Roberto Benigni Biography (1952-)

Born October 27, 1952, in Misericordia, Arezzo, Italy; son of Luigi (a farmer, carpenter, and bricklayer) and Isolina (a fabric inspector) Benigni; married Nicoletta Braschi (an actress), 1991. Addresses: Publicist: Nancy Seltzer, Nancy Seltzer and Associates, 6220 Del Valle Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048.; Contact: Ira Schreck, Schreck Rose & Dapello, 660 Madison Ave., 10thFloor, New York, NY.

Nationality: Italian
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer, standup comedian, writer
Birth Details: October 27, 1952; Misericordia, Italy

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Cioni Mario, Berlingeur ti voglio bene (also known as I Love You, Berlinguer), [Italy], 1977
Letti selvage (also known as Four Tigers in Lipstick, Tigers in Lipstick, Wild Beds, and Camas calientes), [Italy],1979
I giorni cantati (also known as The Days Are Numbered), [Italy], 1979
Roberto, Chiedo asilo (also known as Seeking Asylum), Gaumont-Italia, 1979
Clair de femme (also known as Womanlight, Chiaro di donna, and Die Liebe einer Frau), Janus, 1979
Upholsterer, La luna, (also known as Luna), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
Benigni, Il pap'occhio (also known as In the Pope's Eye), [Italy], 1981
Il Minestrone, [Italy], 1981
Anche i ladri hanno un santo, 1981
Benigno, Tu mi turbi (also known as You Disturb Me), [Italy], 1983
The beige sheik, F.F.S.S. cioe che mi hai portato a fare sopra Posillipo se non mi vuoi piu bene, [Italy], 1983
Lieto Fine, [Italy], 1983
Tutto Benigni, [Italy], 1983
Effetti personali (also known as Personal Effects), 1983
Saverio, Non ci resta che piangere (also known as Nothing Leftto Do But Cry), Cecchi Gori Group, 1984
Bob, Coffee and Cigarettes (short film), Cecchi Gori Group, 1986
Roberto, Down by Law, Island, 1986
Guiditta, Il piccolo diavolo (also known as The Little Devil), Cecchi Gori Group, 1988
Ivo Salvini, La voce della luna (also known as The Voice of theMoon), Cecchi Gori Group, 1989
Dante and title role, Johnny Stecchino (also known as Johnny Toothpick), New Line Cinema, 1991
Driver in Rome, Night on Earth (also known as LANewYorkParisRomeHelsinki and Une nuit sur terre), Fine Line Features, 1991
Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau, Jr., Son of the Pink Panther (also known as Blake Edwards' Son of the Pink Panther and Il figlio della pantera rosa), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1993
Loris, Il mostro (also known as The Monster and Le monstre), Columbia/TriStar, 1994
Guido Orefice, La vita e bella (also known as Life Is Beautiful), Miramax, 1997
Lucius Detritus (Tullius Destructivus), Asterix et Obelix (also known as Asterix and Obelix Take On Caesar, Asterix et Obelix versusCaesar, Asterix e Obelix contre Cesar, Asterix & Obelix gegen Caesar, and Asterix e Obelix contro Cesare), Films 7, 1998

"1986" segment, Cinematon, 2000
Title role, Pinocchio, Miramax, 2002
Film Director
Tu mi turbi (also known as You Disturb Me), [Italy], 1983
(With Massimo Troisi) Non ci resta che piangere (also known as Nothing Left to Do But Cry), Cecchi Gori Group, 1984
L'addio a Enrico Berlinguer, 1984
Il piccolo diavolo (also known as The Little Devil), CecchiGori Group, 1988
La voce della luna (also known as The Voice of the Moon), Cecchi Gori Group, 1989
Johnny Stecchino (also known as Johnny Toothpick), New LineCinema, 1991
Il mostro (also known as The Monster and Le monstre), Columbia/TriStar, 1994
La vita e bella (also known as Life Is Beautiful), Miramax,1997
Asterix et Obelix (also known as Asterix and Obelix Take On Caesar, Asterix et Obelix versus Caesar, Asterix e Obelix contre Cesar, Asterix & Obelix gegen Caesar, and Asterix e Obelix contro Cesare), Films 7, 1998
Pinocchio, Miramax, 2002
Film Producer
Il mostro (also known as The Monster and Le monstre), Columbia/TriStar, 1994
Television Appearances
Episodic
Appeared in an episode of Willemsens Woche.
Other
The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (special), 1999
(In archive footage) Who Is Alan Smithee? (documentary special), American Movie Classics, 2002
Appeared as "faux film critic" in the Italian series L'altra domenica (also known as The Other Sunday); also appeared in the Italian broadcast Onda libre (also known as Free Wave).
Stage Appearances
Ciono Mario (monologue), tour of Italian cities, 1975
Also appeared in the solo show Tutto Benigni (also known as AllBenigni).
WRITINGS
Screenplays
Berlingeur ti voglio bene, [Italy], 1977
Chiedo asilo (also known as Seeking Asylum), Gaumont-Italia, 1979
Tu mi turbi (also known as You Disturb Me), [Italy], 1983
Non ci resta che piangere (based on a story by Benigni; also knownas Nothing Left to Do But Cry), Cecchi Gori Group, 1984
Coffee and Cigarettes (short film), Cecchi Gori Group, 1986
(With others) Il piccolo diavolo (also known as The Little Devil), Cecchi Gori Group, 1988
La voce della luna (also known as The Voice of the Moon), Cecchi Gori Group, 1989
(With Vincenzo Cerami) Johnny Stecchino (also known as Johnny Toothpick), New Line Cinema, 1991
(With Cerami) Il mostro (also known as The Monster and Le monstre), Columbia/TriStar, 1994
(With Cerami) La vita e bella (also known as Life Is Beautiful), Miramax, 1997
Asterix et Obelix (also known as Asterix and Obelix Take On Caesar, Asterix et Obelix versus Caesar, Asterix e Obelix contre Cesar, Asterix & Obelix gegen Caesar, and Asterix e Obelix contro Cesare), Films 7, 1998
Pinocchio, Miramax, 2002

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Celli, Carlo, The Divine Comic: The Cinema of Roberto Benigni, Scarecrow Press (Lanham, MD), 2001
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
Newsmakers 1999, Issue 2, Gale, 1999

Periodicals

Economist, January 17, 1998, p. 78
Entertainment Weekly, October 15, 1993, p. 82; June 26, 1998, p. 24; December 4, 1998, pp. 50-52; March 1, 1999, pp. 22, 108; April 9, 1999, pp. 8-9
Indi, September, 1998, pp. 20-21
Interview, November, 1998, p. 78
Los Angeles Times, September 13, 1998, pp. 29-30, 124
New Republic, January 31, 1994, pp. 28-29
Newsweek, February 8, 1999, pp. 58-60, 63
New York Times Magazine, October 11, 1998, pp. 42-45
People Weekly, March 8, 1999, p. 101
Premiere, November, 1998, p. 75
Pulse!, December, 1998, pp. 171-73
Time International, February 23, 1998, pp. 55-57
USA Today, May 19, 1998, p. 8B
Variety, December 22, 1997, p. 61; February 9, 1998, p. 57

Electronic

Cecchi Gori Group, http://www.cecchigori.com

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