Mario Fabrizi
{{Short description|British actor and comedian (1924–1963)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{{infobox person
| name = Mario Fabrizi
| image = Mario_Fabrizi.jpeg
| caption =
| birth_name = Mario Edgio Pantaleone Fabrizi
| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|06|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = Holborn, London, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1963|4|5|1924|df=y}}
| death_place = Neasden, London, England
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1956–1963
| spouse = {{marriage|Katherine Boyne|28 May 1960}}
| children = 1
}}
Mario Edgio Pantaleone Fabrizi (25 June 1924 – 5 April 1963) was an English comedian and actor of Italian descent, noted for his luxuriant moustache. He was active in Britain in the 1950s and early 1960s.{{cite web|url=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=28326|title=Mario Fabrizi|website=www.aveleyman.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba6a07cfc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215171420/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba6a07cfc|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 December 2017|title=Mario Fabrizi|publisher=}}
Life
Fabrizi was born to Italian parents in Holborn, London, England, in 1924, his mother's maiden name being Pisani.{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=qwnOVHR22hv6I%2BAgmYGvuw&scan=1|title=Index entry|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}} His father was a Vicomte (Italian: visconte), a title that Mario inherited on his father's death in 1959.Daily Mirror 27 May 1960 p26 "Mush Takes a (Real-Life) plunge!" He married Katherine Boyne of Leeds on 28 May 1960. They had a son, Anthony, in 1961.[http://www.coates-pellegrinetti-ireland.com/pellegrinetticlaimtofame. Pellegrineti claim to fame]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On 5 April 1963 Fabrizi died of an stress-related illness at his home in Neasden, London; his wife and son survived him. A week before his death, he had announced that he was leaving show business to become an advertising executive because he had not had a job in four months.{{IMDb name|0264773|Mario Fabrizi}}
His son Anthony is now a businessman based in the City of London.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2952248/Market-profile.html|title=Market profile|date=11 December 2006 |publisher=}}
Career
On ITV, Fabrizi was well known for his role in Granada Television's popular series The Army Game, as Corporal "Moosh" Merryweather,{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/thearmygame|title=ITV's First Sitcom - The Army Game|date=31 March 2020}} while on BBC television, he was a regular member of the ensemble cast of the Tony Hancock sitcom Hancock's Half Hour.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IJQACAAAQBAJ&q=mario+fabrizi&pg=PA46|title=The Kaleidoscope British Christmas Television Guide 1937-2013|first=Chris|last=Perry|date=3 February 2016|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=9781900203609|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/hancockshalfhour/|title=Hancock's Half-Hour|last=BBC|publisher=}} His most notable film role was as Neville Shanks, the photographer, in Hancock's 1963 film, The Punch and Judy Man.{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/813053/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Punch and Judy Man, The (1962) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}} He also worked frequently with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PO-5-ttYn3UC&q=mario+fabrizi+peter+sellers+spike+milligan&pg=PT495|title=Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers|first=Ed|last=Sikov|date=19 August 2011|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=9781447207146|via=Google Books}}
He was buried in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London, W.10.
Selected filmography
- The Smallest Show on Earth (1957) - Actor in 'The Mystery of Hell Valley' (uncredited)
- The Naked Truth (1957) - Man in Autograph Crowd (uncredited)
- Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959) - Deputy Minister (uncredited)
- The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960) - (uncredited)
- Two-Way Stretch (1960) - Jones
- The Rebel (1961) - Coffee Bar attendant
- Postman's Knock (1962) - Villager
- Operation Snatch (1962) - Tall Man
- Village of Daughters (1962) - Antonio Durigo
- It's Trad, Dad! (1962) - Spaghetti Eater
- Carry On Cruising (1962) - Second Cook
- On the Beat (1962) - Newspaper Seller
- Just for Fun (1963) - Diner
- The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963) - Van Driver (uncredited)
- The Punch and Judy Man (1963) - Nevil Shanks
- The Mouse on the Moon (1963) - Mario - the Valet
- The Pink Panther (1963) - Hotel Manager (uncredited) (final film role)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/english-comedian-mario-fabrizi-marries-katherine-boyce-or-news-photo/110570646 Getty Images] Mario Fabrizi and Katherine Boyne just married
- {{IMDb name|0264773|Mario Fabrizi}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060911025828/http://www.tonyhancock.org.uk/mario.html Fabrizi bio] from [http://www.tonyhancock.org.uk/ Tony Hancock online]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fabrizi, Mario}}
Category:English male comedians
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male television actors
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Camden
Category:English people of Italian descent
Category:20th-century English male actors
Category:20th-century English comedians
Category:Male actors from London
Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Brent
Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Camden
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Brent
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