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Alberto Rabagliati | |
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| Born | (1906-06-27)27 June 1906 Milan, Italy |
| Died | 8 March 1974(1974-03-08) (aged 67) Rome, Italy |
| Occupation | Actor |
Alberto Rabagliati (27 June 1906 – 8 March 1974) was an Italian jazz singer.[1][2]
Alberto Rabagliati was born inMilan in 1906 from aPiedmontese family. His father, Leandro Valentino Rabagliati, and his mother, Delfina Besso, were bothnatives ofCasorzo, acomune (municipality) in the hills of theMontferrat in theProvince of Asti. In 1927, age 21, Rabagliati moved toHollywood after winning aRudolph Valentino look-alike contest. He later recalled: "For someone like me, who had seen no more thanLake Como or theMonza Cathedral, to find myself on board a luxury steamer with three cases full of clothes, a few rolls of dollars, and grand-duchesses and countesses flirting with me was something extraordinary".[3] Rabagliati lived inAmerica for four years hoping to work as an actor, but his career never took off. After being exposed tomusical genres such asjazz,swing, andscat singing, he decided to move back to Europe and be a professional singer.
Rebagliati moved to Rome in 1931. After a brief period withPippo Barzizza's orchestra, in 1934 he joined theLecuona Cuban Boys, a Cuban jazz band. He occasionally performed inblackface and score a hit with the song "Maria la O".
During his tenure with the Lecuona Cuban Boys, Rebagliati met composer and conductorGiovanni D'Anzi, who suggested that he audition with the Italian state radio stationEIAR. Rabagliati soon became a radio star, and in 1941 had his own weekly radio show,Canta Rabagliati ("Rabagliati sings"), where he would perform his most famous songs such as "Ma l'amore no", "Mattinata fiorentina", "Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina", "Silenzioso slow" and "Bambina innamorata".
Rebagliati's Monday night radio show was so popular that his name was mentioned in the lyrics of songs such asLa famiglia canterina,Quando canta Rabagliati andQuando la radio. At a time when anything foreign was banned, Rabagliati was allowed to maintain his American-influenced style. Indeed, theFascist government decided to make use of his popularity by choosing his song "Sposi (c'è una casetta piccina)" ("Wed (there's a little home)") as their demographic campaign anthem.
In 1954 Rabagliati married Maria Antonietta Tonnini in Rome.
Rebagliati's fame as a singer helped his acting career restart. From 1940 to 1965 he acted in some twenty films, includingThe Barefoot Contessa,Montecarlo andIl vedovo. In 1966, he starred inThe Christmas That Almost Wasn't.
Rabagliati was active also on the stage until the mid-1950s. He performed in musical revues and comedies byGarinei and Giovannini.
His last public appearance was in 1974 as a guest in the TV showMilleluci hosted byMina andRaffaella Carrà.
Rebagliati died of cerebralthrombosis in Rome.
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