About
Italian singer and actor who, over the course of his life, recorded over 3,000 songs and sold 45 million records. He was known for tracks including "Arrivederci Roma," "Granada," and "Luna rossa." He also starred in several films during his career including Song of Spring, Primo applause, and Fountain of Trevi.
Before Fame
He was born into a working-class family and became passionate about singing early in his life. He began his professional singing career at a young age after his talent became apparent in his teens. He began performing on Radio Roma in 1946 and released his debut record, on the Parlophone label, the following year.
Trivia
He remained fairly unknown in the United States until three of his songs were featured on the soundtrack of the internationally acclaimed 1996 film Big Night. The inscription on his gravestone translates to "Life, you are fine; death, you stink."
Family Life
He married Italian actress Miranda Bonansea in 1952 before they divorced in 1962. He remarried to Patrizia Baldi in 1975.
Associated With
He and Domenico Modugno both hold the record for having the most wins at the Sanremo Music Festival.
