). Federico Fellini: His Life and Work. Macmillan. p. 291. ISBN 9781429923255.
  4. ^ Enrico Lancia (1998). I premi del cinema. Gremese Editore, 1998. ISBN 8877422211.