Pietro Garinei And Sandro Giovannini's 1960s Shows

Un Mandarino Per Teo (A Mandarine for Teo, 1960) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Walter Chiari, Sandra Mondaini, Ave Ninchi, Riccardo Billi and Alberto Bonucci.

The Devil (Alberto Bonucci), under the features of a notary, offers Teo (Walter Chiari) the chance to get rich by killing a Mandarin: he has just to ring a little bell. Teo rings the bell and inherits the Mandarin's riches, then he left his fiancé Rosanella (Sandra Mondaini) and starts to have fun. After a certain time, Teo regrets and raises the money to give back the riches to the Devil.

From the left: Alberto Bonucci, Sandra Mondaini, Walter Chiari, Ave Ninchi and Riccardo Billi.


Comic picture for the cast of Un Mandarino Per Teo: Walter Chiari (lying) and, from the left, Sandra Mondaini, Alberto Bonucci, Ave Ninchi and Riccardo Billi.

Lobby card for Mario Mattoli's Un Mandarino Per Teo, movie version of the theatre musical comedy with the same title, starring revue and comedy stars Walter Chiari (in the picture), Sandra Mondaini, Ave Ninchi, Riccardo Billi and Alberto Bonucci.

Rascelinaria (Rascelinary, 1960) was a variety show starring revue and comedy star Renato Rascel, based upon his career.

Delia Scala Show (1961) was a variety show starring revue and comedy star Delia Scala, based upon her career.

Rinaldo In Campo (Rinaldo on field, 1961) was a musical comedy starring crooner Domenico Modugno (who also composed the music) and revue and comedy stars Delia Scala, Paolo Panelli, Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia.
The premiere of Rinaldo In Campo was staged at Teatro Alfieri (Alfieri Theatre, after 19th Century Italian dramatist and poet Vittorio Alfieri) in Turin on 12th September 1961, among the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Unification of Italy (17th March 1861).
In 1963, Rinaldo In Campo was broadcasted on TV by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana.

The comedy is set in Sicily in 1860, in the course of spedizione dei Mille (expedition of Thousand) under the command of the revolutionary leader Giuseppe Garibaldi. Rinaldo (Domenico Modugno) is an outlaw caught by noblewoman Angelica (Delia Scala) while stealing in her house. Angelica is a fervent admirer of Garibaldi, deems Rinaldo a garibaldino (one of the volunteers lead by Garibaldi) and follows him to his camp. Angelica discovers the truth but she decides to stay with Rinaldo; he becomes a garibaldino after that his best friend Chiericuzzo (Paolo Panelli) is shot to death by Bourbon soldiers.

A dramatic scene from Rinaldo In Campo: the death of Chiericuzzo (Paolo Panelli, lying). With him, in the centre of the stage, Franco Franchi and Domenico Modugno (crouched), and Ciccio Ingrassia (standing). Delia Scala is on the right.


Domenico Modugno and Delia Scala.


Cover of weekly newsmagazine La Domenica del Corriere: Domenico Modugno breaks his right shinbone while rehearsing Rinaldo In Campo in Rome.


Delia Scala with Domenico Modugno after the accident.


Delia Scala and Domenico Modugno.


From the left: Franco Franchi, Domenico Modugno, Delia Scala and Ciccio Ingrassia.


Cover of Domenico Modugno's Rinaldo In Campo EP.


Cover of Rinaldo In Campo sheet music.


Cover of weekly showbiz magazine TV Sorrisi E Canzoni announcing the coming broadcasting of Rinaldo In Campo on TV (18th November 1962).

L'Adorabile Giulio (Adorable Giulio, 1957) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Carlo Dapporto and Delia Scala and crooner Teddy Reno.
In 1961, L'Adorabile Giulio was broadcasted on TV by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana.

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

Enrico '61 (1961) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy star Renato Rascel, theatre and comedy stars Gianrico Tedeschi, Gisella Sofio and Renzo Palmer, and variety and comedy star Gloria Paul.
In 1964, Enrico '61 was broadcasted on TV by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana.

Enrico '61 was written for the 100th anniversary of the Unification of Italy (17th March 1861). Roman middle-class Enrico has his 100th birthday: he recalls the most important facts of his life in association with the most relevant facts of Italian history from 1861.

Renato Rascel as the 100-year old Enrico.


From the left: Renato Rascel (as the young Enrico), Renzo Palmer and Gloria Paul.


Cover of Enrico '61 pamphlet.


Cover of Enrico '61 EP.

Rugantino (1962) was a musical comedy (with a tragic epilogue) starring movie stars Nino Manfredi and Lea Massari, revue and movie star Aldo Fabrizi, revue and comedy star Bice Valori and theatre and movie star Fausto Tozzi. The music was composed and directed by Armando Trovajoli.
In February 1964, Rugantino was staged at the Mark Hellinger Theatre in Broadway for three weeks. All the shows were played in Italian with supertitles and were sold out.

The comedy is set in the Papal Rome of the 19th Century. Rugantino is a boaster and coward young man who lives by his wits: he tricks everyone he meets, including Mastro Titta (Aldo Fabrizi), the official executioner of Stato Pontificio (Papal States). Rugantino bets with his friends that he will seduce Rosetta (Lea Massari), wife of violent Gnecco (Fausto Tozzi). Rugantino succeeds to seduce Rosetta but he doesn't tell it anyone, because he has fallen in love with her. Provoked by his friends, Rugantino boasts of his conquest but he is mocked by Rosetta in public. After a certain time (in the last night of Carnival), Gnecco is stabbed to death by an unknown person but Rugantino incriminates himself of the murder, to demonstrate his love for Rosetta and of being a man of honour. Because of this, he will be executed by Mastro Titta, after receiving a declaration of love by Rosetta.

Rugantino is a character of the Roman theatre, a boaster but good fellow, introduced in the late 18th Century. His name comes from the Roman word ruganza, arrogance (in Italian, arroganza).
The real name of Mastro Titta was Giovanni Battista Bugatti: he was the official executioner of the Papal States from 1796 to 1865.


Poster for Rugantino.


Lea Massari and Nino Manfredi.


Lea Massari and Nino Manfredi.


Above and below: Nino Manfredi in Rugantino.




Above and below: chorus scenes from Rugantino.




The tragic epilogue: Rugantino (Nino Manfredi, right) is ready to be executed by Mastro Titta (Aldo Fabrizi).


Photo from the premiere of Rugantino (15th December 1962). On the front line, from the left: Aldo Fabrizi, Lea Massari, composer and conductor Armando Trovajoli and Nino Manfredi.


Lea Massari, Fausto Tozzi and Nino Manfredi discussing the show.


Nino Manfredi with classic vocal pop singer Ornella Vanoni, who replaced Lea Massari after the first edition of the show.


Above and below: Ornella Vanoni in Rugantino.




Aldo Fabrizi and Ornella Vanoni.


Cover of a 45rpm with songs from Rugantino sung by Nino Manfredi and Lea Massari.


Cover of a 45rpm with songs from Rugantino sung by Ornella Vanoni.

Il Giorno Della Tartaruga (The day of the turtle, 1964) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy stars Renato Rascel and Delia Scala.
In 1966, Il Giorno Della Tartaruga was broadcasted on TV by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana.

On a rainy day, Maria (Delia Scala) and Lorenzo (Renato Rascel), a married couple, stay at home and recall the main facts of their relationship. Moreover, Maria has to say to Lorenzo that she's expecting a baby.

Cover of the sheet music featuring Renato Rascel and Delia Scala.


Delia Scala and Renato Rascel.


Delia Scala and Renato Rascel.


Above and in the following pictures: the ironic strip-tease performed by Delia Scala (as Maria) by the light of the fridge lamp. She doesn't notice the arrival of Renato Rascel (as Lorenzo).










Above and below: covers of 45rpm's with songs from Il Giorno Della Tartaruga.

Ciao, Rudy (Hello, Rudy; 1966) was a musical comedy starring movie star Marcello Mastroianni and 13 actresses, including revue and comedy star Olga Villi, theatre star Paola Borboni and variety star Raffaella Carrà.

Ciao, Rudy is based upon the personal events that lead Rodolfo Rudolph Valentino (played by Marcello Mastroianni) to become a movie star.

Marcello Mastroianni in Ciao, Rudy.


Marcello Mastroianni and theatre star Giusi Raspani Dandolo.


Photo taken just before a preparatory meeting for Ciao, Rudy. On the front line: co-author Luigi Magni, Marcello Mastroianni and Pietro Garinei; on the back: Sandro Giovannini, composer and conductor Armando Trovajoli and set and costume designer Giulio Coltellacci.


Cover of Ciao, Rudy LP.


Cover of a 45rpm with songs sung by Marcello Mastroianni in Ciao, Rudy.

Buonanotte, Bettina (Good-night, Bettina; 1956) was a musical comedy starring revue and comedy star Walter Chiari and Delia Scala.
In 1967, a TV edition was broadcasted by RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana.

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 it 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.

Walter Chiari and Delia Scala in the TV edition of Buonanotte, Bettina.

Viola, Violino E Viola D'Amore (Viola, violin and viola d'amore; 1967) was a musical comedy starring theatre and movie star Enrico Maria Salerno and variety stars Alice and Ellen Kessler (aka the Kessler Twins).
Viola d'amore (love viol) is a stringed musical instrument used in Baroque music.

An Italian man (the violin, Enrico Maria Salerno) is married with a beautiful German woman (the viola, Alice Kessler) who is indipendent and dynamic, but daydreams about another woman (the viola d'amore, Ellen Kessler) who looks like his wife, but who is sweet and submissive.

Enrico Maria Salerno with Ellen (left) and Alice Kessler.


A chorus scene from Viola, Violino E Viola D'Amore, featuring Enrico Maria Salerno in the centre of the stage.


The entrance of Teatro Sistina (Sistina Theatre, after the street where it is located) in Rome, featuring the neon lights for Viola, Violino E Viola D'Amore.


Cover of Viola, Violino E Viola, D'Amore LP.


Cover of a 45rpm with songs sung by Alice and Ellen Kessler in Viola, Violino E Viola D'Amore.

Delia Scala Story (1968) was a four-episode TV variety show starring revue and comedy star Delia Scala, based upon her career.


Above and in the following pictures: Delia Scala in the TV variety show Delia Scala Story.






Delia Scala (right) with popstar Rita Pavone.