Totò was the stage name of Antonio de Curtis (Naples, Italy, February 15, 1898 - Rome, April 15, 1967), a Neapolitan actor, writer, and composer. Alternate uses: See Naples (disambiguation) Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα-Πόλις, latinised in Neapolis) is the largest town in southern Italy, capital of Campania region. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

Totò was born in the rione Sanità, a poor and popular sector of the town where he met many famous artists like Eduardo De Filippo, and started his career in little theatres in which he learnt the art of guitti, the Neapolitan actors who acted without a scenery, like in the Commedia dell'arte. Eduardo De Filippo was an actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and poet born May 24, 1900 in Naples, Italy and passed away on October 31, 1984 in Rome. ... Karel Dujardins set his closely-observed scene of a travelling troupes makeshift stage against idealized ruins in the Roman Campagna: dated 1657 ( Louvre Museum) Commedia dellarte, ( Italian, meaning comedy of professional artists) was a form of improvisational theater which began in the 16th century and was popular until...

He was the son of Anna Clemente and marquis Giuseppe de Curtis, who recognized him as his son in 1922. At his father's death in 1933 Totò was adopted by marquis Francesco Gagliardi Focas. 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In 1946 the Tribunal of Naples recognised his many titles, so his complete name was Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Dicas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi De Curtis di Bisanzio, altezza imperiale, conte palatino, cavaliere del sacro Romano Impero, esarca di Ravenna, duca di Macedonia e di Illiria, principe di Costantinopoli, di Cicilia, di Tessaglia, di Ponte di Moldavia, di Dardania, del Peloponneso, conte di Cipro e di Epiro, conte e duca di Drivasto e Durazzo. (before the change, his name was Antonio Clemente). 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

In 1922 he moved to Rome, where he had his first appearances in bigger theatres, performing the genre of "avanspettacolo", a sort of music, ballet and brilliant show. Of these shows, also called riviste, he became a master and in the 1930s he had his own company, with which he travelled along all the nation. 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Events and trends Technology Jet engine invented Science Nuclear fission discovered by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann Pluto, the ninth planet from the Sun, is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh British biologist Arthur Tansley coins term ecosystem War, peace and politics Socialists proclaim The death of Capitalism Rise to...

In 1937 he appeared in his first movie, Fermo con le mani, and went on to appear in over a 100 films, many of which contained gags later absorbed in the Italian phraseology. 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of...

Some of his most famous movies are Totò E Le Donne, Miseria e nobiltà, I Soliti Ignoti, I Ladri, Totò E Cleopatra and Uccellacci E Uccellini.

Totò's strange figure, with the peculiar irregular face, soon became very popular and his comic gags were widely appreciated. From the 1950s onwards, he would have represented the most brilliant Italian comedy, even if official critics always denied him any artistic value. Yet, some of his spicy gags were object of parliamentary inquiries because, given his popularity, they could have been politically dangerous for the governments of Democrazia Cristiana. Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb. ... Comedy is the use of humour in the performing arts. ... Christian Democracy, (Democrazia Cristiana), the christian democratic party of Italy, commonly called the democristiani or DC, dominated government for nearly half a century until its demise amid a welter of corruption allegations in 1992-94. ...

It was with Pier Paolo Pasolini's Uccellacci ed Uccellini that Totò received a first admittance of his art, later better understood. He was already blind, and had started to compose poetry. His A livella is perhaps his most valuable one. The poem talks about Death, which levels all the social differences that divided us in life. Totò wrote songs too; Malafemmena (the bad girl) has been considered as one of the best ever written Italian songs. Pier Paolo Pasolini (March 5, 1922 – November 2, 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, and writer, who, in his films about the socially outcast and rebellious, frequently used amateur actors. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ...

In the artistic milieu he was nicknamed "il Principe" (the prince) and was famous for his generous spirit: having personally suffered from poverty, he always tried to help and protect poorer colleagues. Poverty is the state of being without, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of cirstance. ...

External links

• IMDB entry (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0869451/) for Totò