Erminio Macario (27 May 1902 – 25 March 1980), best known as Macario, was an Italian film actor and comedian. He appeared in 42 films between 1933 and 1975.
Life and career Born in Turin, Macario made his debut at a young age in the amateur dramatics company Don Bosco Oratory in Valdocco, then he was part of some small amateur companies in his hometown until 1924. At this time, he was cast in the company of dancing and pantomime of Giovanni Molasso. Soon after, he entered the company of Wanda Osiris, the undisputed queen of the revue of that time in Italy. Between the two wars he became, in a short time, one of the most popular comedians of the revue theatre.
Macario made his film debut in 1933 with Aria di paese, but the success came just six years later with two comedy films directed by Mario Mattoli and co-written by a young Federico Fellini, Imputato alzatevi! and Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi come sei?. After a series of successful comedies directed by Carlo Borghesio since the early fifties, Macario appeared in short characterizations in anthology films and was sidekick of Totò in a number of films. Starting from the mid-sixties he finally dedicated himself to television and theatre.
His comical style was referred to as a mixture between Chaplin's Charlot and Marx Brothers.
Partial filmography
Country Air (1933) - Mac Defendant, Stand Up! (1939) - Cipriano Duval Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi come sei? (1939) - Michele Bernisconi The Pirate's Dream (1940) - José Non me lo dire! (1940) - Michele Colombelli, marchese di Castel Perrone Il chiromante (1941) - Candido Il vagabondo (1941) - Pippo, il vagabondo Il fanciullo del West (1943) - Mac Carey Charley's Aunt (1943) - Terenzio Arcobaleno (1943) Macario Against Zagomar (1944) - Macario Duplessis The Innocent Casimiro (1945) - Casimiro Pelagatti L'eroe della strada (1948) - Felice Manetti How I Lost the War (1948) - Leo Bianchetti Adam and Eve (1949) - Adamo Rossi How I Discovered America (1949) - Cristoforo Colombo Il monello della strada (1950) - Carletto Po The Passaguai Family Gets Rich (1952) - Giocondo Diotallevi My Wife, My Cow and Me (1952) - Mario I, Hamlet (1952) - Amleto Matrimonial Agency (1953) - Peppino Carosello del varietà (1955) Italia piccola (1957) - Sandrin La cambiale (1959) - Tommaso Lo smemorato di Collegno (1962) - Nicola Politi Toto's First Night (1962) - Mimi Makò I 4 monaci (1962) - Fra' Martino Sexy Toto (1963) - Mimi Cocco Avventura al motel (1963) - Erminio Uno strano tipo (1963) - Giovanni Totò contro i quattro (1963) - La Matta The Monk of Monza (1963) - Fra' Mamozio I 4 tassisti (1963) - Pomilio Barone (segment "Caccia al tesoro") The Four Musketeers (1963) Lisa dagli occhi blu (1970) - Tramp with the cats Nel giorno del signore (1970) - Don Giacinto The Mighty Anselmo and His Squire (1972) - Frà Prosdocimo Zatterin da' San Donà di Piave Ante Up (1974) Due sul pianerottolo (1976) - Prof. Luigi Savoia
References
Further reading Maurizio Ternavasio, Macario: vita di un comico, Lindau, 1998, .
External links