Fabio Lanzoni
Encyclopedia
Fabio Lanzoni; born March 15, 1959), widely known simply as Fabio, is a famous international Italian
fashion model
, spokesperson and actor
who appeared on the cover of hundreds of romance novel
s throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
as the role of Claudio. He was also featured in calendars, led a fragrance campaign for Mediterraneum by Versace
, and landed a role in commercials for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!". He appeared in "The Bold and the Beautiful
" a number of times, as a close friend of the character Sally Spectra
(Fabio and Darlene Conley
, who played Sally, were close friends in real life). He appeared in one episode of Step by Step called "Absolutely Fabio". Fabio appeared as well on Ned's Declassified. He was also in a Big Time Rush
episode and reprised his role in the Nickelodeon television series once again in their third TV movie, Big Time Christmas. In 2010, he appeared in an episode of The Suite Life on Deck
called "Senior Ditch Day" as Captain Hawk. He has also cameoed in the films Dude, Where's My Car?
, Spy Hard
, and Zoolander
, and has a brief uncredited appearance in the 1991 film The Hard Way
.
In 1994 Fabio released an album titled Fabio After Dark, which included soliloquies on his philosophy of love.
Fabio can also be seen posing as the hero Kuros on the cover of the 1989 video game Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
.
Fabio hosted the American reality television
series Mr. Romance
in 2005. The series featured a dozen male contestants competing for the title of "Mr. Romance" and the opportunity to appear as a romance novel cover model.
became Fabio's literary agent. Fabio became the first best-selling male romance writer who did not use a pseudonym
. In collaboration with Eugena Riley, Fabio's first few books were titled Pirate, Rogue, Comanche, Viking and Champion. The genre of his first books were historical romance
. He wrote three more books in collaboration with Wendy Corsi Staub titled Dangerous, Wild, and Mysterious.
in 2007, Oral-B's Sensitive Advantage Toothbrush in 2006 (whose ad was featured in Times Square
), and one of his most popular ads to date is for Nationwide Insurance. In 2006, the commercial for Nationwide aired during the Super Bowl
and was the most viewed commercial for the game, garnering over 1 million views within two weeks. Other endorsements included Wicks Furniture, Ames Hardware, Old Spice, and the American Cancer Society
.
On July 26, 2011, Old Spice
launched a new campaign on YouTube
in which Fabio challenges Isaiah Mustafa
to try to replace him as the New Old Spice Guy. The online challenge was entitled Mano a Mano in el Baño (hand-to-hand in the bathroom). Mustafa emerged as the winner, though Fabio's Old Spice You Tube Channel received more than 9 million views in the week after its debut, rising to Number 4 on You Tube for the week.
Division of WalMart. The line was casual wear for women. Some stores reported sales increases as much as 2,000 percent. Prior to his clothing line, he wrote a fitness
book and created a work-out video called Fabio Fitness.
(settled out of court) and a Canadian
actress sued when his Great Dane
jumped up as she was leaning over, knocking out her front teeth.
On March 27, 1999, Fabio was involved in an accident in Busch Gardens Williamsburg, located in James City County, Virginia
. Fabio rode in the first car of Apollo's Chariot
, a roller coaster
, during its maiden ride. During the rapid descent on the 210-foot drop after the lift hill, a goose collided with Fabio, leaving his nose covered in blood. He received a one-inch cut on his nose but no one else on the roller coaster was hurt. The goose was later found dead on the ground under the roller coaster with a broken neck.
and motorcycle
s. He owns an extensive collection of 200 motorcycles including dirt bikes, racing bikes and a championship Ducati. Fabio intends to collect 365 motorcycles; one for every day of the year. His passion for automobiles also includes luxury cars, such as his Lamborghini
s.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
fashion model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, spokesperson and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who appeared on the cover of hundreds of romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
s throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Television and media
Fabio starred in the syndicated TV series Acapulco H.E.A.T.Acapulco H.E.A.T.
Acapulco H.E.A.T. is a 1993 syndicated television series that followed the Hemisphere Emergency Action Team [H.E.A.T.], a group of top-secret agents based in Acapulco, Mexico and recruited by C-5, a secret government coalition, to fight terrorism and international crime...
as the role of Claudio. He was also featured in calendars, led a fragrance campaign for Mediterraneum by Versace
Versace
Gianni Versace S.p.A. , usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978, and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses...
, and landed a role in commercials for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!". He appeared in "The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
" a number of times, as a close friend of the character Sally Spectra
Sally Spectra
Sally Spectra was a fictional character on the American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Sally was played by actress Darlene Conley from 1988 until Conley's death on January 14, 2007 and last appeared onscreen on January 26, 2007 via flashback memorial...
(Fabio and Darlene Conley
Darlene Conley
Darlene Conley was an American actress.Conley's career spanned fifty years, but she was best known for her performances in daytime television, and in particular, for her portrayal of larger-than-life fashion industrialist Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful. Conley played the role from...
, who played Sally, were close friends in real life). He appeared in one episode of Step by Step called "Absolutely Fabio". Fabio appeared as well on Ned's Declassified. He was also in a Big Time Rush
Big Time Rush
Big Time Rush is a Nickelodeon television series created by Scott Fellows about the Hollywood misadventures of four hockey players from Minnesota—Kendall, Logan, James, and Carlos, after they are selected to form a boy band. The series premiered with an hour-long pilot episode, "Big Time...
episode and reprised his role in the Nickelodeon television series once again in their third TV movie, Big Time Christmas. In 2010, he appeared in an episode of The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
called "Senior Ditch Day" as Captain Hawk. He has also cameoed in the films Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two young men who find themselves wasted and forget where they parked their car....
, Spy Hard
Spy Hard
Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan, parodying James Bond films and other action films. The introduction to the song is sung by comedy artist "Weird Al" Yankovic-Plot:...
, and Zoolander
Zoolander
Zoolander is a 2001 American satirical comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television specials in 1996 and 1997. The short films and the...
, and has a brief uncredited appearance in the 1991 film The Hard Way
The Hard Way (1991 film)
The Hard Way is a 1991 action-comedy film starring Michael J. Fox and James Woods. It is directed by John Badham. The film also had notable performances by Stephen Lang, Annabella Sciorra, Luis Guzmán, LL Cool J, Delroy Lindo, Penny Marshall, and Bryant Gumbel, as himself...
.
In 1994 Fabio released an album titled Fabio After Dark, which included soliloquies on his philosophy of love.
Fabio can also be seen posing as the hero Kuros on the cover of the 1989 video game Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II is a platforming adventure video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System developed by UK-based company Zippo Games for Rare. it was published by Acclaim and released in North America in December 1989 and in Europe on March 27, 1991. It is the sequel to...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
.
Fabio hosted the American reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series Mr. Romance
Mr. Romance
Mr. Romance is a 2005 US tongue-in-cheek reality television show which aired on Oxygen. It was created by Gene Simmons and hosted by Fabio....
in 2005. The series featured a dozen male contestants competing for the title of "Mr. Romance" and the opportunity to appear as a romance novel cover model.
Novels
In 1992, Robert GottliebRobert Gottlieb
Robert Adams Gottlieb , is an American writer and editor. From 1987 to 1992 he was the editor of The New Yorker.-Personal:Robert Gottlieb was born in New York City in 1931 and grew up in Manhattan...
became Fabio's literary agent. Fabio became the first best-selling male romance writer who did not use a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
. In collaboration with Eugena Riley, Fabio's first few books were titled Pirate, Rogue, Comanche, Viking and Champion. The genre of his first books were historical romance
Historical romance
Historical romance is a subgenre of two literary genres, the romance novel and the historical novel.-Definition:Historical romance is set before World War II...
. He wrote three more books in collaboration with Wendy Corsi Staub titled Dangerous, Wild, and Mysterious.
Spokesperson
One of Fabio's most memorable advertising campaigns was for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!. He was the spokesperson for the company since 1994. He was also the spokesperson for the Geek SquadGeek Squad
The Geek Squad is a subsidiary of the Best Buy Company and is based in Richfield, Minnesota. It was originally founded on June 16, 1994 by Robert Stephens. The company offers various computer-related services and accessories for residential and commercial clients...
in 2007, Oral-B's Sensitive Advantage Toothbrush in 2006 (whose ad was featured in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
), and one of his most popular ads to date is for Nationwide Insurance. In 2006, the commercial for Nationwide aired during the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
and was the most viewed commercial for the game, garnering over 1 million views within two weeks. Other endorsements included Wicks Furniture, Ames Hardware, Old Spice, and the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
.
On July 26, 2011, Old Spice
Old Spice
Old Spice is a prominent American brand of male grooming products. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble, which acquired the brand in 1990 from the Shulton Company.-History:...
launched a new campaign on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
in which Fabio challenges Isaiah Mustafa
Isaiah Mustafa
Isaiah Mustafa is an American actor and former NFL practice squad wide receiver. Mustafa is widely known as the main character for a series of Old Spice TV commercials, The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.-Early life:...
to try to replace him as the New Old Spice Guy. The online challenge was entitled Mano a Mano in el Baño (hand-to-hand in the bathroom). Mustafa emerged as the winner, though Fabio's Old Spice You Tube Channel received more than 9 million views in the week after its debut, rising to Number 4 on You Tube for the week.
Business ventures
In 2003, Fabio launched a clothing line at Sam's ClubSam's Club
Sam's Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members...
Division of WalMart. The line was casual wear for women. Some stores reported sales increases as much as 2,000 percent. Prior to his clothing line, he wrote a fitness
Fitness
Fitness may relate to:* Physical fitness, a general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition * Cardiorespiratory fitness...
book and created a work-out video called Fabio Fitness.
Other
His business manager sued him for breach of contractBreach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
(settled out of court) and a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actress sued when his Great Dane
Great Dane
The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...
jumped up as she was leaning over, knocking out her front teeth.
On March 27, 1999, Fabio was involved in an accident in Busch Gardens Williamsburg, located in James City County, Virginia
James City County, Virginia
James City County is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Its population was 67,009 , and it is often associated with Williamsburg, an independent city, and Jamestown which is within the...
. Fabio rode in the first car of Apollo's Chariot
Apollo's Chariot
Apollo's Chariot is the first Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster, located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, in James City County, Virginia.-Description:...
, a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, during its maiden ride. During the rapid descent on the 210-foot drop after the lift hill, a goose collided with Fabio, leaving his nose covered in blood. He received a one-inch cut on his nose but no one else on the roller coaster was hurt. The goose was later found dead on the ground under the roller coaster with a broken neck.
Hobbies
Fabio Lanzoni's hobbies include a passion for off-roadingOff-roading
Off-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...
and motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s. He owns an extensive collection of 200 motorcycles including dirt bikes, racing bikes and a championship Ducati. Fabio intends to collect 365 motorcycles; one for every day of the year. His passion for automobiles also includes luxury cars, such as his Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
s.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | The Exorcist 3 | Angel | uncredited |
| 1991 | Scenes from a Mall Scenes from a Mall Scenes from a Mall is a 1991 satirical film directed by Paul Mazursky with a screenplay by Roger L. Simon and Mazursky, starring Bette Midler and Woody Allen. Woody Allen's character, Nick, is married to author Deborah, played by Midler. After years of a happy marriage, Nick reveals to her he's had... |
Handsome Man | |
| 1991 | The Hard Way The Hard Way The Hard Way may refer to:* The Hart Way , a silent British film directed by Walter West* The Hard Way , an American showbiz drama starring Ida Lupino* The Hard Way , an American comedy with Michael J... |
Bar Patron/Bouncer (?) | Uncredited |
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her Death Becomes Her Death Becomes Her is a 1992 American dark slapstick screwball comedy fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep, and Bruce Willis... |
Fabio | Movie |
| 1993 | Acapulco Heat | Claudio/Hotel owner | |
| 1996 | Spy Hard Spy Hard Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan, parodying James Bond films and other action films. The introduction to the song is sung by comedy artist "Weird Al" Yankovic-Plot:... |
Himself on the cliff | Uncredited |
| 2000 | Dude, Where's My Car? Dude, Where's My Car? Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two young men who find themselves wasted and forget where they parked their car.... |
Guy in Car | Cameo |
| 2001 | Zoolander Zoolander Zoolander is a 2001 American satirical comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television specials in 1996 and 1997. The short films and the... |
Himself | Cameo |
| Bubble Boy | Gil/Cult Leader | Cameo | |
| 2010 | Big Time Christmas Big Time Christmas Big Time Christmas is the 2010 made-for-television film/the third film of the series film franchise of the Nickelodeon television series, Big Time Rush. It has also been broadcasted divided in two parts that serve as the season two eighth and ninth episodes of the series ... |
Himself | (TV Movie) |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Roseanne | Himself | "Guilt by Imagination" (Season 6, Ep.8) |
| 1990's | Step by Step | Friend | "Absolutely Fabio" (Season 6, Ep.11) |
| 2003 | Yes, Dear Yes, Dear Yes, Dear is a television sitcom that aired from October 2, 2000, to February 15, 2006, on CBS. It starred Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, Mike O'Malley and Liza Snyder.... |
Himself | One episode |
| 2005 | Mr. Romance Mr. Romance Mr. Romance is a 2005 US tongue-in-cheek reality television show which aired on Oxygen. It was created by Gene Simmons and hosted by Fabio.... |
Himself/Host | |
| 2006 | The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987.... |
Friend | One episode |
| Ned's Declassified | Romantic Guy | One episode | |
| 2009 | Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory is an American reality television series starring Rob Dyrdek. The first season premiered on February 8, 2009 on MTV.-Summary:... |
Himself | One Episode |
| 2010 | Big Time Rush Big Time Rush Big Time Rush is a Nickelodeon television series created by Scott Fellows about the Hollywood misadventures of four hockey players from Minnesota—Kendall, Logan, James, and Carlos, after they are selected to form a boy band. The series premiered with an hour-long pilot episode, "Big Time... |
Himself | 2 episodes |
| The Suite Life on Deck The Suite Life on Deck The Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody... |
Captain Hawk | "Senior Ditch Day" | |
| 2010 | Keith Lemon's World tour | Himself | One episode |
| 2011 | Cupcake Wars Cupcake Wars Cupcake Wars is a Food Network reality-based competition show hosted by Justin Kredible based on creating unique and professional-style cupcakes that began airing in June 2010. The show is similar to its successful Chopped show in that it starts with 4 contestants who are eliminated one by one in 3... |
Himself | One episode |
| Music Video | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | I Kissed A Girl Jill Sobule Jill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless... |
Husband of Lesbian Lesbian Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an... |
|
External links
- Interview with Fabio in Psychology TodayPsychology TodayPsychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...
- 2007 Fabio Interview on Sidewalks EntertainmentSidewalks EntertainmentSidewalks Entertainment is a long-running, weekly American television series that is a combination of a talk show, magazine show and variety show featuring celebrity interviews, music, artistic and novelty acts, and rising performers...
- Official Fabio Lanzoni Website