Adriano Celentano (; born 6 January 1938) is an Italian singer-songwriter, actor, showman, and filmmaker. He is dubbed Il Molleggiato ('the springy one') because of his energetic dancing.
Celentano's many albums frequently enjoyed both commercial and critical success. With around 150 million records sold worldwide, he is one of the best-selling Italian musical artists. Often credited as the author of both the music and lyrics of his songs, according to his wife Claudia Mori, some were written in collaboration with others. Due to his prolific career, both in Italy and abroad, he is considered one of the pillars of Italian music.
Celentano is recognized for being particularly perceptive of changes in the music business and is credited for having introduced rock and roll to Italy. As an actor, Celentano has appeared in 39 films, mostly comedies.
Early life Celentano was born on 6 January 1938 in Greco, Milan, Italy, at 14 Via Cristoforo Gluck, a street close to the Central Station and this address later became the subject of the famous song "Il ragazzo della via Gluck" ('The boy from Gluck Street'). His parents, Leontino Celentano and Giuditta Giuva, were from Foggia, Apulia, and had moved north for work. His career as a singer started in 1959. Before his debut as an artist, he was working as a watchmaker.
Career
Heavily influenced by Elvis Presley and the 1950s rock 'n' roll scene as well as by American actor Jerry Lewis,Clancelentano.it . Celentano started playing in a rock and roll band with Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci. Along with Gaber and Jannacci, he was discovered by Jolly Records A&R Executive Ezio Leoni, who signed him to his first recording contract and co-authored with Celentano some of his greatest early hits, including "24.000 baci", "Il tuo bacio è come un rock", and "Si è spento il Sole". He first appeared on screen in Ragazzi del Juke-Box, a 1959 Italian musical film directed by Lucio Fulci with music by Ezio Leoni. In 1960, Federico Fellini cast him as a rock and roll singer in his film La dolce vita (1960).
In 1962, Celentano founded the Italian record label Clan Celentano (which is still active) with many performers such as Don Backy, Ola & the Janglers, Ricky Gianco, Katty Line, Gino Santercole, Fred Bongusto and his wife Claudia Mori.
As a film director, Celentano frequently cast Ornella Muti, Eleonora Giorgi and his wife Claudia Mori. He and Mori have three children, Rosita, Giacomo and Rosalinda Celentano. Rosalinda is most notable to worldwide audiences for playing Satan in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Celentano has also hosted several Italian television shows.
Celentano has retained his popularity in Italy for over 50 years, selling millions of records and appearing in numerous TV shows and movies. As part of his TV and movie work, he created a comic genre, with a characteristic walk and facial expressions. For the most part, his films were commercially successful; indeed, in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, his low-budget movies were top of Italian box office rankings. As an actor, critics point to Serafino (1968), directed by Pietro Germi, as his best performance.
He has released 40 albums, consisting of 29 studio albums, three live albums, and eight compilations. Among his most popular songs there are "La coppia più bella del mondo", which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc; "Azzurro" (1968), written by Paolo Conte, "Svalutation" (1976), and "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (1972), which was written to mimic the way English sounds to non-English speakers despite being almost entirely gibberish.
Celentano was referenced in the 1979 Ian Dury and the Blockheads song and single, "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3", as one of the aforementioned "reasons to be cheerful", and in Fellini's 1986 film Ginger and Fred.
After 18 years without live performances, Celentano's 2012 live concert was broadcast on Mediaset channel Canale 5, attracting over 9 million viewers.
Personal life Celentano has been a vegetarian since 2005 and has defended animal rights.. thefocus.news. Retrieved 22 January 2023. A football fan, Celentano is a well-known Inter Milan supporter. In 2009, Celentano told La Repubblica that for years he wanted to learn English but never found time to do so, and said it is a "real pain" not being able to speak the language.
When the Barilla pasta company introduced a corkscrew pasta in the 1970s, it was named cellentani for Celentano. As Barilla trademarked the name, other companies call the shape cavatappi.This story was related to chef Davide Oldani on his TV show Alle origini della bontà (24 November 2018) by Italo Bardiani, at the time one of the technicians at Barilla research lab. – http://www.acfans.it/blog/minipost/barilla-da-un-errore-e-nata-la-pasta-cellentani/
Discography
Studio albums
Adriano Celentano con Giulio Libano e la sua orchestra (1960) Furore (1960) Peppermint twist (1962) A New Orleans (1963) Non mi dir (1964) Il ragazzo della via Gluck (1966) Azzurro / Una carezza in un pugno (1968) Adriano rock (1968) Il forestiero (1970) Er Più – Storia d'amore e di coltello (1971) I mali del secolo (1972) Nostalrock (1973) Yuppi du (1975) Svalutation (1976) Disco dance (1977) Tecadisk (1977) Ti avrò (1978) Geppo il folle (1978) Soli (1979) Un po' artista un po' no (1980) Deus (1981) Uh... uh... (1982) Atmosfera (1983) I miei americani... (1984) Joan Lui (1985) I miei americani... 2 (1986) La pubblica ottusità (1987) Il re degli ignoranti (1991) Quel punto (1994) Arrivano gli uomini (1996) Mina Celentano (with Mina) (1998) Io non so parlar d'amore (1999) Esco di rado e parlo ancora meno (2000) Per sempre (2002) C'è sempre un motivo (2004) C'è sempre un motivo + L'Indiano (2005) Dormi amore, la situazione non è buona (2007) Facciamo finta che sia vero (2011) Le migliori (with Mina) (2016) Adrian (2019)
Filmography TitleYearRole(s)Director NotesDon't Knock the Rock 1956 Himself Fred F. Sears UncreditedRagazzi del Juke-Box1959 Adriano Lucio FulciGo, Johnny, Go! Himself Paul Landres CameoJuke Box: Urli d'amore Singer Mauro Morassi CameoUrlatori alla sbarra1960 Adriano / Il Molleggiato Lucio FulciLa Dolce Vita Rock 'n Roll Singer Federico Fellini CameoSanremo: La grande sfida Himself Piero Vivarelli CameoHey, Let's Twist!1961 Singer Greg Garrison UncreditedIo bacio… tu baci Himself Piero Vivarelli CameoThe Monk of Monza1963 Fake Friar Sergio CorbucciUno strano tipo Peppino / Himself Lucio FulciSuper rapina a Milano1964 Sergio Adriano Celentano Directional debutI malamondo Himself Paolo Cavara DocumentaryPer un pugno di canzoni 1966 Singer José Luis Merino CameoSerafino1968 Serafino Fiorin Pietro GermiThe Most Beautiful Couple in the World Himself Camillo Mastrocinque CameoEr Più – Storia d'amore e di coltello 1971 Nino "Er Più" Patroni Sergio CorbucciWhite Sister 1972 Annibale Pezzi Alberto LattuadaThe Five Days1973 Meo Cainazzo Dario Argento Peppino Cavallo Pasquale CampanileRugantino Rugantino Pasquale CampanileYuppi du1975 Felice Della Pietà Adriano Celentano Also director, writer and composerWhat's Your Sign? Alfredo Astarita Sergio Corbucci Segment: "Aria"The Con Artists1976 Felice Brianza Sergio CorbucciLunatics and Lovers Sprint Boss Flavio MogheriniL'altra metà del cielo1977 Father Vincenzo Ferrari Franco RossiEcco noi per esempio Antonmatteo Colombo Sergio CorbucciLoggerheads1978 Herman / Gustav Castellano & PipoloGeppo il folle Geppo Adriano Celentano Also director, writer, producer and composerVelvet Hands1979 Guido Quiller Castellano & PipoloSaturday, Sunday and Friday Mr. Costantin Castellano & Pipolo Segment: "Friday"La locandiera1980 Knight of Ripafretta Paolo Cavara The Taming of the Scoundrel Elia Codogno Castellano & PipoloQua la mano Father Fulgenzio Pasquale CampanileAsso1981 Asso Castellano & PipoloMadly in Love Barnaba Cecchini Castellano & PipoloGrand Hotel Excelsior1982 Taddeus Castellano & PipoloBingo Bongo Bingo Bongo Pasquale CampanileSing Sing1983 Alfredo Borghi Sergio CorbucciSegni particolari: bellissimo Mattia Castellano & PipoloLui è peggio di me1985 Leonardo Enrico OldoiniJoan Lui Joan Lui Adriano Celentano Also director, writer and composerIl burbero 1986 Tito Torrisi Castellano & PipoloJackpot 1992 Furio Mario Orfini
See also List of best-selling music artists
References
External links
Official website
Adriano Celentano discography at imusic.am The complete Adriano Celentano discography (from Music City) Adriano Celentano – Russian Pages Adriano Celentano – International Unofficial fanclub Adriano Celentano Filmography