- Renzo Rinaldi in Cosi fan tutte (1992)
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Renzo Rinaldi was a small-part character actor in films, television and theatre, active in Italian films from the start of the 1970’s until his death in 2004. I’ve been wanting to do a topic for him for some time since he is the one Italian actor who I can claim to have known personally as a friend.
Renzo was born on March 8th 1941 in Viareggio, Italy.
His unlikely start in films came through appearances in a series of decamerotici when they were briefly popular in the early '70's. He then worked steadily for the next 3 1/2 decades, being equally likely to be found in serious or comic roles, dividing his time between films, television and theatre. For a large-sized gay man, between decamerotici and the films of Tinto Brass he appeared in a surprisingly high number of nude and sexual scenes! He also became famous for appearing in the Bistefani pastries commercials as Mr. Bistefani.
- Renzo and myself around 1996/7
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When I knew Renzo it was the mid-1990’s after we were introduced by mutual friends at an event in Barcelona. His personality was much as you would imagine from his films, he was always the focus of attention in the room, was very mischievous and a big practical joker. I wish I could regail you with tales about his films, but sadly when I knew him it was before my current interest in Italian cinema and it wasn’t really until after his death that I learned a lot more about his professional life. We weren’t really close friends, but we did stay in contact for some years (itself no small feat in pre-internet days) and met several times in the mid-late 90’s. I have only good memories of him.
Renzo died of a heart attack in Rome on February 20th 2004, aged 62.
His career seems to be fairly well documented, so his filmography should be fairly complete, but there is always the possibility of one or two early uncredited roles being found.
Filmography
- Il triangolo rosso (TV series) S, 2, ep. 6: "La tromba d'oro" .... Band member (credited)
1972 - Beffe, licenzie et amori del Decamerone segreto .... Gianni Lotteringhi (credited)
- Decameron n° 2 - Le altre novelle del Boccaccio .... Spinelloccio (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- E si salvò solo l'aretino Pietro con una mano avanti e l'altra dietro .... Brother Crispino (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- Il sindacalista .... Head of the painting department (uncredited)
- Le notti peccaminose di Pietro l'Aretino .... role? (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
1973 - Fra' Tazio da Velletri .... Friar (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- I racconti di Viterbury - Le più allegre storie del '300 .... The real bishop (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- La padrina .... Salvatore (credited)
1974 - La sbandata .... Card player (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
1975 - Cagliostro .... Monk (credited)
- Quant'è bella la Bernarda, tutta nera, tutta calda .... Giannetto (credited)
1976 - 40 gradi all'ombra del lenzuolo .... Emilia's friend (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- I ragazzi della Roma violenta .... Giuseppe Rossi (credited)
1977 - Il mostro .... Designer (credited)
- Ritornano quelli della calibro 38 .... role? (credited as "Emelio Rinaldi")
1978 - I problemi di Don Isidro (TV series) Ep. 1: "1° Problema: Delitto a bordo" .... Mr. Harrow (credited)
- Volontari per destinazione ignota (TV movie) .... The Major (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
1979 - Ciao nì! .... Super Io (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- John Travolto... da un insolito destino .... Psychologist (credited)
- La parte più appetitosa del maschio .... Professor Cagli (credited)
- Riavanti... Marsch! …. (credited, but not found)
1980 - Fantozzi contro tutti .... Austrian tourist (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- Il ficcanaso .... Russian parapsychologist (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- Mia moglie è una strega .... Emilio's work colleague (credited)
- Una vacanza bestiale .... Emir Kamal (credited)
1981 - Fracchia la belva umana .... Carabinieri colonel (credited)
- Il marchese del Grillo .... Actor playing Bacchus (credited)
- Quell'antico amore (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3 .... Hotelier (credited)
- Vita di Antonio Gramsci (TV mini-series) Ep. 3: "L'educazione carceraria" .... Look-out (credited)
1982 - Delitto di stato (TV mini-series) Ep. 1 .... Doctor Alfonso Grazzini (credited)
- Delitto di stato (TV mini-series) Ep. 4 .... The health magistrate (credited)
- Dio li fa poi li accoppia .... Public prosecutor (credited as "Enzo Rinaldi")
- Inverno al mare (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 2 .... Parroco (credited)
- Liebeskonzil .... Godfather (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
- Sogni mostruosamente proibiti .... Assassin (credited)
1984 - I racconti del maresciallo (TV series) Ep. 2: "La fine di Flok" .... Baudengo (credited)
1985 - Aeroporto internazionale (TV series) Season 1, Ep. 22: "Amare vuol dire..." .... Don Diego (credited)
- Un uomo in trappola (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3, 4 .... Money lender (credited in all episodes)
1988 - Diciottanni - Versilia 1966 (TV mini-series) Unknown episodes .... Arturo (credited - role unconfirmed)
1989 - Ad un passo dall'aurora .... Renter of masks and costumes (credited)
1990 - Ottobre rosa all'Arbat .... Bobo (credited)
1991 - Paprika .... Count Bastiano Rosasco (credited)
1992 - Cosi fan tutte .... Silvio (credited)
- Un inviato molto speciale (TV series) Eps. 2, 3 .... Supervisor (credited)
1995 - Voci notturne (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 3 .... Senator Dolci (credited)
1996 - Festival .... role? (credited)
- L'arcano incantatore .... Priest (credited)
1997 - A spasso nel tempo - L'avventura continua .... Baccio (credited)
- Marquise .... Priest (credited)
1998 - Il mastino (TV series) Eps. 5, 6 .... Valente (credited)
- Il più lungo giorno .... role? (credited)
- Professione fantasma (TV series) Ep. 8: "Ricatti e misteri" .... Mazzoni (credited)
1999 - Bagnomaria .... Don Paolo (credited)
- Tutti gli uomini del deficiente .... Priest (credited)
2000 - Un anno in campagna .... Antonio Gadda (Sasà) (credited)
2001 - I cavalieri che fecero l'impresa .... Man with the dog (credited)
- Gli occhi dell'amore (TV movie) .... Jones (role unconfirmed)
2003 - Il quaderno della spesa .... Don Firmino (credited? - role unconfirmed)
Additional credits
- Bistefani commercials (1980s/90s various) as Mr. Bistefani
Titles to check
- Bionda fragola (1980) ANICA
- Quattro grandi giornalisti (1980 TV mini-series) Ep. 2: "Luigi Albertini". IMDb
- Dieci registi italiani, dieci racconti italiani (1983 TV series) Ep. 2: "Il commissionario". IMDb
- Un marziano a Roma (1983) IMDb as Baron / Nardone
- Investigatori d'Italia (1987 TV series) Ep. 9: "L'omicidio del banchiere galante.". IMDb as Artusi
- Santa Maria in Trastevere (1994 short film) Facebook
- Le Retour d'Arsène Lupin (1996 TV series) S. 2, Ep. 7: "Les souterrains étrusques.". IMDb
- Giochi pericolosi (2000 TV movie) IMDb as Guerrino
- Non ho l'età 2 (2002 TV movie) IMDb
No Renzo!
Titles where Renzo is listed as appearing somewhere online, but cannot be found. There always has to be one!
- Alta Società: Rigatoni Barilla (1985) IMDb lists him as appearing in this short Fellini video, but it is another balding, bearded actor who appears