Sergio Tòfano (20 August 1886 – 28 October 1973) was an Italian

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, scene designer and

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...

. Tofano was born in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. In 1909, he made his first appearance on stage with

Ermete Novelli Ermete Novelli (5 March 185130 January 1919) was an Italian actor and playwright. Born in Lucca, the son of a prompter, Novelli made his first appearance in 1866, and played character and leading comedy parts in the best companies between 1871 ...

, then joined Virgilio Talli's company (1913–23). He soon specialized as a comic actor, giving his role a new elegance and complexity. He worked with other famous actors and directors: Dario Niccodemi (1924–27);

Luigi Almirante Luigi Almirante (30 September 1884 – 6 May 1963) was an Italian stage and film actor. He appeared in 62 films between 1921 and 1955. Life and career The son of a stage actor, Almirante was born in Tunis, where the theatrical company of ...

and

Giuditta Rissone Giuditta Rissone (10 March 1895 – 22 June 1977) was an Italian film actress who appeared in 25 films between 1933 and 1966. She was born in Genoa and died in Rome. Giuditta Rissone married the director and actor Vittorio De Sica in 1937 in ...

(1927–30),

Elsa Merlini Elsa Merlini (26 July 1903 – 22 February 1983), was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 29 films between 1931 and 1976. She was born in Trieste, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * ''The Private Secretary'' (1931) * ...

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...

Evi Maltagliati Evi Maltagliati (11 August 1908 – 27 April 1986) was an Italian stage, television and film actress. Life and career Born in Florence as Evelina Maltagliati, she started her career at debuted in the theater just 15 years old, in the Galli-Gua ...

Gino Cervi Luigi Cervi (3 May 1901 – 3 January 1974), better known as Gino Cervi (), was an Italian actor. He was best known for portraying Peppone in a series of comedies based on the character ''Don Camillo'' (1952-1965), and police detective Jules M ...

etc. During those years, he made his famous performances as Doctor Knock in

Jules Romains Jules Romains (born Louis Henri Jean Farigoule; 26 August 1885 – 14 August 1972) was a French poet and writer and the founder of the Unanimism literary movement. His works include the play '' Knock ou le Triomphe de la médecine'', and a cycle ...

' play, and as Professor Toti in

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

's ''Pensaci, Giacomino!''. He also led important theatrical firms. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he worked with the most important directors, like

Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo (; 2 November 1906 – 17 March 1976) was an Italian filmmaker, stage director, and screenwriter. A major figure of Italian art and culture in the mid-20th century, Visconti was one of the fat ...

and

Giorgio Strehler Giorgio Strehler (; ; 14 August 1921 – 25 December 1997) was an actor, Italian opera and theatre director. Biography Strehler was born in Barcola, Trieste; His father, Bruno Strehler, was a native of Trieste with family roots in Vienna and died ...

. In 1917 Tofano invented, for a children's magazine, ''

Il Corriere dei Piccoli The ''Corriere dei Piccoli'' (Italian for "Courier of the Little Ones"), later nicknamed ''Corrierino'' ("Little Courier"), was a weekly magazine for children published in Italy from 1908 to 1995. It was the first Italian periodical to make a re ...

'', a famous character,

Signor Bonaventura ''Signor Bonaventura'' is an Italian comic strip created in 1917 by actor and playwright Sergio Tofano. It is considered among the most famous and successful comic strips ever created in Italy. The character made his first appearance on October 2 ...

, whose adventures lasted for more than forty years. He used to sign as ''Sto''. He wrote and illustrated several children's books and illustrated ''The Chess Set in the Mirror'' by

Massimo Bontempelli Massimo Bontempelli (12 May 1878 – 21 July 1960) was an Italian poet, playwright, novelist and composer. He was influential in developing and promoting the literary style known as magical realism. Life Massimo Bontempelli was born in Como ...

.
Modernism and the Avant-garde Body in Spain and Italy
' edited by Nicolas Fernandez-Medina and Maria Truglio, Taylor & Francis, 2016, Chapter 2: "But Who Is Playing This Game?" by Maria Truglio.

Partial filmography

*''Tigrana'' (1916, dir. by Edouard Micheroux de Dillon) *''

The Private Secretary ''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...

'' (1931, dir. by

Goffredo Alessandrini Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904, in Cairo – 16 May 1978, in Rome) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films. He practiced athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian champion ...

) - Otello, l'usciere *'' Your Money or Your Life'' (1932, dir. by

Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...

) - Daniele *'' The Telephone Operator'' (1932, dir. by

Nunzio Malasomma Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 January 1974) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 41 films between 1923 and 1968. Selected filmography * '' Mister Radio'' (1924) * '' Orient'' (1924) * '' The Doll Queen'' (1 ...

) - Bàttigo - the tenor *''

Paprika Paprika ( US , ; UK , ) is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum group, which also includes chili peppers, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder an ...

'' (1933, dir. by

Carl Boese Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957. Selected filmography * ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917) * ''Donna Lucia ...

) - Checco *'' The Girl with the Bruise'' (1933, dir. by

E. W. Emo E. W. Emo (Emerich Walter Emo, born Emerich Josef Wojtek, 11 July 1898; died 2 December 1975) was an Austrian film director. Emo specialized in comedies, 21 of them with the actor Hans Moser. He also worked outside Austria and wrote screenpla ...

) *''

Seconda B ''Seconda B'' is a 1934 Italian comedy film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Sergio Tofano, Dina Perbellini and María Denis. It was screened at the Venice Film Festival where it was awarded a prize. It started a trend for "schoolgirl ...

'' (1934, dir. by

) - Professore Monti *''

Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wolf ...

'' (1936, dir. by

) - Giulio *''

The Two Misanthropists ''The Two Misanthropists'' (Italian: ''I due misantropi'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" historical comedy film directed by Amleto Palermi and starring Camillo Pilotto, María Denis and Nino Besozzi.Chiti & Poppi p.119-20 It was shot at t ...

'' (1937, dir. by

Amleto Palermi Amleto Palermi (11 July 1889 – 20 April 1941) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed '' The Old Lady'', which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film. Se ...

) - Cosimo Bertelet *'' Tonight at Eleven'' (1938, dir. by

Oreste Biancoli Oreste Biancoli (20 February 1897 – 25 November 1971) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1930 and 1986. He also directed nine films between 1938 and 1952. He was born in Bologna, Italy ...

) - Il colonnello Muffon *''

Jeanne Doré Jeanne may refer to: Places * Jeanne (crater), on Venus People * Jeanne (given name) * Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc, 1412–1431) * Joanna of Flanders (1295–1374) * Joan, Duchess of Brittany (1319–1384) * Ruth Stuber Jeanne (1910–2004), Ameri ...

'' (1938, dir. by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...

) - Fanard *'' Inventiamo l'amore'' (1938, dir. by

Camillo Mastrocinque Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...

) - Borghetti *''

The Sons of the Marquis Lucera ''The Sons of the Marquis Lucera'' (Italian: ''I figli del marchese Lucera'') is a 1939 Italian comedy film directed by Amleto Palermi and starring Armando Falconi, Caterina Boratto and Sergio Tofano. It is based on a play of the same name by Gh ...

'' (1939, dir. by

) - Vigna *'' Eravamo sette sorelle'' (1939, dir. 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 ...

) - Antonio, il maggiordomo *'' Le sorprese del divorzio'' (1939, dir. by

Guido Brignone Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone. Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...

) - Fernand Corbulon *'' Father For a Night'' (1939, dir. by

) - Edmondo Fontages *'' Follie del secolo'' (1939, dir. by

) - Il barone Giorgio *''

The Silent Partner ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1939) - L'affaristo in borsa *'' Validità giorni dieci'' (1940, dir. by

) - Maurizio *'' Giù il sipario'' (1940, dir. by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films w ...

) - Il capocomico *''

La granduchessa si diverte LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' (1940, dir. by

Giacomo Gentilomo Giacomo Gentilomo (5 April 1909 – 16 April 2001) was an Italian film director and painter. Biography Born in Trieste, at very young age Gentilomo moved to Rome, where at 21 years old he entered the cinema industry, working as a script survivo ...

) - Il principe *'' Una famiglia impossibile'' (1940, dir. by

) - Il maggiordomo *'' Idyll in Budapest'' (1941, dir. by

Giorgio Ansoldi Giorgio may refer to: * Castel Giorgio, ''comune'' in Umbria, Italy * Giorgio (name), an Italian given name and surname * Giorgio Moroder, or Giorgio, Italian record producer ** ''Giorgio'' (album), an album by Giorgio Moroder * "Giorgio" (song), ...

) - Altezza *'' Il signore a doppio petto'' (1941, dir. by

Flavio Calzavara Flavio Calzavara (21 February 1900 – 10 March 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 21 films between 1939 and 1956. Filmography * ''Canzone proibita'' (1956) * ''Gli occhi senza luce'' (1956) * ''Napoli piange ...

) - Il signore Bisaccia *'' Cenerentola e il signor Bonaventura'' (1941, anche soggetto e regia) - Il dottore (uncredited) *'' Se io fossi onesto'' (1942, dir. by

) - Vittorio, il maggiordomo *'' Disturbance'' (1942, dir. by

) - Antonio, padre di Silvia * ''

Souls in Turmoil ''Souls in Turmoil'' (Italian: ''Anime in tumulto'') is a 1942 Italian drama film directed by Giulio Del Torre and starring Gina Falckenberg, Carlo Tamberlani and Leda Gloria.Goble p.467 The film's sets were designed by the art director Salvo ...

'' (1942, dir. by Giulio Del Torre) - Perego *'' La guardia del corpo'' (1942, dir. by

) - L'avvocato Paolo, suo marito *'' Quarta pagina'' (1943, dir. by

Nicola Manzari Nicola Manzari (14 November 1908 – 28 April 1991) was an Italian screenwriter and director. He wrote for 38 films between 1940 and 1975. Selected filmography * ''The Adventures of Fra Diavolo'' (1942) * ''Chains'' (1949) * '' Hearts at S ...

) - Il professore naturalista *'' Gian Burrasca'' (1943, anche regia) - Il maestro di pianoforte *'' Il fidanzato di mia moglie'' (1943, dir. by

) - Il giudice Ernesto Torriani *''

La maschera e il volto ''La maschera e il volto'' is a comedy of grotesque genre by Luigi Chiarelli Luigi Chiarelli (7 July 1880 – 20 December 1947) was an Italian playwright, theatre critic, and writer of short stories who is chiefly known as a founder of the '' ...

'' (1943, dir. by

) - Cirillo *'' Il cavaliere del sogno'' (1947, dir. by Camillo Mmastrocinque) - Il maestro Zingarelli *'' Fabiola'' (1949, dir. by

Alessandro Blasetti Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Quattro passi fra le nuvole''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during ...

) - Luciano *'' Abbiamo vinto!'' (1951, dir. by

Robert A. Stemmle Robert Adolf Stemmle (10 June 1903 – 24 February 1974) was a German screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 80 films between 1932 and 1967. He also directed 46 films between 1934 and 1970. His 1959 film '' Die unvollkommen ...

) - Temistocle Leoni *''

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

'' (1951, dir. by

Carlo Borghesio Carlo Borghesio (24 June 1905 – 12 November 1983) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Life and career Born in Turin, Borghesio started his career as an assistant director in the second half of the 1930s, notably collaborating ...

) - Vignon *''

Altri tempi ''In Olden Days'' ( it, Altri tempi, link=no, also known as ''Times Gone By'' and ''Infidelity'') is a 1952 Italian anthology film. Plot The cart of old books A good-natured peddler of old books shows his customers some works from the past ...

'' (1952, dir. by

) - Nonno di Guido (segment "L'idillio") *'' La Fiammata'' (1952, dir. by

) - Belmont * '' Guilt Is Not Mine'' (1952, dir. by

Giuseppe Masini Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name is Giusep ...

) - Prof. Valli *''

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long lin ...

'' (1953, dir. by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

) - Giulio Ricordi *''

The Country of the Campanelli ''The Country of the Campanelli'' ( it, Il paese dei campanelli, french: Ces voyous d'hommes, also known as ''Town of Bells'') is a 1954 Italian-French comedy film directed by Jean Boyer and starring Sophia Loren. It is loosely based on the ope ...

'' (1954, dir. by Jean Boyer) - Dott. Pott *''

House of Ricordi ''House of Ricordi'' ( it, Casa Ricordi) is a 1954 French-Italian historical melodrama film based on the early history of the Italian music publishing house Casa Ricordi. It is directed by Carmine Gallone and stars Märta Torén, Marcello Mastr ...

'' (1954, dir. by

) - Cesarini Sforza * ''

Cardinal Lambertini Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the Lis ...

'' (1954, dir. by

Giorgio Pastina Giorgio Pastina (1905–1956) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He directed '' Henry IV'', a 1943 film version of Luigi Pirandello's '' Henry IV''.Anile, Alberto, '' Orson Welles in Italy'' (Indiana University Press, 2013), p. 94 S ...

) - Canonico Peggi *'' La bella di Roma'' (1955, dir. by

Luigi Comencini Luigi Comencini (; 8 June 1916 – 6 April 2007)
''The Guardian'' was an Italian

) - Agostino *''

Andrea Chenier Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that re ...

'' (1955, dir. by

Clemente Fracassi Clemente Fracassi (5 March 1917 – 2 February 1993) was an Italian film producer, director and screenwriter. His career spanned from 1939 to 1967. Selected filmography * '' To Live in Peace'' (1947 - producer) * ''Senza pietà'' (1948 - p ...

) - Luigi Chénier *'' Porta un bacione a Firenze'' (1956, dir. by

) - Giovanni *''Io, Caterina'' (1957) *''La vita degli altri'' (1957) - Linari *''

Dreams in a Drawer ''Dreams in a Drawer'' ( it, I sogni nel cassetto) is a 1957 Italian romantic drama film written and directed by Renato Castellani and starring Lea Massari. Plot Mario and Lucia, two young students from the University of Pavia, fall in love. Luci ...

'' (1957, dir. by

Renato Castellani Renato Castellani (4 September 1913 in Varigotti, Liguria – 28 December 1985 in Rome) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Early life Son of a representative of Kodak, he was born in Varigotti, a hamlet at the time of Final Pia, ...

) - Lucia's Father *''Il bacio del sole (Don Vesuvio)'' (1958) *'' Il re di Poggioreale'' (1961, dir. by

Duilio Coletti Duilio Coletti (28 December 1906 – 22 May 1999) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 29 films between 1934 and 1977. Career Born in Penne, Abruzzo, he took a degree in medicine and surgery and practiced the profess ...

) - Il contente Pignatelli *''

La costanza della ragione La costanza della ragione is a 1964 drama film directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile, based on the homonymous novel by Vasco Pratolini and starring Sami Frey and Catherine Deneuve. Plot Bruno, a young idealist, would like to be hired in a larg ...

'' (1964, dir. by

Pasquale Festa Campanile Pasquale Festa Campanile (28 July 1927 – 25 February 1986) was an Italian screenwriter, film director and novelist, best known as a prominent exponent of the commedia all'italiana genre. Life and career Born at Melfi, in the province o ...

) - Don Bonifazi *''Napoleone a Firenze'' (1964) *'' Il padre di famiglia'' (1967, dir. by

Nanni Loy Nanni Loy (born Giovanni Loi; 23 October 1925 – 21 August 1995) was an Italian film, theatre and TV director. Specifically, Nanni Loy was Sardinian, and one of several notable Sardinian film makers, including Franco Solinas. Biography Lo ...

) - General *''

Partner Partner, Partners, The Partner, or, The Partners may refer to: Books * ''The Partner'' (Grisham novel), by John Grisham, 1997 * ''The Partner'' (Jenaro Prieto novel), 1928 * ''The Partners'' (book), a 1983 book by James B. Stewart * ''Partner'' (m ...

'' (1968, dir. by

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

) - Professor Petrushka *'' Toh, è morta la nonna!'' (1969, dir. by

Mario Monicelli Mario Alberto Ettore Monicelli (; 16 May 1915 – 29 November 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the ''Commedia all'Italiana'' (Comedy Italian style). He was nominated six times for an Oscar, and was awa ...

) - The Grandfather *'' Contestazone generale'' (1970, dir. 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 ...

) - Bishop *'' La colonna infame'' (1973, dir. by

Nelo Risi Nelo (MAR Kayaks Ltda) is a Portuguese company that designs and manufactures kayaks and canoes for racing, touring, fitness, sea racing, paracanoe, surfski, and slalom. It is currently the most successful brand in the sport, attested by the nu ...

) - Il presidente del senato *''

Rugantino ''Rugantino'' is a musical comedy by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini, which debuted at the Teatro Sistina in Rome, Italy, on 15 December 1962. Music was written by Armando Trovaioli. It is a comedy set in the papal Rome of the 19th century. ...

'' (1973, dir. by

) - Marchese Michele Sacconi

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tofano, Sergio 1880s births 1973 deaths Italian male stage actors Italian male film actors Italian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Italian male actors 20th-century Italian dramatists and playwrights Italian children's book illustrators