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Lino Banfi
| Biography |
He started out in variety shows (under the name of Lino Zaga) and managed to work for several different companies, including those of Arturo Vetrani and Beniamino Maggio. He later gave up variety show work to concentrate on films and cabaret. It was upon Totò's suggestion that he changed his stage name to Lino Banfi. In 1959 he made his film début in "Howlers of the Dock (Urlatori alla sbarra)" directed by Lucio Fulci, after which he starred in several others, with Franchi and Ingrassia, including: "The Two Parachutists (I due parà)" and "002 Operation Moon (002 operazione Luna)", both directed in '65 by Fulci; "Indovina chi viene a merenda?" 1968, directed by Marcello Ciorciolini; "Don Franco e don Ciccio nell'anno della contestazione", 1970, directed by Mariano Laurenti). As regards cabaret he was called in '68 by Lando Fiorini to the Puff theatre stage in place of Enrico Montesano.
After having made a good impression as a prison governor in "Detenuto in attesa di giudizio" (1971) directed by Nanni Loy, he won his first leading role in "Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia" (1973), directed by Luca Davan. During the second half of the '70s he enjoyed huge success in comedy sex romps, first in the School Series (from "La compagna di banco", 1976, to "La ripetente fa l'occhietto al preside", 1980, both directed by Mariano Laurenti), then in the Army Series (from "La soldatessa alle grandi manovre", 1978, directed by Nando Cicero, to "La dottoressa ci sta col colonnello", 1980, by M.M.Tarantini). He formed a great partnership with Alvaro Vitali, creating hilariously funny two-man sketches which have become classics after Laurel & Hardy. When the golden era of saucy low-budget films ended, he gave excellent performances in "Vieni avanti cretino" (1982), directed by Luciano Salce, in which he included some of the best material from the repertoire of his early days and in "Il commissario Lo Gatto" (1986) directed by Dino Risi, a great police drama in which he plays an Italian-style Clouseau. Lino then went into TV and was a huge success as grandpa Libero in "Un medico in famiglia", broadcast by Raiuno since 1998. In theatre he has had the chance to show his qualities in the powerful drama "Vespro della beata vergine" (1995) by AntonioTarantino.
Lino Banfi, who became the ambassador for Unicef in 2001, has acted in many fiction programmes for Rai, including "Nuda proprietà vendesi" (1997), " Vola Sciuscù" (2000), "Angelo il custode" (2001), " Un difetto di famiglia (2002)" and " Un posto tranquillo" (2003).
In 2003 he was awarded the Telegatto for his career.
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