Alvaro Vitali

{{Short description|Italian actor (1950–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Alvaro Vitali | image = Alvaro vitali roma federico fellini (cropped).png | caption = Vitali in [[Federico Fellini]]'s film ''[[Roma (1972 film)|Roma]]'' (1972) | birth_date = {{birth date|1950|2|3|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Rome]], Italy | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|6|24|1950|2|3|df=yes}} | death_place = Rome, Italy | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1969–2025 | spouse = {{marriage|Stefania Corona|2006}} | children = 1 }}

'''Alvaro Vitali''' ({{IPA|it|alˈvaːro viˈtaːli|lang}}; 3 February 1950 – 24 June 2025) was an Italian actor and comedian.

==Life and career== Born in [[Rome]], Vitali was the son of a small construction company owner and a [[Titanus]] studio worker.<ref name="mess">{{cite news |title=Alvaro Vitali morto a Roma, l'attore aveva 75 anni. Il cinema italiano piange Pierino |url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/persone/alvaro_vitali_morto_oggi_eta_ultime_notizie-8917618.html |access-date=25 June 2025 |work=[[Il Messaggero]]|date=24 June 2025 |language=it}}</ref> He left high school to work as an electrician.<ref name="gazz">{{cite news |last1=Chimera |first1=Patrizia |title=Alvaro Vitali è morto: addio all'attore di "Pierino", aveva 75 anni |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/attualita/24-06-2025/alvaro-vitali-morto-a-75-anni-addio-all-attore-di-pierino-cosa-aveva.shtml |access-date=25 June 2025 |work=[[La Gazzetta dello Sport]] |date=24 June 2025 |language=it-IT}}</ref> Spotted by [[Federico Fellini]] during an audition, he made his film debut with a small part in ''[[Fellini Satyricon|Satyricon]]'' (1969), before taking on increasingly more prominent roles in subsequent Fellini films such as ''[[The Clowns]]'', ''[[Roma (1972 film)|Roma]]'', and ''[[Amarcord]]''.<ref name="bio">{{cite book |last1=Poppi |first1=Roberto |last2=Lancia |first2=Enrico |title=Gli Attori Vol. 2 M-z |date=2003 |publisher=Gremese Editore |isbn=978-88-8440-269-1 |page=282|language=it |chapter=Vitali, Alvaro}}</ref>

In the 1970s, Vitali became one of the major stars in the ''[[commedia sexy all'italiana]]'' genre.<ref name="gio">{{cite news |last1=Galici |first1=Francesca |title=Morto Alvaro Vitali, il celebre "Pierino" della commedia italiana |url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/cinema/morto-avaro-vitali-celebre-pierino-commedia-italiana-2500022.html |access-date=25 June 2025 |work=[[Il Giornale]] |date=24 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="bio" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Coppola |first=Alessio |date=2022-04-14 |title=Alvaro Vitali: la carriera di Pierino |url=https://www.true-news.it/facts/alvaro-vitali-oggi-moglie-figli-film-malattia-patrimonio |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=True News. |language=it-IT}}</ref> In the early 1980s, starting from ''[[Pierino contro tutti]]'', he had a personal success in a series of films featuring Pierino, a [[Little John]] variation.<ref name="bio" /><ref name="gio" /> During the same decade, his success began to decline, and opportunities to work became increasingly scarce.<ref name="bio" /> In the 2000s his career was briefly relaunched by the [[Canale 5]] satirical show ''[[Striscia la notizia]]'', where he portrayed a comic version of [[Jean Todt]] and other humorous characters.<ref name="gazz" /><ref name="roll" /> In 2006, he took part in the reality show ''La fattoria'', the Italian version of ''[[The Farm (franchise)|The Farm]]'', retiring soon after because of his asthma.<ref name="gazz" />

Vitali's style was characterized by "exaggerated facial expressions, strong physicality, and [[slapstick]]-style comic timing".<ref name=roll>{{cite news |title=È morto Alvaro Vitali |url=https://www.rollingstone.it/cinema-tv/news-cinema-tv/e-morto-alvaro-vitali/992544/ |access-date=25 June 2025 |work=[[Rolling Stone Italia]] |date=24 June 2025 |language=it-IT}}</ref> He has been described as "probably one of the most underrated [Italian] film actors, deserving renewed recognition".<ref name="bio" />

===Personal life and death=== Vitali was married twice and had a son, Ennio, from his first marriage.<ref name="mess" /> He considered himself [[Roman Catholic]].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Lucio|last=Giordano|title=Ho avuto un ictus, ero senza speranze: poi ho invocato Dio e Lui mi ha salvato|language=|magazine=Dipiù|date=8 September 2023|number=36|pages=86–89}}</ref>

On 24 June 2025, Vitali died in Rome from a recurrent [[bronchopneumonia]], for which he had been hospitalized two weeks earlier. He was 75.<ref>{{cite news |title=È morto a Roma Alvaro Vitali, il cinema piange Pierino |url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cultura/2025/06/24/e-morto-a-roma-alvaro-vitali-il-cinema-piange-pierino_4ef0dea1-ed00-44f0-a318-9c5bab18787a.html |access-date=24 June 2025 |agency=ansa.it |publisher=ansa.it |date=24 June 2025}}</ref>

==Selected filmography== {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *''[[Fellini Satyricon|Satyricon]]'' (1969) .... Blue-Faced 'Emperor' on Stage (uncredited) *''[[The Clowns]]'' (1970, TV Movie) .... Himself *''[[Roma (1972 film)|Roma]]'' (1972) .... Alvaro - Tap Dancer at Teatrino (uncredited) *''[[Meo Patacca (film)|Meo Patacca]]'' (1972) .... Bit Part (uncredited) *''[[What? (film)|What?]]'' (1972) .... Cross-Eyed Painter *''[[Halleluja to Vera Cruz]]'' (1973) *''[[Dirty Weekend (1973 film)|Dirty Weekend]]'' (1973) .... Member of Camera Team (uncredited) *''[[Even Angels Eat Beans]]'' (1973) .... Tailor Assistant (uncredited) *''[[La Tosca (1973 film)|La Tosca]]'' (1973) .... Un derelitto *''[[Polvere di stelle]]'' (1973) .... (uncredited) *''[[Amarcord]]'' (1973) .... Naso *''[[Rugantino (film)|Rugantino]]'' (1973) .... Beggar (uncredited) *''[[L'arbitro (1974 film)|L'arbitro]]'' (1974) .... Il postino (uncredited) *''[[4 marmittoni alle grandi manovre]]'' (1974) .... Soldato Viola (uncredited) *''[[Il colonnello Buttiglione diventa generale]]'' (1974) .... Infermiere (uncredited) *''[[Come Home and Meet My Wife]]'' (1974) .... Paolo, conoscente di Giulio e Vincenzina *''[[Policewoman (film)|Policewoman]]'' (1974) .... Fantuzzi *''[[Scent of a Woman (1974 film)|Scent of a Woman]]'' (1974) .... Vittorio *''[[Sex Pot (1975 film)|Sex Pot]]'' (1975) .... Taxi Driver *''[[The School Teacher]]'' (1975) .... Tatuzzo *''[[Vergine, e di nome Maria]]'' (1975) .... Rocco *''[[Due cuori, una cappella]]'' (1975) .... Tassista strabico *''[[La liceale]]'' (1975) .... Petruccio Sciacca *''[[Frankenstein all'italiana]]'' (1975) *''[[Season for Assassins]]'' (1975) *''[[La dottoressa sotto il lenzuolo]]'' (1976) .... Alvaro *''[[The Career of a Chambermaid]]'' (1976) .... The Son in the Brothel (uncredited) *''[[Confessions of a Lady Cop]]'' (1976) .... Tarallo *''[[Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man]]'' (1976) .... Concierge at Pasquini's building *''[[La professoressa di scienze naturali]]'' (1976) .... Peppino Cariglia *''[[Classe mista]]'' (1976) .... Angelino Zampanò *''[[My Father's Private Secretary]]'' (1976) .... Oscar *''[[Sex with a Smile II]]'' (1976) .... Broccolini, Aka Xx2 (Segment "Il Detective") *''[[The Lady Medic]]'' (1976) .... Alvaro Pappalardo *''[[The Virgo, the Taurus and the Capricorn]]'' (1977) .... Alvaro *''[[Taxi Girl (film)|Taxi Girl]]'' (1977) .... Alvaro *''[[Per amore di Poppea]]'' (1977, directed by [[Mariano Laurenti]]) .... Caio *''[[La compagna di banco]]'' (1977) .... Salvatore *''[[The Nurse on a Military Tour]]'' (1977) .... Alvaro Quattromani *''[[The Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' High]]'' (1978) .... Armandino Fusecchia *''[[La liceale nella classe dei ripetenti]]'' (1978) .... Professor Modesti *''[[The School Teacher in the House]]'' (1978) .... Ottavio - Amedeo's son *''[[The Soldier with Great Maneuvers]]'' (1978) .... Alvaro *''[[Scherzi da prete]]'' (1978) .... Alvaro (uncredited) *''[[Night Nurse (1979 film)|Night Nurse]]'' (1979) .... Peppino *''[[L'insegnante balla... con tutta la classe]]'' (1979) .... Anacleto Petruccio *''[[Where Can You Go Without the Little Vice?]]'' (1979) .... Aroldo / Carlotta Angulo / Gigetto *''[[How to Seduce Your Teacher]]'' (1979) .... Salvatore Pinzarrone *''[[A Policewoman on the Porno Squad]]'' (1979) .... Appuntato Tarallo *''[[The Nurse in the Military Madhouse]]'' (1979) .... Peppino *''[[Cocco mio]]'' (''Gros câlin'', 1979) .... Brancardier *''[[La liceale, il diavolo e l'acquasanta]]'' (1979) .... Carmelo Petralia *''[[L'insegnante al mare con tutta la classe]]'' (1980) .... Cocò *''[[La ripetente fa l'occhietto al preside]]'' (1980) .... Beccafico *''[[La liceale al mare con l'amica di papà]]'' (also known as ''La liceale al mare con tutta la classe'', 1980) .... Terenzio *''[[La dottoressa ci sta col colonnello]]'' (1980) .... Arturo Mazzancolla *''[[L'onorevole con l'amante sotto il letto]]'' (1981) .... Teo Mezzabotta *''[[Pierino contro tutti]]'' (1981) .... Pierino *''[[A Policewoman in New York]]'' (1981) .... Alvaro Tarallo / Joe Dodiciomicidi *''[[Pierino medico della Saub]]'' (1981) .... Alvaro Gasperoni / Pippetto *''[[La dottoressa preferisce i marinai]]'' (1981) .... Alvaro *''[[Pierino colpisce ancora]]'' (1982) .... Pierino *''[[Giggi il bullo]]'' (1982) .... Giggi il bullo *''[[Gianburrasca]]'' (1982) .... Giannino Stoppani / Gian Burrasca *''[[Paulo Roberto Cotechiño centravanti di sfondamento]]'' (1983) .... Paulo Roberto Cotechiño / Idraulico *''[[Il tifoso, l'arbitro e il calciatore]]'' (1984) .... Alvaro Presutti *''[[Zanzibar (TV series)|Zanzibar]]'' (1986, Episode: "La vedova") .... Lino *''[[Mortacci]]'' (1989) .... Torquato *''[[Pierino torna a scuola]]'' (1990) .... Pierino *''[[Club Vacanze]]'' (1995) .... Alvaro / Pierino *''[[Se lo fai sono guai]]'' (2001) *''[[Ladri di barzelette]]'' (2004) *''[[Impotenti esistenziali]]'' (2009) *''[[Vacanze a gallipoli]]'' (2011) *''[[È il cancro il mio amante]]'' (2012) *''[[Tutti a Ostia Beach - Il film]]'' (2013) *''[[Effetti indesiderati]]'' (2015) *''[[Supposte]]'' (2016) *''[[Mò vi mento - Lira di Achille]]'' (2018) *''[[Buon lavoro]]'' (2018) *''Vivi la vita'' (2019) *''GG Turbo'' (2020) *''Gli imprevisti'' (2024) *''[[Vita da Carlo]]'' (2025) – TV series {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name | id=0899911| name=Alvaro Vitali}} * {{discogs artist|Alvaro Vitali}} *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vitali, Alvaro}} [[Category:1950 births]] [[Category:2025 deaths]] [[Category:Italian male film actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Rome]] [[Category:Italian Roman Catholics]] [[Category:20th-century Italian male actors]] [[Category:21st-century Italian male actors]] [[Category:Deaths from bronchopneumonia]] [[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Lazio]]