Alvaro Vitali, historical face of the Italian and iconic comedy Pierino, died at 75 years of age. In memory, we selected five of his most famous films that have marked an era of Italian popular cinema
If Rome has lost one of its most loved children, Italy cries the only one and alone Pierino. Alvaro Vitali, actor and comedian who marked an era of Italian comedy, disappeared at the age of 75.
Born on February 3, 1950, Vitali was an iconic figure of popular cinema and has since the beginning conquered the heart of the audience thanks above all to his most famous character, Pierino, the bachelor and irreverent boy protagonist of a long series of successful films between the 70s and 80s.
Vitali had been hospitalized a few weeks ago for a recidivism bronchopneumonite, as his ex -wife Stefania Corona said in a recent interview. Despite the care, the respiratory complications took him away in a Roman dusk that marks not only the end of a day but the end of an era for Italian comedy.
Alvaro Vitali’s career: from Fellini to the consecration like Pierino
Alvaro Vitali’s career had an extraordinary beginning thanks to the meeting with Federico Fellini, who wanted him to appearance and small characters in masterpieces such as The clowns (1971), Rome (1972) e Amarcord (1973). These first works allowed him to get noticed and to refine his scenic presence, made of funny expressions, particular gestures and an intense ability to communicate without words.
The general public, however, remembers him above all for his contribution to the Italian sexy comedy, a genre that Vitali was able to interpret with irony and an irresistible spontaneity. The character of Pierino, inspired by famous Italian jokes, gave him fame and an indissoluble bond with the spectators. Pierino was the spiteful and a little mischievous boy, capable of stageing hilarious and irreverent situations which, despite their simplicity, reflected an era and a way of making all all Italian comedy.
Pierino: the symbol of the Italian comedy of the 80s
Pierino’s saga officially began in 1981 with the film Pierino against everyonedirected by Marino Girolami. Here Vitali perfectly embodied that rebellious child, a little impertinent and provocative, who challenged the authority between jokes and paradoxical situations. The success was immediate and pushed to the realization of other chapters such as Pierino hits again (1982), who deepened the misadventures of the character between school, family and friends.
In Pierino doctor of the saub (1981), Vitali instead won the role of an improbable doctor struggling with a chaotic hospital and tragicomic situations, once again showing his ability to make people laugh with a mix of innocence and goliardia. These films, although often criticized by the press for their lightness and the humor at times irreverent, have become real cult, entering the heritage of Italian popular culture.
A legacy of laughter and nostalgia
Alvaro Vitali leaves an important inheritance in the history of Italian cinema, embodying the most popular and genuine comedy of an era that will no longer return. His Pierino is a symbol of pop culture of the 80s, a figure who made entire generations laugh with a humor made of innocence, light -heartedness and a pinch of irreverence.
His death marks the end of an era, but the memory of his comedy will live forever through his films, which continue to be loved and revised with affection. In a world that changes rapidly, Alvaro Vitali will remain an essential point of reference for those looking for simple and authentic smile.
Five unforgettable films with Alvaro Vitali
- Pierino against everyone (1981)
Pierino’s film debut, where Vitali gives life to a messy boy who does not spare jokes and teachers. The comedy is simple, direct and engaging, made of lightning jokes and grotesque situations, capable of making the Italian audience of the 80s laugh relentlessly. - Pierino hits again (1982)
The following that confirms the success of the character. Pierino’s misadventures expand, showing a mix of hilarious school scenes and family situations in the name of irreverence. Vitali manages to keep the character fresh, who becomes a symbol of rebellious and carefree youth. - Pierino doctor of the saub (1981)
In this film Vitali plays a pastyle doctor, with his somewhat slapstick humor and the ability to transform even the most improbable situations into comedy. It is a fun satire in the hospital world, which shows a different side of its versatility. - Gian Burrasca (1982)
Cinematographic adaptation of the famous novel Gian Burrasca’s newspaperin which Vitali interprets a mischievous and combined guy. The film highlights its ability to embody characters with a childish soul but with great comic potential, with memorable scenes of jokes and exaggerated situations. - The doctor prefers sailors (1981)
A sexy comedy typical of the time, in which Vitali plays a secondary but fundamental comic role for the spicy and grotesque situations that characterize the film. His presence confers lightness and light -heartedness, key elements of his career.
