Adriano Celentano

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Adriano Celentano (Template:IPA; born 6 January 1938) is an Italian singer-songwriter, actor, showman, and filmmaker. He is dubbed Il Molleggiato ('the springy one') because of his energetic dancing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Celentano's many albums frequently enjoyed both commercial and critical success. With around 150 million records sold worldwide, he is the best-selling Italian musical artist tied with Mina who he has collaborated with in the past.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Often credited as the author of both the music and lyrics of his songs, according to his wife Claudia Mori, some were written in collaboration with others. Due to his prolific career, both in Italy and abroad, he is considered one of the pillars of Italian music.

Celentano is recognized for being particularly perceptive of changes in the music business and is credited for having introduced rock and roll to Italy. As an actor, Celentano has appeared in 39 films, mostly comedies.

Early life

Celentano was born on 6 January 1938 in Greco, Milan, Italy, at 14 Via Cristoforo Gluck, a street close to the Central Station and this address later became the subject of the famous song "Il ragazzo della via Gluck" ('The boy from Gluck Street'). His parents, Leontino Celentano and Giuditta Giuvia, were from Foggia, Apulia, and had moved north for work.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His career as a singer started in 1959. Before his debut as an artist, he was working as a watchmaker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Celentano with an Eko Guitar

Heavily influenced by Elvis Presley and the 1950s rock 'n' roll scene as well as by American actor Jerry Lewis,<ref>Clancelentano.it Template:Webarchive.</ref> Celentano started playing in a rock and roll band with Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci. Along with Gaber and Jannacci, he was discovered by Jolly Records A&R Executive Ezio Leoni, who signed him to his first recording contract and co-authored with Celentano some of his greatest early hits, including "24.000 baci", "Il tuo bacio è come un rock", and "Si è spento il Sole". He first appeared on screen in Ragazzi del Juke-Box, a 1959 Italian musical film directed by Lucio Fulci with music by Ezio Leoni. In 1960, Federico Fellini cast him as a rock and roll singer in his film La dolce vita (1960).

In 1962, Celentano founded the Italian record label Clan Celentano (which is still active) with many performers such as Don Backy, Ola & the Janglers, Ricky Gianco, Katty Line, Gino Santercole, Fred Bongusto and his wife Claudia Mori.Template:Citation needed

As a film director, Celentano frequently cast Ornella Muti, Eleonora Giorgi and his wife Claudia Mori. He and Mori have three children, Rosita, Giacomo and Rosalinda Celentano. Rosalinda is most notable to worldwide audiences for playing Satan in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Celentano has also hosted several Italian television shows.

Celentano has retained his popularity in Italy for over 50 years, selling millions of records and appearing in numerous TV shows and movies. As part of his TV and movie work, he created a comic genre, with a characteristic walk and facial expressions. For the most part, his films were commercially successful; indeed, in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, his low-budget movies were top of Italian box office rankings. As an actor, critics point to Serafino (1968), directed by Pietro Germi, as his best performance.

Celentano (right) in 2012 with Gianni Morandi

He has released 40 albums, consisting of 29 studio albums, three live albums, and eight compilations. Among his most popular songs there are "La coppia più bella del mondo", which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc;<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">Template:Cite book</ref> "Azzurro" (1968), written by Paolo Conte, "Svalutation" (1976), and "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (1972), which was written to mimic the way English sounds to non-English speakers despite being almost entirely nonsense.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Celentano was referenced in the 1979 Ian Dury and the Blockheads song and single, "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3", as one of the aforementioned "reasons to be cheerful", and in Fellini's 1986 film Ginger and Fred.

After 18 years without live performances, Celentano's 2012 live concert was broadcast on Mediaset channel Canale 5, attracting over 9 million viewers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Celentano has been a vegetarian since 2005 and has defended animal rights.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>"Adriano Celentano’s fake English song explained: What does Prisencolinensinainciusol mean?". thefocus.news. Retrieved 22 January 2023.</ref> A football fan, Celentano is a well-known Inter Milan supporter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although influenced by American culture,<ref name=":0" /> Celentano cannot speak English; he told la Repubblica that for years he wanted to learn the language but could not commit, and not knowing English is a "real pain".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When the Barilla pasta company introduced a corkscrew pasta in the 1970s, it was named cellentani for Celentano. As Barilla trademarked the name, other companies call the shape cavatappi.<ref>This story was related to chef Davide Oldani on his TV show Alle origini della bontà (24 November 2018) by Italo Bardiani, at the time one of the technicians at Barilla research lab. – http://www.acfans.it/blog/minipost/barilla-da-un-errore-e-nata-la-pasta-cellentani/</ref>

Discography

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Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1959 Ragazzi del Juke-Box Adriano Supporting role
1959 Go, Johnny, Go! Himself Cameo appearance
1959 Juke Box: Urli d'amore Singer Cameo appearance
1960 Howlers in the Dock Adriano Leading role
1960 La Dolce Vita Singer Cameo appearance
1960 Sanremo - La grande sfida Himself Leading role
1961 Io bacio... tu baci Himself Cameo appearance
1963 The Monk of Monza Adriano Supporting role
1963 Uno strano tipo Peppino Leading role
1964 Super rapina a Milano Sergio Leading role, directorial debut
1964 I malamomdo Himself Documentary film
1966 Per un pugno di canzoni Singer Cameo appearance
1968 Serafino Serafino Fiorin Leading role
1968 The Most Beautiful Couple in the World Himself Cameo appearance
1971 Er Più: Storia d'amore e di coltello Ninetto Patroni Leading role
1972 White Sister Annibale Pezzi Leading role
1973 The Five Days Meo Cainazzo Leading role
1973 Little Funny Guy Peppino Cavallo Leading role
1973 Rugantino Rugantino Leading role
1975 Yuppi du Felice della Pietà Leading role; also director and writer
1976 The Con Artists Felix Brianza Leading role
1976 Lunatics and Lovers Sprint Boss Supporting role
1977 L'altra metà del cielo Father Vincenzo Leading role
1977 Ecco noi per esempio Clic Colombo Leading role
1978 Loggerheads Herman/ Gustav Leading role
1978 Geppo il folle Geppo Leading role; also director and writer
1979 Velvet Hands Guido Quiller Leading role
1980 The Taming of the Scoundrel Elia Codogno Leading role
1980 La locandiera Ripafratta Knight Leading role
1981 Asso Asso/ Varesino/ God Multiple roles
1981 Madly in Love Barnaba Cecchini Leading role
1982 Grand Hotel Excelsior Taddeus Leading role
1982 Bingo Bongo Bingo Bongo Leading role
1983 Segni particolari: bellissimo Mattia Leading role
1983 Sing Sing Alfredo Boghi Leading role
1984 Lui è peggio di me Leonardo Leading role
1985 Joan Lui: Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì Joan Lui Leading role; also director and writer
1986 Il burbero Tito Torrisi Leading role
1992 Jackpot Furio Leading role; also writer

See also

References

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