Renato Rascel

Renato Rascel

Born: April 27, 1912
Died: January 2, 1991
in Turin, Piedmont, Italy
Renato Rascel (stage name of Renato Ranucci; 27 April 1912 – 2 January 1991), was an Italian film actor and singer. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972. He represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 with the song "Romantica" which was placed equal eighth out of thirteen entries.

He was born to Cesare and Paola Ranucci in Turin. It was in Turin where his parents, who were opera singers, were performing a show at the time Renato could really say that he was born in the back stage of the theater and that's where he spent all of his life. His father tried to make it up to him by having him baptized at Saint Peter's in Rome and apparently it worked because growing up in that neighborhood he ended up singing for the "white voices choir" of Saint Peter with the leadership of composer-conductor Lorenzo Perosi.

At the age of 14 Renato started to play drums in ballrooms around Rome. Soon after, he joined the Di Fiorenza Sisters as an actor, dancer and clown and in 1934 he was hired for his first big role by the Schwarts Brothers in the operetta "Al Cavallino bianco". In 1935, he joined Elena Gray for his first foreign tour in Africa.

In 1941 he created his own theater company and he began to develop his distinctive kind of humor that in the following years will crown him as the inventor of the "non-sense" with phrases like "two friends that didn't know each other". He decided to make his small size work for him, being only 5'2" tall, one of his major assets becoming known as the "Tiny Italian" (il piccoletto nazionale) and in his show he accentuated his stature by wearing huge extravagant coats, his most famous one had a large pocket on the back.

In this time he created some of his most famous characters such as "Napoleon" and "Il Corazziere" (a parody on his size since the Corazziere is a military division that employs only soldiers over 6 feet tall) that brought him to an extraordinary popularity in Italy. In 1942 he shot the first of a long series of films, Pazzo d'amore (Crazy For Love) developing and establishing his very peculiar kind of humor. Among the sixty plus films he worked in, one of the most relevant was Il Cappotto (The Overcoat) by Gogol, winner of the Golden Palm in Cannes.

He also had a leading role in The Secret of Santa Vittoria with Anthony Quinn and Anna Magnani, Seven Hills of Rome with Mario Lanza, Questi fantasmi with Eduardo De Filippo and Figaro qua Figaro là with Totò. In 1977, he appeared in the Zeffirelli film Jesus of Nazareth as the blind man.

His post second World War success is due mainly to his leading roles in the musicals by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini. The artistic trio is responsible for the existence of the "musical" in Italy with Attanasio cavallo vanesio in 1952 (featuring the American trio Peters Sisters, Alvaro piuttosto corsaro (1953), Tobia la candida spia (1955), Un paio d'ali (1957), Rascelinaria (1958), Enrico '61 (1961), and also performed for an entire year in London at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1962, along with Il giorno della tartaruga (1965) and Alleluja, brava gente (1970). ...

Source: Article "Renato Rascel" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies for Renato Rascel...

Title: Jesus of Nazareth
Character: The Blind Man
Released: March 27, 1977
Type: TV
Dramatizes the Birth, Life, Ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, largely according to the Holy Bible's New Testament Gospels.
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Un sorriso, uno schiaffo, un bacio in bocca
Title: Un sorriso, uno schiaffo, un bacio in bocca
Character: (archive footage)
Released: July 14, 1975
Type: Movie
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Pinocchio
Title: Pinocchio
Character: Narratore (voce)
Released: December 20, 1972
Type: Movie
The film was directed by Giuliano Cenci with assistance from his brother Renzo. During production, Carlo Collodis grandchildren Mario and Antonio Lorenzini were consulted. The subtle movements made by fidgeting children whilst speaking or under scrutiny were incorporated into Pinocchios movements, particularly when he lies to the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair over the fate of his gold coins. For the design of the Fairy, Italian portrayals of the Blessed Virgin Mary in art were used as starting points.
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Title: I racconti di padre Brown
Character: Padre Brown
Released: January 29, 1971
Type: TV
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I racconti di Padre Brown
Title: I racconti di Padre Brown
Character: Padre Brown
Released: December 29, 1970
Type: Movie
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Transplant
Title: Transplant
Character: Dario Barbieri
Released: March 5, 1970
Type: Movie
To satisfy his wife, an elderly man has to have a penis transplant and is willing to pay a lot to do so. Three men are selected who for different reasons are forced to accept but giving up manhood can be more complicated than expected.
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The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Title: The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Character: Babbaluche
Released: January 2, 1970
Type: Movie
During World War II, Italian villagers hide their wine from the German army.
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Delirio a due
Title: Delirio a due
Character: Lui
Released: October 28, 1967
Type: Movie
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Follie d'estate
Title: Follie d'estate
Character: il sognatore
Released: November 27, 1963
Type: Movie
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Questi fantasmi
Title: Questi fantasmi
Released: January 29, 1962
Type: Movie
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The Orderly
Title: The Orderly
Character: Remigio De Acutis
Released: November 3, 1961
Type: Movie
Colonels, majors, lieutenants: all of them live in the same building. Some of them have a wife or children or none, but everyone has his orderly. Major Penna is harassed by Osvaldo's mother. Lt. Martucci gets involved in the love affair between Antonio, his orderly, and Lauretta.
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The Last Judgment
Title: The Last Judgment
Character: Coppola
Released: October 26, 1961
Type: Movie
The Last Judgement (Italian: Il giudizio universale) is a 1961 commedia all'italiana film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It was coproduced with France. It has an all-star Italian and international cast, including Americans Jack Palance, Ernest Borgnine; Greek Melina Mercouri and French Fernandel, Anouk Aimée and Lino Ventura. The film was a huge flop, massacred by critics and audiences when it was released. It was filmed in black and white, but the last sequence, the dance at theatre, is in color.
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Destination Fury
Title: Destination Fury
Character: Renato Micacci
Released: July 23, 1961
Type: Movie
Lemmy Caution has been assigned by Interpol to work as a double agent. Little does he know how many spies are on to this deception and how dangerous his assignment has become.
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Enrico '61
Title: Enrico '61
Released: January 1, 1961
Type: Movie
Italian comedy teleplay.
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Il corazziere
Title: Il corazziere
Character: Urbano Marangoni
Released: December 21, 1960
Type: Movie
In fascist Italy, Urbano Marangoni aspires to become Corazziere, like his late father, but it is a dream destined not to come true because of his short stature.
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The Bear
Title: The Bear
Character: Medard
Released: December 14, 1960
Type: Movie
A mild-mannered zookeeper has to contend with his tyrannical boss and a talking lovesick bear.
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Little Girls and High Finance
Title: Little Girls and High Finance
Released: October 30, 1960
Type: Movie
A low level official and a prostitute both try to commit suicide and fail, afterwards he becomes a pimp and the prostitutes take over the country.
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Un militare e mezzo
Title: Un militare e mezzo
Character: Nicola Carletti
Released: February 11, 1960
Type: Movie
Nicola Carletti is a middle age 50-year old man who return to Italy with his family but he is drafted to go to the mandatory military service in Italy.
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Ferdinand I King of Naples
Title: Ferdinand I King of Naples
Character: Mimì
Released: December 22, 1959
Type: Movie
The story of "King Lazzarone" Ferdinand I of Bourbon whose pastime was to neglect the government and disguise himself as a poor man and turn to the infamous city premises in search of love adventures. With the De Filippo brothers to complete.
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Uncle Was A Vampire
Title: Uncle Was A Vampire
Character: Baron Osvaldo Lambertenghi
Released: October 28, 1959
Type: Movie
Baron Osvaldo Lambertenghi is forced to sell his ancestral castle, staying on as a bellboy when it's converted into a hotel. However he becomes vampirized when his mysterious uncle comes to stay.
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Policarpo, ufficiale di scrittura
Title: Policarpo, ufficiale di scrittura
Character: Policarpo De Tappetti
Released: March 18, 1959
Type: Movie
Policarpo De Tappetti is a calligrapher who works under the orders of Don César Pancarano de Rondò. For many years, Policarpo has been seeking a promotion and a raise that never comes, and, it seems, will never come. One day, Jerónimo, the son of Don César, meets Celeste, the daughter of Policarpo, and falls in love with her. Policarpo sees in that relationship the solution to his aspirations at work, and does everything in his power to make this relationship fruitful. Don César, who presumes to be a count, sees with very bad eyes that his son meets a girl from such a different social position, and does just the opposite. But the efforts made by both parties will be of no use, since Celeste has fallen in love with Mario Marquetti, a "specialized mechanic" (typist) who is giving private lessons in the offices of the businessman Franquinet .
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Rascel Marine
Title: Rascel Marine
Character: Caporale Ronny Rascel
Released: December 19, 1958
Type: Movie
During WW2 a platoon of marines fights the Japanese on a little island in the Pacific Ocean. On the island there is a hut where old Taikiki lives with his two daughters. The two opposing armies soon forget about war and concentrate on winning the girls' hearts.
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Move and I'll Shoot
Title: Move and I'll Shoot
Character: Renato Tuzzi - il professore
Released: March 13, 1958
Type: Movie
Renato Tuzzi, a primary school teacher, is a shy man, unable to be respected by the turbulent kids.
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Seven Hills of Rome
Title: Seven Hills of Rome
Character: Pepe Bonelli
Released: November 21, 1957
Type: Movie
After having a fight with his girl friend, Marc follows her to Rome to try and win her back. On the train he meets a girl who is on her way to stay with her uncle. He gives her a lift to her uncle's, but they discover he has gone to South America. So as she has nowhere else to go, she stays with Marc and his cousin, which inevitably leads to romance.
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Rascel-Fifì
Title: Rascel-Fifì
Character: Renato / Renatino - il suo figlio
Released: October 9, 1957
Type: Movie
Renato and Gedeon have just opened a nightclub in a disreputable area of New York, triggering the hostility of Gionata, a gang leader and owner of the nightclub across the street. Helped by the hoods of his gang, Gionata uses a couple of tricks to try and ruin his competitors. To begin with, he induces his friend Barbara, a vamp, to perform in a hot number in Renato and Gedeon's joint, so that the police intervene and close the club. The move fails, so Gionata decides to have Renatino, Renato's son, kidnapped by his men, which proves another flop. To make matters worse for Gionata, Michaela, his own daughter, has fallen in love with Renato, and sides with him and his partner...
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Oh! Sabella
Title: Oh! Sabella
Character: Don Gregorio (uncredited)
Released: August 29, 1957
Type: Movie
Raffaele, a Neapolitan student, get the news that his beloved grandmother Sabella is dying. He immediately goes to Pollena to be beside her.
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The Monte Carlo Story
Title: The Monte Carlo Story
Character: Duval
Released: December 19, 1956
Type: Movie
Stylish, sophisticated and absolutely broke, Dino and Maria pursue a romance until they realize neither of them has any money, which forces the gold diggers to turn their attention to a wealthy widower and his daughter. A compulsive gambler who owes several anxious investors a small fortune, Dino has trouble cutting his losses, no matter how bad the losing streak.
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I pinguini ci guardano
Title: I pinguini ci guardano
Released: March 8, 1956
Type: Movie
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Title: Cinépanorama
Character: Self
Released: February 4, 1956
Type: TV
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Io sono la Primula Rossa
Title: Io sono la Primula Rossa
Character: Sir Archibald
Released: December 20, 1954
Type: Movie
Comedy with Renato Rascel
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These Phantoms
Title: These Phantoms
Character: Pasquale Lojacono
Released: November 12, 1954
Type: Movie
A young husband is persuaded to move his new bride into an old palace that is supposedly haunted.But the so called ghost is really the bride's former lover who is stalking her on the premises.
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Rosso e nero
Title: Rosso e nero
Character: Himself
Released: October 27, 1954
Type: Movie
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Gran varietà
Title: Gran varietà
Character: Il comico
Released: March 13, 1954
Type: Movie
A musical comedy divided into five segments: Mariantonia, Cuttica, Il Fine Dicitore, Fregoli and Il Censore.
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Alvaro piuttosto corsaro
Title: Alvaro piuttosto corsaro
Character: Alvaro
Released: March 5, 1954
Type: Movie
Alvaro hunts for a treasure, of which he owns only half the map.
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Il matrimonio
Title: Il matrimonio
Character: Dmitry Marinin, il 'generale'
Released: February 25, 1954
Type: Movie
An Italian historical comedy film consisting of three segments, based on three stage plays by Anton Chekhov.
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Attanasio cavallo vanesio
Title: Attanasio cavallo vanesio
Released: September 3, 1953
Type: Movie
A jockey buys his favorite horse.
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Piovuto dal cielo
Title: Piovuto dal cielo
Character: Renato
Released: June 26, 1953
Type: Movie
A pickpoket falls in love with one of his victims.
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Ho scelto l'amore
Title: Ho scelto l'amore
Character: Boris Popovic
Released: March 3, 1953
Type: Movie
A satire of the Cold War, Italian style. Soviet flunkey Boris Popovitc is sent on a goodwill mission to Rome, where he is to deliver a symbolic dove of peace to a group of WW II freedom fighters. Somehow, Boris winds up in Venice minus the dove. As he searches up street and down canal for the missing bird, he meets and falls in love with luscious flower-girl Maria.
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La passeggiata
Title: La passeggiata
Character: Paolo Barbato
Released: January 27, 1953
Type: Movie
A meek and simple-minded boarding school teacher falls in love with a prostitute and gets the boot from school. He tries to have her change her way of living but she is very hard to convince. When she finally realizes he really loves her it is too late.
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The Overcoat
Title: The Overcoat
Character: Carmine De Carmine
Released: October 3, 1952
Type: Movie
Based on the Nikolai Gogol story but set in 1950s Italy, "The Overcoat" is the story of a poor city hall clerk whose only desire is to buy a new overcoat.
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L'eroe sono io
Title: L'eroe sono io
Character: Righetto
Released: February 29, 1952
Type: Movie
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Il bandolero stanco
Title: Il bandolero stanco
Character: Pepito
Released: January 1, 1952
Type: Movie
A comedy centered on the character of Pepito. It is an Italian western made before the Spaghetti western era and it is at the same time a parody of the western genre.
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Half a Century of Song
Title: Half a Century of Song
Released: January 1, 1952
Type: Movie
Through a series of scenes inspired by famous songs, various episodes of Italian life in the last fifty years are recalled.
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Love I Haven't... But... But
Title: Love I Haven't... But... But
Character: Teodoro
Released: December 7, 1951
Type: Movie
Gina tries to commit suicide by jumping into the river but is saved by Teodoro, an innocent young man. Antonio, Teodoro's brother, tries in every way to seduce her.
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Napoleone
Title: Napoleone
Character: Napoleone
Released: April 17, 1951
Type: Movie
A historical farce about Napoleon.
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Io sono il capataz
Title: Io sono il capataz
Character: Uguccione / Rascelito Villa
Released: February 28, 1951
Type: Movie
The young Uguccione is mistaken for Rascelito Villa called "C6", a dangerous revolutionary, and then immediately sent to Parazuela where he leads the insurrectionist troops.
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Beauties on bicycles
Title: Beauties on bicycles
Character: Il figlio del meccanico
Released: February 27, 1951
Type: Movie
Two chorus girls leave Milan to get to the famous Totò's theatre company. Unfortunately the bus they are on breaks down and they ask for a lift, but the driver gets too fresh with them and they decide to continue the journey with any means of transport, including bicycles.
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Figaro qua... Figaro là
Title: Figaro qua... Figaro là
Character: Don Alonzo
Released: October 12, 1950
Type: Movie
In the 18th century, Figaro the Sevillian barber is likely to be arrested because he operates his shop on Sundays, which is forbidden.
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I'm in the Revue
Title: I'm in the Revue
Character: himself
Released: February 18, 1950
Type: Movie
Good-natured and devout, a French house painter takes the train to Rome, where he has decided to go on a pilgrimage. There he meets a scatterbrained dresser who has been assigned by a music hall star to bring her the gown she is to wear on stage. The two men get stolen by Cleo, a charming thief. Once in Rome, the painter finds himself penniless and the dresser without the gown...
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Maracatumba... ma non è una rumba!
Title: Maracatumba... ma non è una rumba!
Character: rag. Filippo De Bellis
Released: January 14, 1949
Type: Movie
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Pazzo d'amore
Title: Pazzo d'amore
Released: December 25, 1942
Type: Movie