Pietro Garinei And Sandro Giovannini's 1950s Shows

Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini began their work as playwrights in 1944 with revue show Cantachiaro Numero 1 (Cantachiaro number 1), based upon their satirical magazine and starring revue and movie star Anna Magnani.


Al Grand Hotel (At the Grand Hotel, 1948) was a revue show starring Wanda Osiris, the most popular revue star in those years and one of the all-time most popular entertainment stars in Italy.

From 1949 to 1951, Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini were the authors of radio episode fantasy comedy La Bisarca (The second ark), broadcasted by RAI-Radio Audizioni Italiane. In 1950, a movie version of La Bisarca was filmed, directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring revue and comedy star Peppino De Filippo and movie star Silvana Pampanini.

A new Deluge is going to hit the humankind and Noah (Riccardo Billi) comes back on the Earth to built a second Ark (ironically, the bis-ark). In this scenario, the stories of four people link, among them a manicurist (Silvana Pampanini) and an Italian-American shopkeeper saved from the flood caused by the Deluge (Peppino De Filippo).

Movie poster for La Bisarca (1950).

In 1950, La Bisarca was also staged in theatre.

Il Diavolo Custode (The guardian devil, 1950) was a revue show starring revue star Wanda Osiris and comedy star Enrico Viarisio.


Sandro Giovannini (left) and Pietro Garinei (right) with revue star Wanda Osiris.

Gran Baldoria (Grand revelry, 1951) was a revue show starring revue and comedy star Isa Barzizza, comedy star Enrico Viarisio and classic vocal pop group Quartetto Cetra.
Above: cover of weekly newsmagazine Tempo featuring Isa Barzizza (29th September 1951).

Gran Baraonda (Grand bedlam, 1952) was a revue show starring revue star Wanda Osiris and comedy star Alberto Sordi.
Above: cover of weekly newsmagazine Tempo, featuring Wanda Osiris and Alberto Sordi (12th July 1952).

Attanasio Cavallo Vanesio (Attanasio vain horse, 1952) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Renato Rascel and Lauretta Masiero.

Leo (Renato Rascel), a jockey, is having a walk with his horse Attanasio along a river when he meets Lea (Lauretta Masiero). Because of his debts, Leo loses Attanasio, but he manages to buy the horse back in an auction. Then, Attanasio is kidnapped by gangsters but Leo gets again the horse and, after winning a race, marries Lea.

Lauretta Masiero and Renato Rascel.

Poster for Camillo Mastrocinque's Attanasio Cavallo Vanesio (1953), movie version of the theatre musical comedy with the same title, starring revue and comedy stars Renato Rascel and Tina De Mola.

Alvaro Piuttosto Corsaro (Alvaro rather corsair, 1953) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Renato Rascel and Tina De Mola.

Alvaro (Renato Rascel) is the last descendant of a family of corsairs, but he's absolutely incompetent in sailing. He leaves with a ship to search a treasure, but he has only a half of the map: his fiancé Isabella (Tina De Mola) has the other half. In the sailing, his crew throws him in the sea, but he reaches a peopled island, where he becomes a teacher in mathematics. While trying to help a group of girls, he is recognised as a corsair, caught and then freed by a chimp! At last, Alvaro and Isabella join again, find the treasure and get married.

Tina De Mola and Renato Rascel in a behind the scenes photo.

Poster for Camillo Mastrocinque's Alvaro Piuttosto Corsaro (1954), movie version of the theatre musical comedy, starring revue and comedy stars Renato Rascel and Tina De Mola.

Caccia al tesoro (Treasure hunt, 1953) was a revue show starring revue and comedy stars Riccardo Billi and Mario Riva.

Made In Italy (1953) was a revue show starring revue star Wanda Osiris and revue and comedy star Macario.


Wanda Osiris and Macario.

International smash hit Arrivederci, Roma (Good-bye, Rome; 1954) was composed in 1954 by revue and comedy star Renato Rascel with Italian lyrics written by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini.

Tobia La Candida Spia (Tobia the candid spy, 1954) was a musical comedy (introduced as favola musicale, musical fairy tale) starring revue and comedy star Renato Rascel.

Giove In Doppiopetto (Jupiter in double-breasted coat, 1954) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Carlo Dapporto and Delia Scala.

For his three-thousandth birthday, Jupiter (Carlo Dapporto) comes back on the Earth, looking like a member of the Italian Parliament, just married to Lia (Delia Scala). The new Jupiter's escapade causes the rage of Juno (Lucy D'Albert), who prevents her husband from seducing Lia.

Carlo Dapporto and Delia Scala.

Poster for Daniele D'Anza's Giove In Doppiopetto (1954), movie version of the theatre musical comedy with the same title, starring revue and comedy stars Carlo Dapporto and Delia Scala.

La Padrona Di Raggio Di Luna (The Mistress of Moonbeam, 1955) was a musical comedy starring theatre and comedy stars Ernesto Calindri and Andreina Pagnani, revue and comedy star Lauretta Masiero, theatre and movie star Robert Alda and comedy star Maria Pia Casilio.

A businessman suddenly dies and his mature widow Clara (Andreina Pagnani) inherits his many various assets, including a football champion, Tony Mangelli known as Raggio di Luna (Moonbeam, Robert Alda).

Maria Pia Casilio, Ernesto Calindri, Andreina Pagnani, Lauretta Masiero and Robert Alda.


In the middle of the stage: Maria Pia Casilio (the fourth from the left), Ernesto Calindri, Andreina Pagnani, Lauretta Masiero and Robert Alda (the fourth from the right).

Carlo, Non Farlo! (Carlo, don't do it!; 1955) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Carlo Dapporto and Lauretta Masiero and classic vocal pop group Quartetto Cetra.


Carlo Dapporto and chorus girls in Carlo, Non Farlo!.


Cover of the music sheet of Un Po' Di Cielo (A little sky), sung by Quartetto Cetra in Carlo, Non Farlo!.

La Granduchessa E I Camerieri (The Grand Duchess and the domestics, 1955) was an operetta starring revue star Wanda Osiris and revue and comedy stars Riccardo Billi and Mario Riva.

Giovanni and Battista (Riccardo Billi and Mario Riva) are the last domestics in the Sans Souci Castle owned by the Grand Duchess (Wanda Osiris), who is in financial disarray because of gambling. They will succeed to help the Grand Duchess to retain her castle.

Wanda Osiris.


Riccardo Billi and Mario Riva.


Cartoon by Italian graphic and painter Umberto Onorato featuring Wanda Osiris, Riccardo Billi (left) and Mario Riva for La Granduchessa E I Camerieri.

Buonanotte, Bettina (Good-night, Bettina; 1956) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Walter Chiari and Delia Scala.

Nicoletta (Delia Scala) is a housewife who is writing an erotic novel. One day, she loses her manuscript in a cab and a publisher finds it. The novel is published (with the title Buonanotte, Bettina) and gains a huge success: it becomes a real craze! Nicoletta's husband, Andrea (Walter Chiari), begins to wonder if the facts in the novel are really fictional.

Delia Scala and Walter Chiari.


Delia Scala and Walter Chiari.

Un Paio D'Ali (A pair of wings, 1957) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy star Renato Rascel and comedy star Giovanna Ralli.

Enrico (Renato Rascel) is a penniless professor, bullied by his students and by his landlady, called to educate Giovanna (Giovanna Ralli), known as Sgargamella, a rough girl who wants to become an actress and who is secretly loved by Enrico. After Enrico's lessons, Sgargamella fails his audition and Enrico, oppressed by his failures, think to committ suicide. At this point, Giovanna teaches Enrico how to take courage or, as she says, to get a pair of wings. Enrico takes his revenges against his students and his landlady, and marries Giovanna.

Renato Rascel and Giovanna Ralli.


Giovanna Ralli and Renato Rascel


Cover of the EP with the songs sung by Renato Rascel in Un Paio D'Ali.

Poster for Mario Mattoli's Come Te Movi, Te Fulmino! (As you move, I'll zap you!; 1958), movie version of Un Paio D'Ali, starring Renato Rascel and Giovanna Ralli.

L'Adorabile Giulio (Adorable Giulio, 1957) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Carlo Dapporto and Delia Scala and crooner Teddy Reno.

A mature actor (Carlo Dapporto) persists to act as a libertine both on stage and in his life. The arrival of his young and wild daughter (Delia Scala) forces him to change his behaviour.

Il Musichiere (The music-maker, in ironic sense) was a Saturday night musical quiz and variety TV show broadcasted by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana from 1957 to 1960. The show was presented by revue and comedy star Mario Riva.


Mario Riva with comedy stars Alessandra Panaro (left) and Lorella De Luca presenting Il Musichiere.

Un Trapezio Per Lisistrata (A trapeze for Lysistrata, 1958) was a musical comedy based upon Aristophanes' comedy Λυσιστράτη (411 b.C.), starring revue and comedy stars Delia Scala and Mario Carotenuto, comedy star Nino Manfredi and classic vocal pop group Quartetto Cetra.


Delia Scala and Nino Manfredi.


Cover of the EP with the songs sung by Quartetto Cetra in Un Trapezio Per Lisistrata.


Cover of the music sheet of Donna (Woman), sung by Quartetto Cetra in Un Trapezio Per Lisistrata.

Canzonissima (The greatest song) was a song contest broadcasted by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana as a Saturday night TV variety show, from October to December. The first edition was broadcasted by radio (with the finale episode on TV) in 1956 with the title Le Canzoni Della Fortuna (The songs of luck). From 1963 to 1967, it was given different titles. Singers were voted by TV viewers using special postcards. The winner was proclaimed in a gala episode, broadcasted on the night of the 6th January. The different editions of Canzonissima were presented by popular actors and actresses, such as Delia Scala, Lauretta Masiero and Walter Chiari. The most popular Italian singers took part in Canzonissima, among them: Nilla Pizzi, Claudio Villa and Gianni Morandi.

In 1958 and in 1959 (see below), Canzonissima was written by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini. In 1958, the show was presented by TV presenter Renato Tagliani with revue and comedy stars Ugo Tognazzi and Walter Chiari. The song contest was won by L'Edera (The ivy), sung by classic vocal pop singer Nilla Pizzi.


Cover of Nilla Pizzi's 45rpm L'Edera.

In 1959, Canzonissima was presented by revue and comedy stars Delia Scala, Paolo Panelli and Nino Manfredi. The song contest was won by Piove (It's raining), sung by popstar Joe Sentieri.


Paolo Panelli, Delia Scala and Nino Manfredi in Canzonissima 1959.