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Italian actor
A.K.A.
Pasquale Zagaria
Gender:
Male
Places:
Birth:
9 July 1936(Andria, Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, Apulia, Italy)
Star sign:
Residences
Rome, Province of Rome, Lazio, Italy
Employers:
UNICEF
USA
Family:
Children:
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Lino Banfi Knight Grand Cross OMRI (born Pasquale Zagaria; 11 July 1936) is an Italian actor and screenwriter. Since 1960 he has appeared in more than 100 films.

Biography

He was born in the Apulian city of Andria and at the age of three, moved to Canosa di Puglia. Lino Banfi became one of the most well-known actors in Italian "sexy comedies" in the 1970s. In the 1980s he reached the peak of his fame by appearing in movies such as L'allenatore nel pallone, Vieni avanti cretino, Il commissario Lo Gatto and Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio; he later portrayed Grandpa Libero [it] in Italian TV series Un medico in famiglia.

During his career, nearly all of Lino Banfi's characters spoke with the distinctive pronunciation of the Bari dialect. Banfi and his wife Lucia Lagrasta were married since 1962 until her death in February 2023; they have two children: Walter and Rosanna, who is also an actress. In 2000, Lino Banfi became a Goodwill ambassador for the Italian National Committee for UNICEF.

Filmography

Films

TV

  • Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca (1964)
  • Il triangolo rosso (1969)
  • Arrivano i mostri (1977)
  • Il superspia (1977)
  • Se Parigi... (1982)
  • Il vigile urbano (1989, Rai 1)
  • Aspettando Sanremo (1990, Rai 1)
  • Un inviato molto speciale (1992, Rai 2)
  • Nuda proprietà vendesi (1997, Rai 1)
  • Vola Sciusciù (2000, Rai 1 - subject also)
  • Piovuto dal cielo (2000, Rai 1)
  • Angelo il custode (2001, Rai 1)
  • Un difetto di famiglia (2002, Rai 1)
  • Il destino ha 4 zampe (2002, Rai 1)
  • Un posto tranquillo (2003, Rai 1)
  • Raccontami una storia (2004, Rai 1)
  • Un posto tranquillo 2 (2005, Rai 1)
  • Il mio amico Babbo Natale (2005, Canale 5)
  • Il padre delle spose (2006, Rai 1)
  • Il mio amico Babbo Natale 2 (2006, Canale 5)
  • Scusate il disturbo (2009, Rai 1)
  • Un medico in famiglia (1998–2016, Rai 1)
  • Tutti i padri di Maria (2010, Rai 1)
  • Il commissario Zagaria (2011, Canale 5)

Books

  • Alla grande! (1991)
  • Una parola è troppa... Nonno Libero racconta (2004)
  • C'era una volta Nonno Libero (2004)
  • Ti racconto una storia. Ricordi di vita e di scena (2006)
  • Il chèlcio secondo Oronzo Canà (2009)

Honours

  •  Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (27 December 1998)