Sergio Tòfano (20 August 1886 – 28 October 1973) was an Italian actor, theatre director, playwright, scene designer and illustrator. As a comics artist, he is best-known for creating Signor Bonaventura.

Biography

Tofano was born in Rome. In 1909, he made his first appearance on stage with Ermete Novelli, then joined Virgilio Talli's company (1913–23). He soon specialized as a comic actor, giving his role a new elegance and complexity. He worked with other famous actors and directors: Dario Niccodemi (1924–27); Luigi Almirante and Giuditta Rissone (1927–30), Elsa Merlini, Vittorio De Sica, Evi Maltagliati, Gino Cervi etc. During those years, he made his famous performances as Doctor Knock in Jules Romains' play, and as Professor Toti in Luigi Pirandello's Pensaci, Giacomino!. He also led important theatrical firms.

After the Second World War, he worked with the most important directors, like Luchino Visconti and Giorgio Strehler.

In 1917 Tofano invented, for a children's magazine, Il Corriere dei Piccoli, a famous character, Signor Bonaventura, whose adventures lasted for more than forty years. He used to sign as Sto. He wrote and illustrated several children's books and illustrated The Chess Set in the Mirror by Massimo Bontempelli.Modernism and the Avant-garde Body in Spain and Italy edited by Nicolas Fernandez-Medina and Maria Truglio, Taylor & Francis, 2016, Chapter 2: "But Who Is Playing This Game?" by Maria Truglio.

Partial filmography

Tigrana (1916, dir. by Edouard Micheroux de Dillon) The Private Secretary (1931, dir. by Goffredo Alessandrini) - Otello, l'usciere Your Money or Your Life (1932, dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia) - Daniele The Telephone Operator (1932, dir. by Nunzio Malasomma) - Bàttigo - the tenor Paprika (1933, dir. by Carl Boese) - Checco The Girl with the Bruise (1933, dir. by E. W. Emo) Seconda B (1934, dir. by Goffredo Alessandrini) - Professore Monti Lohengrin (1936, dir. by Nunzio Malasomma) - Giulio The Two Misanthropists (1937, dir. by Amleto Palermi) - Cosimo Bertelet Tonight at Eleven (1938, dir. by Oreste Biancoli) - Il colonnello Muffon Jeanne Doré (1938, dir. by Mario Bonnard) - Fanard Inventiamo l'amore (1938, dir. by Camillo Mastrocinque) - Borghetti The Sons of the Marquis Lucera (1939, dir. by Amleto Palermi) - Vigna Eravamo sette sorelle (1939, dir. by Mario Mattoli) - Antonio, il maggiordomo Le sorprese del divorzio (1939, dir. by Guido Brignone) - Fernand Corbulon Father For a Night (1939, dir. by Mario Bonnard) - Edmondo Fontages Follie del secolo (1939, dir. by Amleto Palermi) - Il barone Giorgio The Silent Partner (1939) - L'affaristo in borsa Validità giorni dieci (1940, dir. by Camillo Mastrocinque) - Maurizio Giù il sipario (1940, dir. by Raffaello Matarazzo) - Il capocomico La granduchessa si diverte (1940, dir. by Giacomo Gentilomo) - Il principe Una famiglia impossibile (1940, dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia) - Il maggiordomo Idyll in Budapest (1941, dir. by Giorgio Ansoldi) - Altezza Il signore a doppio petto (1941, dir. by Flavio Calzavara) - Il signore Bisaccia Cenerentola e il signor Bonaventura (1941, anche soggetto e regia) - Il dottore (uncredited) Se io fossi onesto (1942, dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia) - Vittorio, il maggiordomo Disturbance (1942, dir. by Guido Brignone) - Antonio, padre di Silvia Souls in Turmoil (1942, dir. by Giulio Del Torre) - Perego La guardia del corpo (1942, dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia) - L'avvocato Paolo, suo marito Fourth Page (1943, dir. by Nicola Manzari) - Il professore naturalista Gian Burrasca (1943, anche regia) - Il maestro di pianoforte Il fidanzato di mia moglie (1943, dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia) - Il giudice Ernesto Torriani La maschera e il volto (1943, dir. by Camillo Mastrocinque) - Cirillo Il cavaliere del sogno (1947, dir. by Camillo Mmastrocinque) - Il maestro Zingarelli Fabiola (1949, dir. by Alessandro Blasetti) - Luciano Abbiamo vinto! (1951, dir. by Robert A. Stemmle) - Temistocle Leoni Napoleon (1951, dir. by Carlo Borghesio) - Vignon Altri tempi (1952, dir. by Alessandro Blasetti) - Nonno di Guido (segment "L'idillio") La Fiammata (1952, dir. by Alessandro Blasetti) - Belmont Guilt Is Not Mine (1952, dir. by Giuseppe Masini) - Prof. Valli Puccini (1953, dir. by Carmine Gallone) - Giulio Ricordi The Country of the Campanelli (1954, dir. by Jean Boyer) - Dott. Pott House of Ricordi (1954, dir. by Carmine Gallone) - Cesarini Sforza Cardinal Lambertini (1954, dir. by Giorgio Pastina) - Canonico Peggi La bella di Roma (1955, dir. by Luigi Comencini) - Agostino Andrea Chenier (1955, dir. by Clemente Fracassi) - Luigi Chénier Porta un bacione a Firenze (1956, dir. by Camillo Mastrocinque) - Giovanni Io, Caterina (1957) La vita degli altri (1957) - Linari Dreams in a Drawer (1957, dir. by Renato Castellani) - Lucia's Father Il bacio del sole (Don Vesuvio) (1958) Il re di Poggioreale (1961, dir. by Duilio Coletti) - Il contente Pignatelli La costanza della ragione (1964, dir. by Pasquale Festa Campanile) - Don Bonifazi Napoleone a Firenze (1964) Il padre di famiglia (1967, dir. by Nanni Loy) - General Partner (1968, dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci) - Professor Petrushka Toh, è morta la nonna! (1969, dir. by Mario Monicelli) - The Grandfather Contestazone generale (1970, dir. by Luigi Zampa) - Bishop La colonna infame (1973, dir. by Nelo Risi) - Il presidente del senato Rugantino (1973, dir. by Pasquale Festa Campanile) - Marchese Michele Sacconi

References

External links

Lambiek Comiclopedia biography.