Lello Arena

Lello Arena
Born	Raffaele Arena (1953-11-01) 1 November 1953 (age 71) Naples, Campania, Italy
Occupation	Actor & Comics writer
Years active	1970–present
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Spouse	Francesca Taviani ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	1 son

Raffaele "Lello" Arena (born 1 November 1953) is an Italian actor and comics writer. He was also an occasional film director and screenwriter.

Life and career

Born in Naples as Raffaele Arena, he was the son of two workers in a tobacco factory. ^[1] In 1969, at a very young age, Arena formed the cabaret ensemble "La Smorfia" together with Massimo Troisi and Enzo Decaro. ^[2] In 1978 and 1979, the group appeared in two RAI variety shows (Non stop and Luna Park) obtaining a great success. ^{[2] [3]} The group disbanded in 1980 and for some time Arena kept on collaborating with his friend Troisi, starring in his three first films. ^{[2] [3]} He won a David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Troisi's Scusate il ritardo . ^[4]

Later Arena focused his career on television, appearing in a large number of variety shows; he occasionally came back to cinema, even making his debut as a director in 1989 with Chiari di luna. He is also active on stage. ^{[2] [3]}

Arena also worked as a comics writer, notably for Lupo Alberto and Topolino . ^[3]

Filmography

Massimo Troisi and Arena in Scusate il ritardo (1982)

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	I'm Starting from Three	Raffaele 'Rafè' Sodano, aka Lello
1982	No Thanks, Coffee Makes Me Nervous	Michele Giuffrida
1983	Scusate il ritardo	Tonino
1984	Cuori nella tormenta	Raffaele Cuoco
1984	Bertoldo, Bertoldino e Cacasenno	King Alboino
1987	Il coraggio di parlare	Don Angelo
1988	Chiari di luna	Davide Ruffo
1995	Facciamo paradiso	Calabrone
1998	You Laugh	Rocco	(segment "Due sequestri")
2003	Totò Sapore e la magica storia della pizza	Pulcinella	Voice
2008	Ho ammazzato Berlusconi
2011	Rien Va	Custode
2014	La scuola più bella del mondo	Arturo Moscariello
2015	Wondrous Boccaccio	Duca Tancredi
2017	Veleni	Melograno
2018	Quando sarò bambino

References

1. Alessandro Ferrucci (21 October 2013). "Lello Arena: "I miei sessant'anni tra Troisi, manganelli, comunisti e mezze aragoste"". Il Fatto Quotidiano . Retrieved 9 December 2013.
2. Roberto Chiti, Roberto Poppi (2003). Dizionario del cinema italiano. Gli attori. Gremese Editore, 2003. ISBN   8884402131.
3. Giorgio Dell’Arti, Massimo Parrini. Catalogo dei viventi. Marsilio, 2009. ISBN   978-88-317-9599-9.
4. Enrico Lancia (1998). I premi del cinema. Gremese Editore, 1998. ISBN   8877422211.

External links

• Lello Arena at IMDb