Italian actor (1950–2025)
Alvaro Vitali
Born (1950-02-03 ) 3 February 1950Died 24 June 2025(2025-06-24) (aged 75)Rome, Italy
Occupation Actor Years active 1969–2025 Spouse Children 1
Alvaro Vitali (Italian: [alˈvaːro viˈtaːli] ; 3 February 1950 – 24 June 2025) was an Italian actor and comedian, best known for portraying the characterPierino in a series of Italian comedy films during the 1980s.
Born inRome , Vitali was the son of a small construction company owner and aTitanus studio worker.[ 1] He left high school to work as an electrician.[ 2] Spotted byFederico Fellini during an audition, he made his film debut with a small part inSatyricon (1969), before taking on increasingly more prominent roles in subsequent Fellini films such asThe Clowns ,Roma , andAmarcord .[ 3]
In the 1970s, Vitali became one of the major stars in thecommedia sexy all'italiana genre.[ 4] [ 3] [ 5] In the early 1980s, starting fromPierino contro tutti , he had a personal success in a series of films featuring Pierino, aLittle John variation.[ 3] [ 4] During the same decade, his success began to decline, and opportunities to work became increasingly scarce.[ 3] In the 2000s his career was briefly relaunched by theCanale 5 satirical showStriscia la notizia , where he portrayed a comic version ofJean Todt and other humorous characters.[ 2] [ 6] In 2006, he took part in the reality showLa fattoria , the Italian version ofThe Farm , retiring soon after because of his asthma.[ 2]
Vitali's style was characterized by "exaggerated facial expressions, strong physicality, andslapstick -style comic timing".[ 6] He has been described as "probably one of the most underrated [Italian] film actors, deserving renewed recognition".[ 3]
Personal life and death [ edit ] Vitali was married twice and had a son, Ennio, from his first marriage.[ 1] He considered himselfRoman Catholic .[ 7]
On 24 June 2025, Vitali died in Rome from a recurrentbronchopneumonia , for which he had been hospitalized two weeks earlier. He was 75.[ 8]
Selected filmography [ edit ] Satyricon (1969) .... Blue-Faced 'Emperor' on Stage (uncredited)The Clowns (1970, TV Movie) .... HimselfRoma (1972) .... Alvaro - Tap Dancer at Teatrino (uncredited)Meo Patacca (1972) .... Bit Part (uncredited)What? (1972) .... Cross-Eyed PainterHalleluja to Vera Cruz (1973)Dirty Weekend (1973) .... Member of Camera Team (uncredited)Even Angels Eat Beans (1973) .... Tailor Assistant (uncredited)La Tosca (1973) .... Un derelittoPolvere di stelle (1973) .... (uncredited)Amarcord (1973) .... NasoRugantino (1973) .... Beggar (uncredited)L'arbitro (1974) .... Il postino (uncredited)4 marmittoni alle grandi manovre (1974) .... Soldato Viola (uncredited)Il colonnello Buttiglione diventa generale (1974) .... Infermiere (uncredited)Come Home and Meet My Wife (1974) .... Paolo, conoscente di Giulio e VincenzinaPolicewoman (1974) .... FantuzziScent of a Woman (1974) .... VittorioSex Pot (1975) .... Taxi DriverThe School Teacher (1975) .... TatuzzoVergine, e di nome Maria (1975) .... RoccoDue cuori, una cappella (1975) .... Tassista strabicoLa liceale (1975) .... Petruccio SciaccaFrankenstein all'italiana (1975)Season for Assassins (1975)La dottoressa sotto il lenzuolo (1976) .... AlvaroThe Career of a Chambermaid (1976) .... The Son in the Brothel (uncredited)Confessions of a Lady Cop (1976) .... TaralloLive Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976) .... Concierge at Pasquini's buildingLa professoressa di scienze naturali (1976) .... Peppino CarigliaClasse mista (1976) .... Angelino ZampanòMy Father's Private Secretary (1976) .... OscarSex with a Smile II (1976) .... Broccolini, Aka Xx2 (Segment "Il Detective")The Lady Medic (1976) .... Alvaro PappalardoThe Virgo, the Taurus and the Capricorn (1977) .... AlvaroTaxi Girl (1977) .... AlvaroPer amore di Poppea (1977, directed byMariano Laurenti ) .... CaioLa compagna di banco (1977) .... SalvatoreThe Nurse on a Military Tour (1977) .... Alvaro QuattromaniThe Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' High (1978) .... Armandino FusecchiaLa liceale nella classe dei ripetenti (1978) .... Professor ModestiThe School Teacher in the House (1978) .... Ottavio - Amedeo's sonThe Soldier with Great Maneuvers (1978) .... AlvaroScherzi da prete (1978) .... Alvaro (uncredited)Night Nurse (1979) .... PeppinoL'insegnante balla... con tutta la classe (1979) .... Anacleto PetruccioWhere Can You Go Without the Little Vice? (1979) .... Aroldo / Carlotta Angulo / GigettoHow to Seduce Your Teacher (1979) .... Salvatore PinzarroneA Policewoman on the Porno Squad (1979) .... Appuntato TaralloThe Nurse in the Military Madhouse (1979) .... PeppinoCocco mio (Gros câlin , 1979) .... BrancardierLa liceale, il diavolo e l'acquasanta (1979) .... Carmelo PetraliaL'insegnante al mare con tutta la classe (1980) .... CocòLa ripetente fa l'occhietto al preside (1980) .... BeccaficoLa liceale al mare con l'amica di papà (also known asLa liceale al mare con tutta la classe , 1980) .... TerenzioLa dottoressa ci sta col colonnello (1980) .... Arturo MazzancollaL'onorevole con l'amante sotto il letto (1981) .... Teo MezzabottaPierino contro tutti (1981) .... PierinoA Policewoman in New York (1981) .... Alvaro Tarallo / Joe DodiciomicidiPierino medico della Saub (1981) .... Alvaro Gasperoni / PippettoLa dottoressa preferisce i marinai (1981) .... AlvaroPierino colpisce ancora (1982) .... PierinoGiggi il bullo (1982) .... Giggi il bulloGianburrasca (1982) .... Giannino Stoppani / Gian BurrascaPaulo Roberto Cotechiño centravanti di sfondamento (1983) .... Paulo Roberto Cotechiño / IdraulicoIl tifoso, l'arbitro e il calciatore (1984) .... Alvaro PresuttiZanzibar (1986, Episode: "La vedova") .... LinoMortacci (1989) .... TorquatoPierino torna a scuola (1990) .... PierinoClub Vacanze (1995) .... Alvaro / PierinoSe lo fai sono guai (2001)Ladri di barzelette (2004)Impotenti esistenziali (2009)Vacanze a gallipoli (2011)È il cancro il mio amante (2012)Tutti a Ostia Beach - Il film (2013)Effetti indesiderati (2015)Supposte (2016)Mò vi mento - Lira di Achille (2018)Buon lavoro (2018)Vivi la vita (2019)GG Turbo (2020)Gli imprevisti (2024)Vita da Carlo (2025) – TV series^a b "Alvaro Vitali morto a Roma, l'attore aveva 75 anni. Il cinema italiano piange Pierino" .Il Messaggero (in Italian). 24 June 2025. Retrieved25 June 2025 .^a b c Chimera, Patrizia (24 June 2025)."Alvaro Vitali è morto: addio all'attore di "Pierino", aveva 75 anni" .La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved25 June 2025 . ^a b c d e Poppi, Roberto; Lancia, Enrico (2003). "Vitali, Alvaro".Gli Attori Vol. 2 M-z (in Italian). Gremese Editore. p. 282.ISBN 978-88-8440-269-1 . ^a b Galici, Francesca (24 June 2025)."Morto Alvaro Vitali, il celebre "Pierino" della commedia italiana" .Il Giornale . Retrieved25 June 2025 . ^ Coppola, Alessio (14 April 2022)."Alvaro Vitali: la carriera di Pierino" .True News. (in Italian). Retrieved15 April 2022 . ^a b "È morto Alvaro Vitali" .Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). 24 June 2025. Retrieved25 June 2025 .^ Giordano, Lucio (8 September 2023). "Ho avuto un ictus, ero senza speranze: poi ho invocato Dio e Lui mi ha salvato".Dipiù . No. 36. pp. 86– 89. ^ "È morto a Roma Alvaro Vitali, il cinema piange Pierino" . ansa.it. ansa.it. 24 June 2025. Retrieved24 June 2025 .
International National Artists