Johnny Dorelli (real name Giorgio Guidi; born 20 February 1937) is an Italian actor, singer and television host.

Early life

Dorelli was born in

Meda Meda may refer to: Places * Meda de Mouros, a parish in Tábua Municipality, Portugal * Medas, a parish in Gondomar Municipality, Portugal * Meda-Ela, Sri Lanka * Međa (Leskovac), village in the municipality of Leskovac, Serbia * Meda, Lombardy, ...

, Italy. In 1946 he moved to New York City with his family, where his father, Nino D'Aurelio (born Aurelio Guidi), found work as opera singer. Dorelli studied double bass and piano at the High School of Music and Art in New York. He took the stage name Dorelli in imitation of how the surname D'Aurelio was pronounced in English. His show business career began when he was discovered by bandleader Percy Faith, who brought him on

The Ken Murray Show ''The Ken Murray Show'' was an American music and comedy television show on CBS Television hosted by Ken Murray that ran from 1950 to 1953. Show An established entertainer and vaudeville regular, Murray had hosted comedy and variety series on CB ...

. He later appears on the show By Popular Demand conducted by Robert Alda, accompanied by

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...

. He receive a great success, in fact some American newspapers described Dorelli as a "phenomenal Italian boy". However he returned to Italy in 1955 due to the expiry of his residence permit. He debuted as singer and pianist in the late 1950s for CGD label with cover of American standards; ''Lover'', ''What is this thing called love'', ''Love me or leave me'' and many others.

Career

His first success was an easy listening Latin song, ''Calypso melody'' in 1957. In 1958 and in 1959 he won the

Sanremo Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...

in duo with

Domenico Modugno Domenico Modugno (; 9 January 1928 – 6 August 1994) was an Italian singer, actor and, later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament. He is known for his 1958 international hit song " Nel blu dipinto di blu", for which he received Grammy ...

, with the songs " Nel blu dipinto di blu" (also known as "Volare") and " Piove (Ciao ciao bambina)". His most famous songs of the period are : ''Julia'' (1958), ''Boccuccia Di Rosa (Pink Lips)'' (1958),

Love in Portofino "Love in Portofino" is a 1958 song by Italian writing duo Chiosso- Buscaglione, first sang by the latter one. Picked up by French singer Dalida the next year, she recorded it with additional lyrics written by . Her version achieved sales success ...

(1959),

Lettera A Pinocchio "Lettera a Pinocchio" is a 1959 Italian song composed by Mario Panzeri. The song premiered at the first edition of the children song festival Zecchino d'Oro. In spite of not winning the competition, the song got a large commercial success thank ...

(1959), ''Monte Carlo'' (1961). In 1962 he appeared on

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

and sang his smooth ballad ''Love In Portofino'' and ''You're the Top'' with

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

and Johnny Hallyday. As a (popular and jazz)

crooner Crooner is a term used to describe primarily male singers who performed using a smooth style made possible by better microphones which picked up quieter sounds and a wider range of frequencies, allowing the singer to access a more dynamic range ...

, he sang numerous songs live on television shows (mainly in the 60's), in Italian and in English. Carlucci Dorelli Sanremo 1990

In 1967 "

L'immensità "L'immensità" (in English: ''Immensity'') is an Italian song, which was first performed by Johnny Dorelli and Don Backy (the songs were sung by two artists) in 1967 and became 9th at the Sanremo Song Contest. This is one Johnny Dorelli's signat ...

" earned Dorelli a ninth place at the 1967 edition of the Sanremo Song Festival.Indice brani (in Italian) at HitParadeItalia site
/ref> In the same year he was the lead actor on the movie

How to Kill 400 Duponts ''How to Kill 400 Duponts'' ( it, Arrriva Dorellik) is a 1967 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. The main character of the film, Dorellik, is a parody of the comic series ''Diabolik''. The character was created in the late 60s for several sk ...

, a parody of the comic series Diabolik. With this role, Dorelli had a great success and he inspired the character of

Paperinik Donald Duck, a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company, is today the star of dozens of comic-book and comic-strip stories published each month (in certain parts of the world, each week) around the world. In many European countries, Don ...

. Some songs of this periods are ''Speedy Gonzales'' (1962), ''Era Settembre'' (1964), ''Probabilmente'' (1965), ''Al Buio Sto Sognando'' (1966), Solo Più Che Mai (

Strangers In The Night "Strangers in the Night" is a song composed by Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder. Kaempfert originally used it under the title "Beddy Bye" as part of the instrumental score for the movie ''A Man Could Get ...

) (1966), ''Arriva La Bomba'' (1967), ''I Think of You'' (1972). His greatest success was the

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

'' Aggiungi un posto a tavola'', which was also performed at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receivin ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

's West End in an English version entitled ''Beyond the Rainbow'' in 1978. After a period of absence, he returned to success in the 1980s. In 1983, he played St.

Philip Neri Philip Romolo Neri ( ; it, italics=no, Filippo Romolo Neri, ; 22 July 151526 May 1595), known as the "Second Apostle of Rome", after Saint Peter, was an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of ...

Luigi Magni Luigi Magni (21 March 1928 – 27 October 2013) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. Life and career Born in Rome, Magni started his career as a screenwriter, in 1956, with '' Tempo di villeggiatura''. In 1968 he collaborated w ...

's TV film '' State buoni se potete''. Dorelli's latest feature film role is in Pupi Avati's '' Ma quando arrivano le ragazze'' (2004). In 2007 he returned after 38 years to the stage of Sanremo as a participant with the song ''Meglio così'', written by big names as Gianni Ferrio and

Giorgio Calabrese Giorgio Calabrese (28 November 1929 – 31 March 2016) was an Italian songwriter and frequent collaborator with French pop music star Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( , ; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, hy, Շահնուր Վաղին� ...

, and accompanied by jazz pianist

Stefano Bollani Stefano Bollani (born 5 December 1972) is an Italian composer, pianist and singer, also active as a writer and a television presenter. He has worked with such musicians as Gato Barbieri, Chick Corea, Bill Frisell, Sol Gabetta, Richard Galliano ...

and the orchestra conducted by Ferrio.

Personal life

Dorelli had a long relationship with actress

Lauretta Masiero Lauretta Masiero (25 October 1927 – 23 March 2010) was an Italian actress and singer. Biography Dancing career Venetian born Lauretta Masiero debuted in the theater of varieties as a dancer with Wanda Osiris. In 1945 she debuted with Macar ...

, which produced a son,

Gianluca Guidi Gianluca Guidi (born 2 February 1968) is an Italian rugby union coach and former player. He played as a scrum-half. Guidi was born in Livorno. He played almost all his entire career at Rugby Livorno 1931, from 1989–1990 to 1996–1997, spending ...

. He then married actress

Catherine Spaak Catherine Spaak (3 April 1945 – 17 April 2022) was a French-born Italian actress and singer who acted in mostly in Italian films with some Hollywood and international productions. She is best known for her roles in the films '' Il Sorpasso'' ( ...

(1972–1978), which produced another son, Gabriele, and in 1981

Gloria Guida Gloria Guida (; born 19 November 1952) is an Italian actress and model. She is best known for starring in commedia erotica all'italiana, particularly the '' La liceale'' series, and also in erotic coming-of-age-drama films in the mid-1970s. L ...

, a former model and actress in Italian comedy movies of the 1970s, which produced a daughter, Guendalina. He has two eyes of different colors; condition called ''

heterochromia iridum Heterochromia is a variation in coloration. The term is most often used to describe color differences of the iris, but can also be applied to color variation of hair or skin. Heterochromia is determined by the production, delivery, and conce ...

.''

Selected filmography

* ''

Toto, Peppino and the Fanatics ''Toto, Peppino and the Fanatics'' ( it, Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche) is a 1958 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Totò. Plot The poor Antonio Vignanelli and Peppino Caprioli are exacerbated by hobby and foibles of th ...

'', directed by

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy ...

(1958) * ''

'', directed by Steno (1967) * ''

Bread and Chocolate ''Bread and Chocolate'' ( it, Pane e cioccolata) is a 1974 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Franco Brusati. This film chronicles the misadventures of an Italian immigrant to Switzerland and is representative of the ''commedia all'italiana'' fi ...

'', directed by Franco Brusati (1973) * ''

Tell Me You Do Everything for Me ''Tell Me You Do Everything for Me'' (Italian: ''Dimmi che fai tutto per me'') is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile and starring Johnny Dorelli, Pamela Villoresi and Jacques Dufilho.Chiti, Poppi & Pecorari p.242 Cas ...

'' (1976) * '' Il mostro'', directed by

Luigi Zampa Luigi Zampa (2 January 1905 – 16 August 1991) was an Italian film director. Biography Son of a worker, Zampa studied filmmaking from 1932 to 1937 at the Italian film school Centro sperimentale di cinematografia in Rome. He directed several ...

(1977) * '' Odd Squad (film)'', directed by Enzo Barboni (1981) * '' State buoni se potete'', directed by

(1983) * ''

But When Do the Girls Get Here? ''But When do the Girls Get Here?'' ( it, Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?) is a 2005 Italian comedy-drama film written and directed by Pupi Avati. The film won the David di Donatello for best score. Cast *Claudio Santamaria: Nick *Vittoria Pu ...

'', directed by Pupi Avati (2005)

Discography

Albums * 1955 - Songo americano (CGD, MV 203) * 1958 - Cordialmente (CGD, MV 224) * 1958 - È arrivato da Sanremo (CGD, MV 225) * 1958 - Dance with (Liberty, I 8508) * 1959 - We Like Johnny (CGD, FG 5002) * 1959 - Sanremo 1959 (CGD, SR 1012) * 1964 - 30 anni di canzoni d'amore (CGD, FG 5010) * 1965 - Viaggio Sentimentale (CGD, FG 5017) * 1965 - Johnny Dorelli (CGD, FG 5024) * 1967 - L'immensità (CGD, FG 5032) * 1970 - Promesse Promesse (CGD, FGS 5063, con Catherine Spaak) * 1973 - Le canzoni che piacciono a lei (CGD, 69030) * 1975 - Aggiungi un posto a tavola (CGD, 88119) * 1975 - Toi et Moi (CGD, 69060, con Catherine Spaak) * 1978 - Giorgio (WEA Italiana, T56588) * 1980 - Accendiamo la lampada (Cam, ARSAG 29103) * 1989 - Mi son svegliato e c'eri tu (Five Record, FM 14204) * 2004 - Swingin' (Carosello, CARSM120-2) * 2007 - Swingin' - parte seconda (Carosello, CARSM198)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorelli, Johnny 1937 births Living people People from Meda Italian male film actors Italian male musical theatre actors Italian male singers Italian male television actors Sanremo Music Festival winners Jamie Records artists The High School of Music & Art alumni