Mario Riva
{{Short description|Italian actor (1913–1960)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Mario Riva 58.jpg
|caption = Riva in the TV-show Il Musichiere (1958)
| name = Mario Riva
| birth_name = Mario Bonavolontà
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|1|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Rome, Italy
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1960|9|1|1913|1|26|df=yes}}
| death_place = Verona, Italy
| occupation = Actor, television presenter
| yearsactive = 1941–1960
}}
Mario "Mariuccio" Bonavolontà (26 January 1913 – 1 September 1960), professionally known as Mario Riva, was an Italian television presenter and actor. He appeared in 51 films between 1941 and 1960.{{cite web|url=https://www.mymovies.it/filmografia/?a=588 |title=Mario Riva |work=MyMovies |access-date=10 November 2019}}
Life and career
Born in Rome as Mario Bonavolontà, the son of composer {{ill|Giuseppe Bonavolontà|it}} (1886–1957) and his wife Teresa Chinzari. His father composed over 500 popular tunes including "{{lang|it|Fiocca la neve|i=no}}". Mario attended the {{lang|it|Collegio San Giuseppe|i=no}} in {{lang|it|Piazza di Spagna|i =no}} in Rome.{{Cite web |url=http://www.storiaradiotv.it/MARIO%20RIVA.htm |title=Mario Riva |access-date=17 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422172956/http://www.storiaradiotv.it/MARIO%20RIVA.htm |archive-date=22 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}
Riva debuted at young age as a dubber and a radio actor.{{cite book|last=Enrico Lancia, Roberto Poppi|title=Dizionario del cinema italiano: Gli attori|date=2003 |publisher=Gremese Editore, 2003|isbn=8884402697}} His film debut was in 1941 in {{lang|it|{{ill|Due cuori sotto sequestro|it}}}} (Two Hearts Seized). He became first known as presenter of the stage show Clan (1942).
After a long season of successes on stage (often in couple with Riccardo Billi) Riva reached the peak of his career with the RAI variety television {{lang|it|Il Musichiere}} (1957–1960), the Italian version of Name That Tune. He also appeared on several films, usually in supporting roles.
While he was presenting from the Verona Arena the {{lang|it|Secondo Festival del Musichiere|i=no}} (a special event linked to the TV program), he inadvertently fell into a hole in the stage covered with a tarpaulin and died from his injuries a few days later.
Selected filmography
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- {{lang|it|Due cuori sotto sequestro}} (1941) – singer
- Toto Tours Italy (1948) – Giovanni
- Baron Carlo Mazza (1948) – announcer
- The Firemen of Viggiù (1949)
- Yvonne of the Night (1949) – the cigarette boy
- Adam and Eve (1949) – the Russian castaway
- Toto Looks For a House (1949) – the owner of the agency
- {{lang|it|Se fossi deputato}} (1949) – Giuseppino
- {{lang|it|Ho sognato il paradiso}} (1950)
- The Cadets of Gascony (1950) – Mario Fantoni
- Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) – Pasquale
- {{lang|it|Arrivano i nostri}} (1951) – Mario
- Accidents to the Taxes!! (1951) – Mario
- The Steamship Owner (1951) – Mario
- My Heart Sings (1951) – Mario
- {{lang|it|Porca miseria}} (1951) – Count Cerri
- {{lang|it|Ha fatto tredici}} (1951) – himself
- Sardinian Vendetta (1952) – Mario
- Abracadabra (1952) – Amleto
- In Olden Days (1952) – picky customer (segment "{{lang|it|Il carrettino dei libri vecchi|i=no}}")
- {{lang|it|Giovinezza}} (1952) – peddler
- Beauties on Motor Scooters (1952)
- Easy Years (1953) – Mario Paolella
- {{lang|it|Siamo tutti milanesi}} (1953)
- The Country of the Campanelli (1954) – magician Tarquinio
- It Happened at the Police Station (1954) – the second tram driver
- Tripoli, Beautiful Land of Love (1954) – Giulio Cesare
- Laugh! Laugh! Laugh! (1954) – Otello Spinotti
- {{lang|it|Scuola elementare}} (1955) – Pilade Mucci, the school caretaker
- It Happened at the Police Station (1955) – inmate No. 77
- {{lang|it|La moglie è uguale per tutti}} (1955) – Mario Rivetti
- {{lang|it|Bravissimo}} (1955) – the dance teacher
- Roman Tales (1955) – the waiter at the restaurant
- {{lang|it|Motivo in maschera}} (1955)
- {{lang|it|Il campanile d'oro}} (1955)
- {{lang|it|I giorni più belli}} (1956) – Nicola, the delicatessen seller
- {{lang|it|Arrivano i dollari!}} (1957) – Cesaretto Pasti
- {{lang|it|Serenate per 16 bionde}} (1957) – Pippo
- {{lang|it|Gente felice}} (1957) – Francesco
- {{lang|it|A sud niente di nuovo}} (1957)
- {{lang|it|Ladro lui, ladra lei}} (1958) – commendatore Stefano Maghetti
- {{lang|it|È arrivata la parigina}} (1958) – Strettani
- {{lang|it|I prepotenti}} (1958) – Domenico Esposito
- Toto, Peppino and the Fanatics (1958) – Caprioli's boss
- {{lang|it|Gli zitelloni}} (1958) – the judge
- {{lang|it|Sergente d'ispezione}} (1958) – Turconi
- {{lang|it|Mia nonna poliziotto}} (1958) – Mario Secchioni
- {{lang|it|Il terribile Teodoro}} (1958)
- {{lang|it|Domenica è sempre domenica}} (1958) – himself
- {{lang|it|Fantasmi e ladri}} (1959) – Edmondo Natale
- {{lang|it|Prepotenti più di prima}} (1959) – the traffic warden
- Policarpo (1959) – the fireman at the theatre (uncredited)
- {{lang|it|Perfide.... ma belle}} (1959) – Romolo Proietti
- {{lang|it|Il raccomandato di ferro}} (1959) – Augusto Zinconi
- The Traffic Policeman (1960) – himself
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0728960|Mario Riva}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riva, Mario}}
Category:Accidental deaths from falls
Category:Accidental deaths in Italy
Category:Italian male film actors
Category:Male actors from Rome
Category:20th-century Italian male actors
Category:Italian male stage actors
Category:Italian radio personalities
Category:Italian television presenters