Mangiafuoco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mangiafuoco |
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| The Adventures of Pinocchio character | |
Mangiafuoco, as illustrated by Enrico Mazzanti
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| First appearance | The Adventures of Pinocchio |
| Created by | Carlo Collodi |
| Information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | director of the Great Marionette Theatre |
| Nationality | Italian |
Mangiafuoco (pronounced MAHN-juh-FWOH-koh) is a famous character from the classic 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. His name means "Fire-Eater" in Italian. He is the boss of a big puppet theater and controls all the puppets.
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Mangiafuoco in the Original Story
Mangiafuoco is described as a very scary-looking man. He has a long, black beard that touches the ground when he walks. His mouth is huge, like an oven, and his eyes glow red like lanterns. He also carries a large whip made of snakes and fox tails.
Even though he looks frightening, Mangiafuoco is actually quite kind-hearted. He shows his feelings by sneezing when he is moved by something.
Pinocchio first meets Mangiafuoco in Chapter X of the book. Pinocchio accidentally messes up one of Mangiafuoco's puppet shows. Because of this, Mangiafuoco gets angry and wants to burn Pinocchio as firewood for his dinner.
However, Pinocchio starts to cry and beg for his life. Mangiafuoco feels sorry for him and decides to burn one of his own puppets, named Harlequin, instead. Pinocchio then bravely offers to be burned in Harlequin's place.
Mangiafuoco is so touched by Pinocchio's kindness that he refuses to burn anyone. When he learns that Pinocchio is poor, he gives him five gold coins. These coins are later stolen by The Fox and the Cat.
Mangiafuoco in Movies and TV Shows
Many movies and TV shows based on Pinocchio have changed Mangiafuoco's character. Sometimes he has a different name or personality.
Stromboli in Disney's Pinocchio (1940)
| Stromboli | |
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Stromboli as he appears in Disney's Pinocchio
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| First appearance | Pinocchio (1940) |
| Created by | Bill Tytla Walt Disney |
| Voiced by | Charles Judels Daws Butler (1954 record album) |
| Information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Puppet maker |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Birthplace | Italy |
In the 1940 Disney animated movie Pinocchio, Mangiafuoco is called Stromboli. He is voiced by Charles Judels. Unlike the book, Stromboli buys Pinocchio from Honest John and Gideon. He makes a lot of money by having Pinocchio perform on stage.
At first, Stromboli seems a bit rough but kind. However, he soon shows his true, cruel nature. He locks Pinocchio in a cage and says that when Pinocchio is too old to perform, he will be used as firewood. Pinocchio escapes with help from the Blue Fairy and Jiminy Cricket. The movie doesn't show what happens to Stromboli after Pinocchio escapes.
Other Adaptations of the Character
- In the 1972 animated movie The Adventures of Pinocchio, Mangiafuoco looks and acts much like he does in the book. In the English version, he is called "The Fire-Eater."
- He also appears in the 1972 TV miniseries The Adventures of Pinocchio, played by Lionel Stander.
- In the 1996 live-action movie The Adventures of Pinocchio, Mangiafuoco is renamed Lorenzini and is played by Udo Kier. This version of the character combines three villains from the original story: the Puppet Master, The Coachman, and the Sea Monster. Lorenzini loves chilli peppers, which gives him "fiery" breath. After Pinocchio accidentally burns down Lorenzini's theater, Lorenzini starts tricking naughty boys into going to Terra Magica. There, the children drink cursed water and turn into donkeys. Lorenzini himself falls into the water and becomes The Monstrous Whale.
- In the 2000 TV movie Geppetto, Mangiafuoco is again named Stromboli and played by Brent Spiner. He is shown as a struggling puppeteer who captures Pinocchio to make him the star of his show. When Pinocchio runs away, Stromboli tries to get him back. The Blue Fairy eventually frightens Stromboli away with her magic.
- Mangiafuoco appears in the 2002 Pinocchio film, played by Franco Javarone.
- In the 2019 live-action Italian film Pinocchio, Mangiafuoco is played by Gigi Proietti.
- Mangiafuoco is voiced by Ron Perlman in the 2021 stop-motion Netflix film Pinocchio, directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Images for kids
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Stromboli in Disney's Pinocchio
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Mangiafuoco as seen in The Adventures of Pinocchio (1972)
