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Odoardo Spadaro

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Odoardo Spadaro
Spadaro in 1958
Born
Odoardo Eugenio Giano Spadaro

(1893-01-16)16 January 1893
Died26 June 1965(1965-06-26) (aged 72)
Resting placeCimitero delle Porte Sante, Florence, Italy
Occupation(s)Actor, singer-songwriter
Years active1912–1964
Spouse
Clementina Lovisolo
(m. 1924)

Odoardo Eugenio Giano Spadaro (16 January 1893 - 26 June 1965) was an Italian singer-songwriter and actor.

Early life

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Spadaro was born in the quartiere of Santo Spirito in Florence, to Gustavo Spadaro and Mary Marchesini.

Career

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He debuted on stage at seventeen years old and, taking the road into variety shows as a chansonnier, a fantasist and impersonator, he became an international celebrity when he replaced Maurice Chevalier at the Folies-Bergère in Paris.[1]

In 1927 he was protagonist alongside Viviane Romance and Jean Gabin of a very successful variety show at the Moulin Rouge.[1]

Regarded as the first great Italian singer-songwriter, Spadaro also wrote many successful songs dedicated to his home city in the 1930s and 40s including lyrics and music.;[2] the best known of these being probably "Porta un bacione a Firenze" (Bring a Kiss to Florence).

Spadoro acted in several films, usually in supporting roles and appeared in The Golden Coach (La carrozza d'oro) with Anna Magnani in 1952. In 1953 he played Pinzi in Musoduro, a French-Italian drama film directed by Giuseppe Bennati in a cast led by Fausto Tozzi, Marina Vlady and Cosetta Greco.[3] He was Baron Gaetano Cefalù in the 1961 comedy Divorce Italian Style.[1] and appeared in Renato Castellani's Italian comedy-drama Mad Sea (Mare Matto) in 1963. The cast, headed by Gina Lollobrigida and Jean-Paul Belmondo, included Tomas Milian, himself, Noël Roquevert and Dominique Boschero.[4]

Personal life

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He and Clementina Lovisolo were married in 1924.[citation needed]

Death

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Grave of Odoardo Spadaro at Cimitero delle Porte Sante in Florence, Italy.

Spadaro died on 26 June 1965 in his home town, Firenze, Toscana, Italy[5] of unspecified causes. He was 72.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1920 La collana del milione
1930 Ninna nanna delle dodici mamme
1934 La fanciulla dell'altro mondo Mario
1935 Maestro Landi 'Maestro' Landi - il boia di Firenze
1943 Arcobaleno
1950 Miss Italia Master of ceremonies
1952 La carrozza d'oro Don Antonio
1953 Musoduro (aka The Hunt) Pinzi, venditore ambulante
1953 Viva la rivista! Cantante
1955 Carousel of Variety
1956 Porta un bacione a Firenze L'emigrante
1959 Un canto nel deserto
1961 Divorce Italian Style Don Gaetano Cefalù
1961 La corona di fuoco Padre Bernardo
1962 The Reluctant Saint Old Examining Prelate
1962 The Captive City Janny Mendoris
1962 Escapade in Florence Padrone
1963 Mare Matto Drudo Parenti
1964 Full Hearts and Empty Pockets [it] Coachman
1964 The Naked Hours Il nonno
1964 Napoleone a Firenze

References

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  1. ^ a b c Gianni Canova (2005). Enciclopedia del cinema. Garzanti, 2009. ISBN 881150516-X.
  2. ^ "La porti un bacione a Firenze" at Italian Heritage
  3. ^ Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. p. 469
  4. ^ Crazy Sea
  5. ^ Artist Odoardo Spadaro
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