Gianfranco D’Angelo died in the night in Rome at the age of 84. Actor, comedian, stand-up comedian and voice actor, D’Angelo became famous in the Eighties by participating in television programs that later became cult such as Drive In.
“With Gianfranco D’Angelo the world of entertainment loses a great talent, a comedian who has made simplicity and immediacy his distinctive trait. I hug my family on this sad day”, writes the Minister of Culture in a note. Dario Franceschini.
Career: from theater to cabaret to TV
His career began in the theater in the 1960s. In 1968 he was called by Lando Fiorini and worked at the Puff until 1970, then he worked in various cabarets in Italy including the Milan Derby. Later he began his collaboration with the Roman theater Il Bagaglino which led him to work with Gabriella Ferri, Oreste Lionello, Enrico Montesano and Pippo Franco.
The television debut took place in Rai in 1971 when he participated in the program ‘Sottovoce ma non molto’. Later he took part in the ‘Group photo’ program, in which he joined Raffaele Pisu. He plays a police commissioner in the television film ‘The doll’, from the series’ The door to the dark ‘, produced by Dario Argento and aired on Rai in 1973. In the 1970s, he followed some appearances in television shows such as’ Milleluci ‘(1974 with Raffaella Carrà),’ Dove sta Zazà ‘(1973) and’ Mazzabubù ‘(1975).
The real success, however, came in 1983 with the participation in Antonio Ricci’s ‘Drive In’ program. It will air for five years and D’Angelo plays the character of Mr. Armando, owner and trainer of the dog ‘Has Fidanken’. Among the other characters played are the Tenerone and the imitations of Pippo Baudo and Katia Ricciarelli (at the time spouses), Sandra Milo, Roberto Gervaso, Piero Angela and Raffaella Carrà. In 1988, together with Ezio Greggio, he conducted the first season of the Striscia la Notizie program on Italia 1. In addition, in the same period he conducted the programs Odiens (among the characters interpreted there is an imitation of Marisa Laurito) and Televiggiù.
In 1992 he was the protagonist of the sitcom ‘Casa dolce casa’, together with Alida Chelli and Enzo Garinei. He returned to Rai in 1993, conducting the show ‘Honeymoon’ with Gabriella Carlucci on Rai 1. In the two-year period 1995-1997 he is’ Diavolik ‘, with Carrà in the role of Eva Kant in’ Carràmba! What a surprise’. In the same year he is the protagonist of the recital ‘Bravo Bravissimo’, dedicated to his career.
After winning four Telegatti, in 2001 he won the Golden Dolphin for Lifetime Achievement. In 2015 he participated in Italia’s Got Talent on Sky, as a guest competitor, without being judged. In 2017 he is on a theatrical tour with ‘Four women and a rogue’ together with Corinne Cléry, Barbara Bouchet, Marisa Laurito and Paola Caruso.
In 2019 he appears in the film ‘W gli sposi’ directed by Valerio Zanoli. In the cast also Paolo Villaggio, in his latest film interpretation.
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