{{Short description|Italian actor (1913–1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | image = Mario Riva 58.jpg | caption = Riva in the TV-show ''Il Musichiere'' (1958) | name = Mario Riva | birth_name = Mario Bonavolontà | birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|1|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = Rome, Italy | death_date = {{Death date and age|1960|9|1|1913|1|26|df=yes}} | death_place = Verona, Italy | occupation = Actor, television presenter | years_active = 1941–1960 }}

'''Mario''' "'''Mariuccio'''" '''Bonavolontà''' (26 January 1913 &ndash; 1 September 1960), professionally known as '''Mario Riva''', was an Italian television presenter and actor. He appeared in 51 films between 1941 and 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mymovies.it/filmografia/?a=588 |title=Mario Riva |work=MyMovies |access-date=10 November 2019}}</ref>

==Life and career== Born in Rome as Mario Bonavolontà, the son of composer {{ill|Giuseppe Bonavolontà|it}} (1886–1957) and his wife Teresa Chinzari. His father composed over 500 popular tunes including "{{lang|it|Fiocca la neve|i=no}}". Mario attended the {{lang|it|Collegio San Giuseppe|i=no}} in {{lang|it|Piazza di Spagna|i =no}} in Rome.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.storiaradiotv.it/MARIO%20RIVA.htm |title=Mario Riva |access-date=17 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422172956/http://www.storiaradiotv.it/MARIO%20RIVA.htm |archive-date=22 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Riva debuted at young age as a dubber and a radio actor.<ref name=vdv>{{cite book|last=Enrico Lancia, Roberto Poppi|title=Dizionario del cinema italiano: Gli attori|date=2003 |publisher=Gremese Editore, 2003|isbn=8884402697}}</ref> His film debut was in 1941 in {{lang|it|{{ill|Due cuori sotto sequestro|it}}}} (''Two Hearts Seized''). He became first known as presenter of the stage show ''Clan'' (1942).<ref name="vdv"/>

After a long season of successes on stage (often in couple with Riccardo Billi) Riva reached the peak of his career with the RAI variety television {{lang|it|Il Musichiere}} (1957–1960), the Italian version of ''Name That Tune''.<ref name="vdv"/> He also appeared on several films, usually in supporting roles. While he was presenting from the Verona Arena the {{lang|it|Secondo Festival del Musichiere|i=no}} (a special event linked to the TV program), he inadvertently fell into a hole in the stage covered with a tarpaulin and died from his injuries a few days later.<ref name="vdv"/>

==Selected filmography== {{div col|colwidth=25em}} * {{lang|it|Due cuori sotto sequestro}} (1941) – singer * ''Toto Tours Italy'' (1948) – Giovanni * ''Baron Carlo Mazza'' (1948) – announcer * ''The Firemen of Viggiù'' (1949) * ''Yvonne of the Night'' (1949) – the cigarette boy * ''Adam and Eve'' (1949) – the Russian castaway * ''Toto Looks For a House'' (1949) – the owner of the agency * {{lang|it|Se fossi deputato}} (1949) – Giuseppino * {{lang|it|Ho sognato il paradiso}} (1950) * ''The Cadets of Gascony'' (1950) – Mario Fantoni * ''Tomorrow Is Another Day'' (1951) – Pasquale * {{lang|it|Arrivano i nostri}} (1951) – Mario * ''Accidents to the Taxes!!'' (1951) – Mario * ''The Steamship Owner'' (1951) – Mario * ''My Heart Sings'' (1951) – Mario * {{lang|it|Porca miseria}} (1951) – Count Cerri * {{lang|it|Ha fatto tredici}} (1951) – himself * ''Sardinian Vendetta'' (1952) – Mario * ''Abracadabra'' (1952) – Amleto * ''In Olden Days'' (1952) – picky customer (segment "{{lang|it|Il carrettino dei libri vecchi|i=no}}") * {{lang|it|Giovinezza}} (1952) – peddler * ''Beauties on Motor Scooters'' (1952) * ''Easy Years'' (1953) – Mario Paolella * {{lang|it|Siamo tutti milanesi}} (1953) * ''The Country of the Campanelli'' (1954) – magician Tarquinio * ''It Happened at the Police Station'' (1954) – the second tram driver * ''Tripoli, Beautiful Land of Love'' (1954) – Giulio Cesare * ''Laugh! Laugh! Laugh!'' (1954) – Otello Spinotti * {{lang|it|Scuola elementare}} (1955) – Pilade Mucci, the school caretaker * ''It Happened at the Police Station'' (1955) – inmate No. 77 * {{lang|it|La moglie è uguale per tutti}} (1955) – Mario Rivetti * {{lang|it|Bravissimo}} (1955) – the dance teacher * ''Roman Tales'' (1955) – the waiter at the restaurant * {{lang|it|Motivo in maschera}} (1955) * {{lang|it|Il campanile d'oro}} (1955) * {{lang|it|I giorni più belli}} (1956) – Nicola, the delicatessen seller * {{lang|it|Arrivano i dollari!}} (1957) – Cesaretto Pasti * {{lang|it|Serenate per 16 bionde}} (1957) – Pippo * {{lang|it|Gente felice}} (1957) – Francesco * {{lang|it|A sud niente di nuovo}} (1957) * {{lang|it|Ladro lui, ladra lei}} (1958) – commendatore Stefano Maghetti * {{lang|it|È arrivata la parigina}} (1958) – Strettani * {{lang|it|I prepotenti}} (1958) – Domenico Esposito * ''Toto, Peppino and the Fanatics'' (1958) – Caprioli's boss * {{lang|it|Gli zitelloni}} (1958) – the judge * {{lang|it|Sergente d'ispezione}} (1958) – Turconi * {{lang|it|Mia nonna poliziotto}} (1958) – Mario Secchioni * {{lang|it|Il terribile Teodoro}} (1958) * {{lang|it|Domenica è sempre domenica}} (1958) – himself * {{lang|it|Fantasmi e ladri}} (1959) – Edmondo Natale * {{lang|it|Prepotenti più di prima}} (1959) – the traffic warden * ''Policarpo'' (1959) – the fireman at the theatre (uncredited) * {{lang|it|Perfide.... ma belle}} (1959) – Romolo Proietti * {{lang|it|Il raccomandato di ferro}} (1959) – Augusto Zinconi * ''The Traffic Policeman'' (1960) – himself {{div col end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0728960|Mario Riva}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Riva, Mario}} Category:1913 births Category:1960 deaths Category:Accidental deaths from falls in Italy Category:Italian male film actors Category:Male actors from Rome Category:20th-century Italian male actors Category:Italian male stage actors Category:Italian radio personalities Category:Italian television presenters Category:Italian male comedians Category:Comedians from Rome