Lino Banfi Knight Grand Cross OMRI (born Pasquale Zagaria; 9 July 1936) is an Italian actor and screenwriter. Since 1960 he has appeared in more than 100 films.
Lino Banfi | |
---|---|
Born | Pasquale Zagaria 9 July 1936 Andria, Kingdom of Italy |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1960–present |
Spouse |
Lucia Lagrasta
(m. 1962; died 2023) |
Children | 2, including Rosanna |
He was born in the Apulian city of Andria and at the age of three, moved to Canosa di Puglia. Lino Banfi became one of the most well-known actors in Italian "sexy comedies" in the 1970s. In the 1980s he reached the peak of his fame by appearing in movies such as L'allenatore nel pallone, Vieni avanti cretino, Il commissario Lo Gatto and Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio; he later portrayed Grandpa Libero in Italian TV series Un medico in famiglia.
During his career, nearly all of Lino Banfi's characters spoke with the distinctive pronunciation of the Bari dialect. Banfi and his wife Lucia Lagrasta were married since 1962 until her death in February 2023; they have two children: Walter and Rosanna, who is also an actress. In 2000, Lino Banfi became a Goodwill ambassador for the Italian National Committee for UNICEF.[1]