Alvaro Vitali forgotten by the cinema. After the success thanks to the role of “Peter“, now he lives in his memories and hopes for one last chance “to show it to those who didn’t believe in me,” he said in an interview with Repubblica. The 72-year-old Roman actor speaks about himself.
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FURTHER INFORMATION
What Alvaro Vitali said
From electrician to actor, discovered by Fellini. “But I didn’t even know who he was, I went to the cinema to see films with Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia,” he says. His career began in 1969. «I was 18 and earned 16,000 lire a week. Then I was cast in a role at Satyricon. Seventy thousand lire a day for seven working days». A breakthrough. After this film, Fellini called him for other roles. “My folksy disposition amused him. He asked me, “Did you like Julia der Geister?” “Yes,” I lied. “And what did you understand?” “Shit, Doctor.” Fellini laughed about it,” he says.
With the first money I earned, «I bought a house for grandmother Elena on Via Oderisi da Gubbio in the Marconi district. I was at her house from 8 to 32 years. There were constant arguments with my mother…”, says Vitali. Success came later: «Amarcord made me famous. The director Nando Cicero, who had been Francesco Rosi’s assistant, prepared The Teacher with Edwige Fenech. My name is. I had to play a Sicilian student who drooled over her. He couldn’t have asked for anything better: Lando Buzzanca has always inspired me». “I’ve made fifty films – he says – was i rich I changed cars and wives every 3 months».
The pension is 1,200 euros
However, success does not last forever: «I was so famous that I couldn’t go to restaurants. Then the phone stopped ringing. I do not understand why. I was very popular. And I’m still at 72. They stop me in the street, ask me for selfies. “Alvaro, you really enjoyed it,” they say. I saved Italian comedy cinema,” he says. And now? «After a depressive phase, I finish with shows, in theatres, especially in the south, in Rome there is little, no evening cult. I am now taking 1,200 euros into retirement. They stole a lot of posts from me.”