Renato Rascel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Renato Rascel
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Rascel in Oh! Sabella (1957)
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| Born |
Renato Ranucci
27 April 1912 |
| Died | 2 January 1991 (aged 78) Rome, Italy
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| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1942–1972 |
Renato Rascel (born Renato Ranucci; April 27, 1912 – January 2, 1991) was a famous Italian actor and singer. He appeared in about 50 movies between 1942 and 1972. In 1960, he represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest. His song "Romantica" placed eighth out of thirteen entries.
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Life and Career
Renato Rascel was born in Turin, Italy. His parents, Cesare and Paola Ranucci, were opera singers. They were performing a show when Renato was born. He often joked that he was born backstage in a theater. He spent his whole life around the stage.
His father had him baptized in Rome at Saint Peter's. Growing up, Renato sang in the "white voices choir" of Saint Peter's. This choir was led by the famous composer Lorenzo Perosi.
Early Career Steps
When Renato was 14, he started playing drums in dance halls around Rome. Soon after, he joined a group called the Di Fiorenza Sisters. He worked with them as an actor, dancer, and clown. In 1934, he got his first big acting role. It was in an operetta called "Al Cavallino bianco." An operetta is like a light opera with spoken parts.
In 1935, he went on his first tour outside Italy. He traveled to Africa with Elena Gray.
Developing His Unique Style
By 1941, Renato Rascel had started his own theater company. This is when he began to create his special kind of humor. He became known for inventing "non-sense" comedy. He would say funny, illogical things, like "two friends that didn't know each other."
Renato was only 5 feet 2 inches tall. He decided to use his small size to his advantage. He became known as the "Tiny Italian" (il piccoletto nazionale). In his shows, he would wear huge, fancy coats to make himself look even smaller. One of his most famous coats had a very large pocket on the back.
Famous Characters and Films
During this time, he created many popular characters. One was "Napoleon." Another was "Il Corazziere." This was a joke about his height, because the Corazziere is a military group that only hires soldiers over 6 feet tall. These characters made him very popular in Italy.
In 1942, he made his first movie, Pazzo d'amore (Crazy For Love). This film helped show off his unique humor to a wider audience. He worked in over sixty films. One of his most important movies was Il Cappotto (The Overcoat). This film won the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival.
He also had important roles in other movies. These included The Secret of Santa Vittoria with Anthony Quinn and Anna Magnani. He was in Seven Hills of Rome with Mario Lanza. He also appeared in Questi fantasmi with Eduardo De Filippo and Figaro qua Figaro là with Totò. In 1977, he played the blind man in the film Jesus of Nazareth.
Musicals and Music
After World War II, Renato became even more successful. This was mainly because of his leading roles in musicals. He worked with Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini. This artistic team helped create the "musical" in Italy. Some of their famous shows included Attanasio cavallo vanesio (1952) and Un paio d'ali (1957). In 1962, he even performed for a whole year in London at the Piccadilly Theatre.
Renato Rascel was a talented actor, comedian, dancer, singer, and songwriter. His most famous song is "Arrivederci Roma." It is one of the most well-known Italian songs of all time. He also wrote other popular songs like "Venticello de Roma" and "Romantica."
Television Success
When television became popular in Italy, Renato Rascel was chosen to entertain the country. He hosted the very first live Saturday night show on RAI, the national Italian Television. Some of his most memorable TV shows were "Rascel la nuit" in 1956 and "Stasera Rascel City" in 1964.
In 1970, he starred in "Father Brown." In this show, he played a priest who solved crimes in his community. It was one of the biggest television hits of that decade. He also represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1960 with his song "Romantica."
Selected Filmography
- Pazzo d'amore (1942) - Renato
- Figaro Here, Figaro There (1950) - Don Alonzo
- The Overcoat (1952) - Carmine De Carmine
- Arrivederci Roma (1957) - Pepe Bonelli
- The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1969) - Babbaluche
- Jesus of Nazareth (1977, TV Mini-Series) - The Blind Man
See also
In Spanish: Renato Rascel para niños
