Totò The delightful Italian stage and screen comedian Toto was born to a prominent but penniless Neapolitan family at the turn of the century. Following World War I service, Toto first took to the stage as music-hall revue comic. Firmly established in the legitimate Italian theater by 1936, he made his first film appearance in Fermo con le Mani. So popular was he by the late 1940s that his movie vehicles often incorporated his name in the titles: some of these, notably Toto e Cleopatra, Toto d'Arabia and Toto Sexy, were parodies of established "serious" film genres. Toto has often been described as "The Italian Fernandel," even though the only common denominater between the two comedians was the unbridled adulation of the public. In 1958, European audiences were treated to the long-awaited teaming of Toto and Fernandel in the satirical comedy The Law is the Law. Toto died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 69, shortly after completing his final feature, Capriccio all'Italiana (1968)

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Totò Actor - Born February 15, 1898 in Naples, Campania, Italy

Died April 15, 1967 in Rome, Lazio, Italy (heart attack)

Birth Name Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno De Curtis di Bisanzio Gagliardi

Nicknames Il Principe, Il Principe della Risata

Height 5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Bio (3) 'Antonio de Curtis Gagliardi Griffo Focas Comneno' was a descendant of the 'Comneno de Bizancio' and also one of the most popular Italian film stars in history. His genre was undoubtedly the comedy where he achieved world fame. From 1917 he was an actor of the companies of the "comedia dell'arte" and also poet in Neapolitan dialect. In 1939 he started his career at the movies and as "Gaspare" in The Two Orphans (1947) he had his big breakthrough.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Volker Boehm

Natural son of Anna Clemente and Giuseppe de Curtis (son of Marquis de Curtis). In 1929 lives with Liliana Castagnola famous cafe-concert singer who comittes suicide after being abandoned in 1930. In 1932 marries Diana Rogliani and has a daughter in 1933 named Liliana in hommage to previous lover. In 1933 adoptted by Marquis Franc isco Maria Gagliardi Focos from who inherites the titles. In 1951 began to live with Franca Faldini until his death

- IMDb Mini Biography By:

Born in 1898, son of Anna Clemente and Giuseppe de Curtis, son of a Marquis. As a youngster, he preferred sports to studying, and in an incident with either a football or in the boxing ring, part of his nose became paralysed, thus giving him that look which later became his trademark. Travelled to Rome to work in local theatres and met Liliana Castagnola, who committed suicide when Toto would not refuse a contract in Padova. In 1931 he met Diana Bandini Rodigliani. They had a daughter, Liliana in 1934 and married in 1935 (various dates given). He filed for divorce in Hungary on the grounds of her infidelity and it was finally ruled in Italy in 1940. For the sake of their daughter, they continued their family life by still living together, but free to have other relationships. It was on the set of his first film "47 Morto Chi Parla" that he met the actress Silvana Pampanini. The media reported this blooming relationship and Diana accepted a marriage proposal from a lawyer. Apparently Toto felt very hurt and when he wrote the song "Malafemmina", it was rumoured that he really wrote it for Diana, not Silvana. His real true love came in the form of Franca Faldini in 1951 when he was taken aback by her photo on the cover of 'Oggi'. She was only 21- he 53. They secretly wed in Switzerland in 1954 and in October of that year, Franca almost died giving birth to their son Massenzio, who sadly died a few hours later. Toto threw himself back into work, but in 1956, he suffered a serious bout of bronchitis. Three days later in Milan, he forced himself to go on stage, but had to return to his sick bed. His tour took him to Geneva, then Florence, then Palermo. In each of these places he suffered gradual loss of sight which would plaugue him for the rest of his years. Up until two days prior to his death, he was working but still ill. His heart finally gave in on the 15 April 1967, and his last word were directed at the true love of his life: "I've loved you very much Franca. Very much."

- IMDb Mini Biography By: rosariadinatale@hotmail.com

Franca Faldini (1954 - 15 April 1967) ( his death) ( 1 child)

Diana Bandini Rogliani (6 March 1935 - 1939) ( separated) ( 1 child)

Often played penniless characters conceiving ingenious schemes to make money

His characters often wore a bowler hat

Comedies with a predominantly light tone that often revealed some bitter undertones about the hardships of life

His knack for physical acting; noted for his act as a marionette

His characters were often married to unattractive, acid-witted harpies who had somehow born him some lovely, beautiful daughters

Launched a popular trend of film parodies

Distinctive speech; frequent puns on words in a personal style which became iconic

His characters would often wear women's clothes at some point in order to escape some dangerous situations

His comedies often involved subplots about young lovers whose troubled union is eventually achieved thanks to his characters' intervention

Pointed chin and slightly bent nose

Often played unconventional characters who get regarded as completely wacky by the people surrounding them, but then seriously philosophize and give accurate considerations on the nature of life

His comedies were usually set in Rome or in his native Naples

His characters usually shared his birth name of Antonio or his nickname Totò

Frequently ad-libbed his lines

His only son with Faldini, Massenzio, died at birth.

Adopted by Marquis Francesco Gagliardi Foccas in 1933. In 1946 the Court of Naples granted him the titles of Imperial Highness, Prince Don Antonio Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno de Curtis di Bisanzio Gagliardi, Count Palatine, Knight of the Sacred Roman Empire, Esarca of Ravenna, Duke of Macedonia and Illiria, Prince of Costantinopoli, Cicilia, Tessaglia, Ponte of Moldavia, Dardania, Peloponneso, Count of Cyprus and Epiro, Count and Duke of Drivasto and Durazzo.

Father of Liliana De Curtis.

Had a relationship with Silvana Pampanini in the 40's.

Best known for his acting career, he was also a poet and a writer of Neapolitan songs. His most famous song is probably "Malafemmena", a declaration of love and hate to his first wife.

He regarded Cops and Robbers (1951) as the best film he ever did.

Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi De Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (Italian pronunciation: [toˈtɔ]) or simply as Antonio De Curtis, and nicknamed il Principe della risata ("the Prince of laughter"), is commonly referred to as the most popular Italian comedian of all time. He was a film and stage actor as well as a writer, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his funny and sometimes cynical character as a comedian in theatre and then in many successful films shot from the 1940s to the 1960s, all regularly still on TV, but he also worked with many iconic Italian film directors in dramatic/poetic roles.