Lando Buzzanca

Lando Buzzanca
Buzzanca in 2009
Born
Gerlando Buzzanca

(1935-08-24)24 August 1935
Palermo, Italy
Died18 December 2022(2022-12-18) (aged 87)
Rome, Italy
EducationAccademia d'arte drammatica Pietro Scharoff
Occupation(s)Actor, theatre director
Years active1959–2021
Spouse
Lucia Peralta
(m. 1956; died 2010)
Children2

Gerlando "Lando" Buzzanca (24 August 1935 – 18 December 2022) was an Italian stage, film, and television actor whose career spanned 65 years.

Life and career

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Lando Buzzanca and Delia Scala in the television show Signore e signora (1970)

Early years

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Born in Palermo the son of a cinema projectionist, at 16 years old Buzzanca left the high school and moved to Rome to pursue his dream of becoming an actor.[1][2] In order to survive, he took many jobs including waiter, furniture mover, and a brief appearance as a slave in the film Ben-Hur. He made his official debut in Pietro Germi's Divorce Italian Style, and soon specialized in the role of the average immigrant from southern Italy.[2][3]

1970s–1980s: Huge success in the commedia sexy all'italiana

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Lando Buzzanca with Laura Antonelli in Il merlo maschio (1971), directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile
Il gatto mammone (1975), with Gloria Guida and Lando Buzzanca.

After two successful "James Tont" films in which he played a parody of James Bond in the 1960s, and having starred in 33 films already, he was "discovered" in 1970 in The Swinging Confessors (also known as The Married Priest). Buzzanca then had a large success in a series of satirical commedia sexy all'italiana films which satirized major institutions such as politics, religion, trade unions and financial world. Lando Buzzanca with Laura Antonelli in Il merlo maschio (1971) directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile, which was a huge success and made him a major star in the genre of commedia sexy all'italiana. In the following years he acted alongside famous actresses of the moment, such as Claudia Cardinale, Catherine Spaak, Barbara Bouchet, Gloria Guida, Senta Berger and Joan Collins. His 17 films since The Swinging Confessors grossed 20 billion lire ($32 million).[4]

1990s–2000s: The theater, the last great film and the well received TV series.

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With the decline of the genre, he slowed his film activities, focusing into theatre and television, in which he enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in the 2000s thanks to a series of well-received TV-series.[2][3]

In 2007 he starred in the feature film I Viceré by Roberto Faenza, for which he was nominated for the David di Donatello for best leading actor and won the Globo d'oro for best actor.

2010s: Success of the TV series

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From 2012 to 2014 Buzzanca played the lead actor in the successful TV series il restauratore, in 28 episodes. Buzzanca concluded the series despite the depression caused by the death of his wife, the suicide attempt and the onset of a mild cerebral ischemia.

Later years

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In 2013, following the death of his wife Lucia and a heavy depression, Buzzanca attempted suicide by cutting his veins.[5]
In 2014 he suffered from a mild cerebral ischemia which caused him aphasia, but by the following year he had fully recovered from his depressive period and started a relationship with a younger woman, Antonella.
In 2016 he participated as dancer in the television program Ballando con le Stelle and started a romance with a younger actress and journalist Francesca Della Valle.[6]

2020s: physical decline

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On 21 April 2021, he fell at home and suffered a head injury; he was rescued by the maid, who found him the day after the accident still unconscious on the ground and called an ambulance. He was admitted to the Santo Spirito hospital in Rome.[7][8][9] On 15 August 2021, Buzzanca, after the treatment received at the hospital, seemed to have fully recovered, as confirmed also by his son Massimiliano. On 27 December 2021, Buzzanca was hospitalized at the health facility in Rome, due to the worsening of his health conditions. In his later years Buzzanca suffered from senile dementia.[10][11][12]

Death

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On 18 December 2022, Buzzanca died at the Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic in Rome, where he was recovered a few days prior because of a fall, at the age of 87.[13][14][15]

On 21 December 2022, the funeral ceremony took place in the Church of the Artists in Rome, in which his partner Francesca Della Valle unexpectedly did not take part.[16][17]

Awards

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David di Donatello

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2008 I Vicerè Best Actor Nominated


Globo d'oro, Italy

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2008 I Vicerè Best Actor Won

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Director
1959 Ben-Hur Jewish Slave in the Desert (uncredited) William Wyler
1961 Divorce, Italian Style Rosario Mulè Pietro Germi
1962 His Days Are Numbered Son of Cesare Elio Petri
1963 The Eye of the Needle carabiniere Sanfilippo Marcello Andrei
1963 The Girl from Parma Michele Pantanò Antonio Pietrangeli
1963 Le monachine Amilcare Franzetti Luciano Salce
1963 I mostri Luciana's Husband (segment "Come un padre") Dino Risi
1964 Extraconjugal Roberto (segment "La doccia") Massimo Franciosa

1964 Le corniaud the barber

1964 Corpse for the Lady Enzo Mario Mattoli
1964 Seduced and Abandoned Antonio Ascalone Pietro Germi
1964 Love in Four Dimensions Sicilian husband Mino Guerrini (segment "Amore e alfabeto")
1964 I marziani hanno dodici mani Lo sposo Castellano & Pipolo
1964 Love and Marriage (segment "La prima notte") Mino Guerrini and Gianni Puccini
1964 The Magnificent Cuckold Guardian Antonio Pietrangeli
1965 Su e giù Cuccio (segment "Questione di Principo") Mino Guerrini
1965 Letti sbagliati (segment "Il complicato") Steno
1965 James Tont operazione U.N.O. James Tont Bruno Corbucci
1965 James Tont operazione D.U.E. James Tont Bruno Corbucci
1965 The Sucker Lino Gérard Oury
1965 The Double Bed Birolli Jean Delannoy, François Dupont-Midi, Alvaro Mancori and Gianni Puccini
1965 Made in Italy Giulio (segment "Usi e costumi") Nanni Loy
1966 For a Few Dollars Less Bill Mario Mattoli
1966 Ringo and Gringo Against All Serg. Gringo Bruno Corbucci
1966 I nostri mariti Ragionier Manzi (segment "Il Marito di Olga") Luigi Filippo D'Amico, Dino Risi and Luigi Zampa
1966 After the Fox Police Chief Vittorio De Sica
1967 Spia, spione Carlo Barazzetti Bruno Corbucci
1967 A Rose for Everyone Lino Franco Rossi
1967 Don Juan in Sicily Giovanni Percolla Alberto Lattuada
1967 Operation St. Peter's Napoleone Lucio Fulci
1968 Colpo di sole ? Mino Guerrini
1968 Anyone Can Play Blackmailer Luigi Zampa
1968 Better a Widow Massito Duccio Tessari
1968 Criminal Affair Esteban de Flori Rossano Brazzi
1969 Puro siccome un angelo papà mi fece monaco... di Monza Nunzio di Licordia Giovanni Grimaldi
1969 La donna a una dimensione Host on TV (uncredited) Bruno Baratti
1969 House of Pleasure Count Lombardini Franz Antel
1969 Monte Carlo or Bust! Marcello Ken Annakin
1970 Un caso di coscienza Salvatore Vaccagnino Giovanni Grimaldi
1970 Il debito coniugale Orazio Franco Prosperi
1970 Fermate il mondo...voglio scendere! Ricky Ceciarelli Giancarlo Cobelli
1970 When Women Had Tails Kao Pasquale Festa Campanile
1970 The Swinging Confessors Don Salvatore Marco Vicario
1970 La prima notte del Dottor Danieli, industriale col complesso del... giocattolo Carlo Danieli Giovanni Grimaldi
1970 Nel giorno del Signore Pietro Bruno Corbucci
1971 The Blonde in the Blue Movie Rosario Trapanese Steno
1971 Man of the Year Michele Cannaritta Marco Vicario
1971 Il merlo maschio Niccolò Vivaldi Pasquale Festa Campanile
1971 Le belve Various characters Giovanni Grimaldi
1972 The Eroticist Giacinto "Gianni" Puppis Lucio Fulci
1972 When Women Lost Their Tails Ham Pasquale Festa Campanile
1972 Il sindacalista Saverio Ravizzi Luciano Salce
1972 La calandria Lidio Pasquale Festa Campanile
1972 L'uccello migratore Andrea Pomeraro Steno
1973 My Darling Slave Demetrio Cultrera Giorgio Capitani
1973 Il magnate Furio Cicerone Giovanni Grimaldi
1973 Io e lui Rico Luciano Salce
1974 L'arbitro Carmelo Lo Cascio Luigi Filippo D'Amico
1974 Il domestico Rosario "Sasà" Cabaduni Luigi Filippo D'Amico
1975 Il fidanzamento Luigi Mannozzi Giovanni Grimaldi
1975 Il gatto mammone Lollo Mascalucia Nando Cicero
1975 Dracula in the Provinces Cav. Costante Nicosia Lucio Fulci
1976 San Pasquale Baylonne protettore delle donne Giuseppe Cicerchia Luigi Filippo D'Amico
1978 Travolto dagli affetti familiari Memé Di Costanzo Mauro Severino
1980 Prestami tua moglie Alex Fortini Giuliano Carnimeo
1982 I'm Going to Live by Myself Giuseppe Marco Risi
1987 Secondo Ponzio Pilato Valerian Luigi Magni
1994 Once a Year, Every Year Giuseppe Marco Risi
2000 Il segreto del giaguaro Mazzaro Antonello Fassari
2007 I Vicerè Prince Giacomo Roberto Faenza
2017 Chi salverà le rose? Claudio Cesare Furesi

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1970 Signore e signora
1988 Cinema
1999 Cornetti al miele
2003 Una famiglia per caso
2005 Il cielo può attendere
2005 Mio figlio
2007 Clare and Francis
2007 La baronessa di Carini
2010 Lo scandalo della Banca Romana
2010 Capri season 3
2010 Io e mio figlio - Nuove storie per il commissario Vivaldi Federico Vivaldi
2012–2014 Il Restauratore Basilio Corsi season 1–2 (28 episodes)
2012 Terra ribelle – Il nuovo mondo Alfredo Malagridas season 2
2013 Donne in gioco
2016 Ballando con le stelle Ballando con le Stelle (series 11)
2017 Meglio tardi che mai
2019 W Gli Sposi Reverendo

References

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  1. ^ Sergio Buonadonna (8 August 2010). "Lando Buzzanca". La Repubblica. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Fabio Secchi Frau. "Lando Buzzanca: Il cinema italiano mi fece sexy". MyMovies. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b Enrico Lancia, Roberto Poppi. "Buzzanca, Lando". Gli Attori. Gremese Editore, 2003. ISBN 8884402697.
  4. ^ Rizzo, Eugene (7 May 1975). "Spencer, Hill Pace Talent Race At Italian Box Office". Variety. p. 137. Retrieved 13 April 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ "Lando Buzzanca si confessa: "E' vero, ho tentato il suicidio"". Il Mattino. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Lando Buzzanca, playboy senza età". Novella 2000. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Il malore poi la caduta. Lando Buzzanca è in ospedale". ilgiornale.it. ilgiornale.it. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Lando Buzzanca, lo sfogo della compagna Francesca Della Valle: "Lui è in ospedale e non mi permettono neanche di vederlo" – ESCLUSIVO". oggi.it. oggi.it. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Lando Buzzanca ricoverato da un mese, la compagna rivela: "Non so più nulla di lui"". tgcom24.mediaset.it. tgcom24.mediaset.it. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Chi era Lando Buzzanca: i film, la malattia e la polemica tra la compagna e i figli". Il Riformista (in Italian). 18 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Cinema, addio a Lando Buzzanca". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). 18 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  12. ^ ""Papà Lando Buzzanca mi ha detto ʼti amoʼ "". tgcom24.mediaset.it. tgcom24.mediaset.it. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Morto Lando Buzzanca". La Repubblica. 18 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Lando Buzzanca, morto a Roma l'attore e cantante: aveva 87 anni". Il Messaggero. 18 December 2022.
  15. ^ "E' morto Lando Buzzanca". ansa.it. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Lando Buzzanca, commozione ai funerali ma la compagna diserta: "Potevano salvarlo"". tgcom24.mediaset.it. tgcom24.mediaset.it. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Compagna di Buzzanca diserta il funerale, "lo potevano salvare"". ansa.it. ansa.it. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
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