:Topo Gigio

• Topo Gigio was created in 1958 by the artist "Madame" Maria Perego and Guido Stagnaro, and starred in a children's television show in Italy in the early 1960s. He remains a fixture of Italian pop culture and still performs regularly at festivals in Italy.{{cite web |website= Sound Spaghetti |url= http://soundpaghetti.com/artists/Topo-Gigio |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190725060017/https://soundpaghetti.com//artists/Topo-Gigio |url-status= dead |archive-date= July 25, 2019 |title= Topo Gigio}}
• Topo Gigio was immensely popular in his home country and became a worldwide sensation after his recurring appearances, beginning in 1963, on The Ed Sullivan Show, in the United States.{{cite web |url= http://www.edsullivan.com/artists/topo-gigio |title= Topo Gigio |website= EdSullivan.com}} Created by a troupe of Italian puppeteers, it took four people to bring the 10-inch-tall ({{cvt|10|in|cm |disp=out}}) character to life: three to manipulate him, and one to create his voice. The puppet stood in a special "limbo" black art stage with black velvet curtains, designed to absorb as much ambient light as possible, which helped hide the puppeteers, who were also dressed in black from head to toe. Each puppeteer operated a different part of Gigio's foam rubber body by using several wooden dowel rods (also painted black). The illusion was quite remarkable, since unlike traditional hand puppets, Topo Gigio could actually appear to walk on his feet, sing, make subtle hand gestures, and even walk up Ed Sullivan's arm and perch on his shoulder. Careful lighting and TV camera adjustment made the "black art" illusion perfect for the television audience, though on at least one appearance, Ed asked the puppeteers to come out and take a bow, revealing their black-clad appearance (though deftly hiding Gigio's mechanisms to conceal the secret). In more than fifty appearances on the show, the mouse would appear on stage and greet Sullivan with, "Hello, Eddie!". Gigio would occasionally talk about his girlfriend, Rosie. Gigio ended his weekly visits by crooning to the host, "Eddie, kiss me goodnight!" (pronounced as "Keesa me goo'night!"). Topo Gigio closed Sullivan's final show in 1971.
• During the first half of the 1960s (especially in 1964), Topo Gigio also appeared in a TV music show presented by the British singer Chris Howland, both in Austria and Germany.{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pigEAAAAMBAJ&q=chris+howland+topo+gigio&pg=PA26|title=4 Disk Artist Winners of Europremio|author=Hennessey, Mike|authorlink=Mike Hennessey|date=June 5, 1965}}
• In the United Kingdom, Topo Gigio appeared on the first of many occasions on ITV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium with Jimmy Tarbuck (Compere), Nina & Frederik and Lonnie Donegan in 1965.
• In Hispanic America, Topo Gigio became a smash hit in 1968, featuring Braulio Castillo, Raúl Astor (Raúl Ignacio Spangenberg), and later, Julio Alemán. The show was produced in Peru and then in Mexico. The character is still popular in Italian and Spanish speaking territories.
• A 1969 children's television show called Cappuccetto and Her Adventures was broadcast in Austria and Switzerland. The show featured Cappuccetto with her friends Lupo Lupone, Professor Lhotko, a fox, some forest animals, her grandmother, and a music band with five mushrooms playing on guitars and singing.{{cite web|author=Suschny, Peter|url=http://www.werbemuseum.at|title=Austrian Museum of Advertising|location=Vienna, Austria|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106012142/http://werbemuseum.at/|archivedate=2010-11-06}}
• The character was also introduced to Spain, Portugal, Japan and Brazil. Topo Gigio, an animated television series produced by Nippon Animation, aired in Japan for two seasons in 1988. In 1979, Topo Gigio got his own television show on Portuguese television, with the voice of António Semedo. He later performed regularly on the show Sequim d 'Ouro', and in 2000, Topo Gigio joined Big Show Sic produced by Ediberto Lima.{{Cite web|url=http://videos.sapo.pt/cpsNAUOvzHB4qfg6pers|title=Estreia de Topo Gigio no "Big Show SIC" - Promo}}
• An Italian animated series was released on RaiPlay in April 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/topo-gigios-first-italian-toon-premieres-on-raiplay/|title = Topo Gigio's First Italian Toon Premieres on RaiPlay|date = 8 April 2020}}
• Topo Gigio will be the Italian spokesperson during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, presenting the results of the Italian jury.{{cite news |title=Topo Gigio all’Eurovision: portavoce dell’Italia |url=https://www.quotidiano.net/magazine/topo-gigio-eurovision-c9qss2cf |access-date=14 April 2025 |work=Quotidiano Nazionale |date=14 April 2025 |language=it}}

The character has starred in several feature films, including:

• The feature film The Magic World of Topo Gigio (1961) is considered lost media.
• Topo Gigio and the Missile War (1967), a Japanese-Italian international co-production directed by Kon Ichikawa.
• Topo Gigio no castelo do Conde Drácula (1989, Pedro Siaretta){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TopoGigioNoCasteloDoCondeDrculaPedroSiaretta1989|last=Pedro Siaretta|year=1989|title=Topo Gigio no castelo do Conde Drácula (Pedro Siaretta, 1989)|language=Portuguese|access-date=2020-09-04}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404507/|title=Topo Gigio - No Castelo do Conde Drácula (TV Movie 1987)|publisher=IMDb|access-date=2020-09-04}}

• Topo Gigio had several LPs with songs sung by Gabriel Garzón.
• On the fourth night of the Sanremo Music Festival 2025, Lucio Corsi and Topo Gigio sang "Nel blu, dipinto di blu".{{cite web|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/topnews/2025/02/15/giorgia-con-annalisa-vince-la-serata-delle-cover_a8a1391d-54f6-4d6b-baa7-0df33ba30eb2.html|title=Giorgia con Annalisa vince la serata delle cover|language=IT}}

• Topo Gigio has been the official mascot of the Uruguayan club Huracán Buceo since 1968.

• In Fortaleza (Brazil), there was a school named after the character.{{cite web |title=Home page |url=http://colegiotopogigio.com.br/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729081853/http://colegiotopogigio.com.br/ |archive-date=29 July 2019 |website=Colégio Topo Gigio}}

• Argentine footballer Carlos Tevez claimed that his goal celebrations were to honour Topo Gigio after Manchester City's 2–1 win over his former club and fierce rivals Manchester United in the League Cup semi-final first leg 2009/10 season. Tevez claimed that his Argentine team mate Juan Román Riquelme also honours Topo Gigio with his goal celebrations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/|title=Football News|website=Mirror.co.uk}}

• There was a restaurant in the West End of London, named "Ristorante Topo Gigio", which closed in 2008.{{cite web |title=Topo Gigio |url=https://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/italian/820-topo-gigio |website=All in London}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.topogigio.it/ Official website]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.sofaentertainment.com/sullivan-presents-topo-gigio-friends-p-116.html|title=Ed Sullivan Presents: Topo Gigio and Friends|website=Sofa Entertainment|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608071152/http://www.sofaentertainment.com/sullivan-presents-topo-gigio-friends-p-116.html|archivedate=2009-06-08}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2008/08/20/shawn-johnson-you-little-rat/|website= TMZ.com/Shawn Johnson |title=Shawn Johnson, You Little Rat|date=August 20, 2008}}
• {{cite web|url=http://perlbal.hi-pi.com/blog-images/494921/gd/1217974559/Topo-Gigio-QUEM-NAO-SE-LEMBRA-DESTE-RATINHO.jpg|title=Topo Gigio|website=perlbal.hi-pi.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309042857/http://perlbal.hi-pi.com/blog-images/494921/gd/1217974559/Topo-Gigio-QUEM-NAO-SE-LEMBRA-DESTE-RATINHO.jpg|archivedate=2012-03-09}}
• {{cite web|url=http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQNuD5Li4tiO4Jt1Jz1EGjMpzr9Mk7M8y4S-r8kd3dYn4LMQUxsHg |title=Topo Gigio|website=t0.gstatic.com}}
• {{cite web |url=http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_topogigio.htm |title=Topo Gigio |website=TV Acres |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130204200947/http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_topogigio.htm |archivedate=2013-02-04}}
• {{cite web |url=http://toys-collectibles.50webs.com/topo-gigio/index.html |website=TV toys-collectibles |title=Topo Gigio |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924215542/http://toys-collectibles.50webs.com/topo-gigio/index.html |archivedate=2006-09-24}}
• {{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/app/topo-gigio-dream/id429740289?mt=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112022049/https://itunes.apple.com/app/topo-gigio-dream/id429740289?mt=8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 12, 2012 |title= TOPO GIGIO DREAM iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch APP with music|website=iTunes}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.blogdolcevita.com/post/1593/tv-puppet-topo-gigio-turns-50|title=TV Puppet Topo Gigo Turns 50|website=blogdolcevita.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514091228/http://www.blogdolcevita.com/post/1593/tv-puppet-topo-gigio-turns-50|archivedate=2010-05-14}}
• {{imdb name|1919324}}
• {{Discogs artist|Topo Gigio (2)}}
• [http://www.45cat.com/artist/topo-gigio Entry at 45cat.com]

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Category:Male characters in television

Category:Anthropomorphic mice and rats

Category:Puppets

Category:Italian television shows featuring puppetry

Category:Italian children's television series

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