Raimondo Vianello
Encyclopedia
Raimondo Vianello was an Italian
film actor
, comedian
, and television host. He was a well-known Italian television personality.
, but spent his youth in Pula
, where his father, Admiral
of the Regia Marina
directed the local naval academy.
During World War II, he joined the Italian Social Republic
, the fascist puppet state established in northern Italy after the Allied invasion of Italy. He was captured by American troops. In 1958 he met actress Sandra Mondaini
, whom he would marry four years later, and with whom he frequently appeared in TV shows during his whole career.
His first famous partner on the small screen was Ugo Tognazzi
with whom, starting from 1954, he hosted the satyrical show Un due tre; the show was halted in 1959 after the duo performed an ironical sketch about the then-president of the Republic, Giovanni Gronchi
. Vianello then moved full-time to cinema, appearing in a total of 79 films between 1947
and 1968
. In the 1970s he returned to RAI
(the Italian state broadcasting company, then the only one existing) with a series of Saturday shows which made him and Mondaini extremely popular as hosts and authors of sketches. During his TV career Vianello also hosted quiz shows, such as Zig Zag on RAI and Il gioco del 9 on Canale 5
; he also hosted the 1998 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival and, from 1991 to 1999, Pressing, Mediaset
's Sunday night sports talk show.
His best-known and long-lasting TV programme, Casa Vianello
, was a sit-com shot from 1988 to 2008 and broadcast by Mediaset channels Canale 5
and later moved to Rete 4
, in which he and Mondaini performed as themselves.
He died at the San Raffaele Hospital
in Milan
on 15 April 2010 at the age of 87.
His wife Sandra Mondaini
died on 21 September 2010, in San Raffaele hospital in Milan, 5 months after he died.
Cinema of Italy
The history of Italian cinema began just a few months after the Lumière brothers had patented their Cinematographe, when Pope Leo XIII was filmed for a few seconds in the act of blessing the camera.-Early years:...
film 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...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, and television host. He was a well-known Italian television personality.
Biography
He was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, but spent his youth in Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
, where his father, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
directed the local naval academy.
During World War II, he joined the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
, the fascist puppet state established in northern Italy after the Allied invasion of Italy. He was captured by American troops. In 1958 he met actress Sandra Mondaini
Sandra Mondaini
Alessandrina Mondaini was an Italian film actress and television host. She appeared in 30 films between 1953 and 2008.Born in Milan, Italy, she married actor Raimondo Vianello in 1962...
, whom he would marry four years later, and with whom he frequently appeared in TV shows during his whole career.
His first famous partner on the small screen was Ugo Tognazzi
Ugo Tognazzi
Ugo Tognazzi was an Italian film, TV, and theatre actor, director, and screenwriter.-Early life:Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a traveller clerk for an insurance company.After his return in the native city in 1936, he...
with whom, starting from 1954, he hosted the satyrical show Un due tre; the show was halted in 1959 after the duo performed an ironical sketch about the then-president of the Republic, Giovanni Gronchi
Giovanni Gronchi
Giovanni Gronchi was a Christian Democratic Italian politician who became the third President of the Italian Republic in 1955, after Luigi Einaudi...
. Vianello then moved full-time to cinema, appearing in a total of 79 films between 1947
1947 in film
The year 1947 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York.*November 24 : The United States House of Representatives of the 80th Congress voted 346 to 17 to approve citations for contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten".*November 25...
and 1968
1968 in film
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
. In the 1970s he returned to RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
(the Italian state broadcasting company, then the only one existing) with a series of Saturday shows which made him and Mondaini extremely popular as hosts and authors of sketches. During his TV career Vianello also hosted quiz shows, such as Zig Zag on RAI and Il gioco del 9 on Canale 5
Canale 5
Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
; he also hosted the 1998 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival and, from 1991 to 1999, Pressing, Mediaset
Mediaset
Mediaset S.p.A., known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italian, is an Italian-based media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country...
's Sunday night sports talk show.
His best-known and long-lasting TV programme, Casa Vianello
Casa Vianello
Casa Vianello was an Italian situation comedy produced by Mediaset that aired on Canale 5 and Rete 4 .- Characters :* Raimondo Vianello: played by Raimondo Vianello* Sandra Mondaini: played by Sandra Mondaini...
, was a sit-com shot from 1988 to 2008 and broadcast by Mediaset channels Canale 5
Canale 5
Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
and later moved to Rete 4
Rete 4
Rete 4 is an Italian television station belonging to the Mediaset network. It is an Italian private commercial TV channel. Rete 4's main news programme is TG4, whose editor-in-chief is Emilio Fede since 1992.-TV Series:...
, in which he and Mondaini performed as themselves.
He died at the San Raffaele Hospital
San Raffaele Hospital
The San Raffaele Hospital is a university hospital situated in Milan, Italy.It was founded in 1969 by don Luigi Maria Verzé, president of "San Raffaele del Monte Tabor Foundation"....
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
on 15 April 2010 at the age of 87.
His wife Sandra Mondaini
Sandra Mondaini
Alessandrina Mondaini was an Italian film actress and television host. She appeared in 30 films between 1953 and 2008.Born in Milan, Italy, she married actor Raimondo Vianello in 1962...
died on 21 September 2010, in San Raffaele hospital in Milan, 5 months after he died.
Selected filmography
- Fifa e arenaFifa e arenaFifa e arena is a 1948 comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Totò.-Cast:* Totò - Nicolino Capece* Isa Barzizza - Patricia Cotten* Mario Castellani - Cast* Franca Marzi - Carmen* Giulio Marchetti - Paquito* Cesare Polacco - Banderillero...
(19481948 in filmThe year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
) - My Wife's EnemyMy Wife's EnemyMy Wife's Enemy is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Gianni Puccini.-Cast:* Marcello Mastroianni - Marco Tornabuoni* Giovanna Ralli - Luciana, sua moglie* Vittorio De Sica - Ottavio Terenzi, padre di Marco...
(1959) - Guardatele ma non toccateleGuardatele ma non toccateleGuardatele ma non toccatele is a 1959 comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Ugo Tognazzi.-Cast:* Ugo Tognazzi - Maresciallo La Notte* Caprice Chantal - Rebecca O'Connor* Johnny Dorelli - Tenente Altieri* Lynn Shaw - Un'ausiliara...
(19591959 in filmThe year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
) - Sua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiareSua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiareSua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiare is a 1961 comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Ugo Tognazzi.-Cast:* Ugo Tognazzi - Ernesto* Virna Lisi - Silvia* Totò - Dott...
(1961) - Hercules in the Valley of WoeHercules in the Valley of WoeHercules in the Valley of Woe is a 1961 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Kirk Morris. -Cast:* Kirk Morris - Maciste* Frank Gordon - Hercules* Bice Valori* Mario Carotenuto* Gianna Cobelli* Carlo Croccolo...
(19611961 in filmThe year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
) - Amore all'italianaAmore all'italianaAmore all'italiana is a 1965 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. The film stars Walter Chiari.-Cast:*Walter Chiari*Raimondo Vianello*Paolo Panelli*Paolo Carlini*Vivi Bach*Luigi De Filippo*Alicia Brandet...
(19651965 in filmThe year 1965 in film involved some significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
) - For a Few Dollars LessFor a Few Dollars LessFor a Few Dollars Less is a 1966 comedy film parody of For a Few Dollars More directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Lando Buzzanca. It was Mattoli's final film.-Cast:* Lando Buzzanca - Bill* Elio Pandolfi - Il messicano* Gloria Paul - Juanita...
(19661966 in filmThe year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
) - Seven Times SevenSeven Times SevenSeven Times Seven is a 1968 Italian crime comedy caper directed by Michele Lupo and starring Gastone Moschin.-Cast:* Gastone Moschin - Benjamin Burton* Lionel Stander - Sam* Raimondo Vianello - Bodoni* Gordon Mitchell - Big Ben...
(19681968 in filmThe year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
)