Born in Turin, Campanini attended a technical school and a course of singing,^[2] then he started his career at nineteen entering the company of prose Casaleggio, with whom he toured six months in Argentina.^[3] In the following years Campanini was cast as singer-comedian and even as a tenor in a number of revue and operetta companies.^[2]^[3] In 1936 he became the leading actor in the company of Vivienne D'Arys, in which he successfully teamed with Carlo Dapporto.^[2]^[3] He made his film debut in 1939, in Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi come sei? alongside Macario, then he soon became a very usual presence in comedy films, in roles of sidekick or as a character actor.^[2]^[3] In 1945 he had his only film leading role, in the critically appreciated Mario Soldati's drama His Young Wife.^[2] Since 1950, starting from the comedy play Sogno di un Walter, he became the usual sidekick of Walter Chiari on stage, TV and films.^[2]^[3]

In 1945, Campanini was initiated in the regular Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge Fulgor Ortis in Rome, affiliated to the Grand Orient of Italy. Its Grand Master was the prince and actor Antonio De Curtis.^[4]

Some years later, he was converted to the Roman Catholic faith by Padre Pio of Pietralcina and according to then canon law, he left Freemasonry.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Carlo Campanini

Born	(1906-10-05)5 October 1906 Turin, Kingdom of Italy
Died	20 November 1984(1984-11-20) (aged 78) Rome, Italy
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1939–1969

Life and career

Selected filmography

References

External links