Lello Arena
{{short description|Italian actor and comics writer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lello Arena
| image =Lello Arena 02.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Raffaele Arena
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1953|11|01}}
| birth_place = Naples, Campania, Italy
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actor & Comics writer
| years_active = 1970–present
| height = {{convert|1.68|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Francesca Taviani|2006}}
| children = 1 son
}}
Raffaele "Lello" Arena (born 1 November 1953) is an Italian actor and comics writer. He was also an occasional film director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Born in Naples as Raffaele Arena, he was the son of two workers in a tobacco factory.{{cite news|last=Alessandro Ferrucci|title=Lello Arena: "I miei sessant'anni tra Troisi, manganelli, comunisti e mezze aragoste"|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2013/10/21/lello-arena-miei-sessantanni-tra-troisi-manganelli-comunisti-e-mezze-aragoste/750651/|access-date=9 December 2013|newspaper=Il Fatto Quotidiano|date=21 October 2013}} In 1969, at a very young age, Arena formed the cabaret ensemble "La Smorfia" together with Massimo Troisi and Enzo Decaro.{{cite book|last=Roberto Chiti, Roberto Poppi|title=Dizionario del cinema italiano. Gli attori|date=2003 |publisher=Gremese Editore, 2003|isbn=8884402131}} In 1978 and 1979, the group appeared in two RAI variety shows (Non stop and Luna Park) obtaining a great success. The group disbanded in 1980 and for some time Arena kept on collaborating with his friend Troisi, starring in his three first films. He won a David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Troisi's Scusate il ritardo.{{cite book|last=Enrico Lancia|title=I premi del cinema|year=1998|publisher=Gremese Editore, 1998|isbn=8877422211}}
Later Arena focused his career on television, appearing in a large number of variety shows; he occasionally came back to cinema, even making his debut as a director in 1989 with Chiari di luna. He is also active on stage.Giorgio Dell’Arti, Massimo Parrini. Catalogo dei viventi. Marsilio, 2009. {{ISBN|978-88-317-9599-9}}.
Arena also worked as a comics writer, notably for Lupo Alberto and Topolino.
Filmography
File:Scusate il ritardo.png and Arena in Scusate il ritardo (1982)]]
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | I'm Starting from Three | Raffaele 'Rafè' Sodano, aka Lello | |
| 1982 | No Thanks, Coffee Makes Me Nervous | Michele Giuffrida | |
| 1983 | Scusate il ritardo | Tonino | |
| 1984 | Cuori nella tormenta | Raffaele Cuoco | |
| 1984 | Bertoldo, Bertoldino e Cacasenno | King Alboino | |
| 1987 | Il coraggio di parlare | Don Angelo | |
| 1988 | Chiari di luna | Davide Ruffo | |
| 1995 | Facciamo paradiso | Calabrone | |
| 1998 | You Laugh | Rocco | (segment "Due sequestri") |
| 2003 | Totò Sapore e la magica storia della pizza | Pulcinella | Voice |
| 2008 | Ho ammazzato Berlusconi | ||
| 2011 | Rien Va | Custode | |
| 2014 | La scuola più bella del mondo | Arturo Moscariello | |
| 2015 | Wondrous Boccaccio | Duca Tancredi | |
| 2017 | Veleni | Melograno | |
| 2018 | Quando sarò bambino |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0034253}}
{{David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arena, Lello}}
Category:Male actors from Naples
Category:Italian male stage actors
Category:Italian male film actors
Category:Italian male television actors
Category:David di Donatello winners
Category:Italian film directors
Category:Italian television personalities
Category:Film people from Naples