Gianni Agus(1917-1994)

Versatile, no other adjective could apply better to the art and personality of Gianni Agus. He indeed worked in the theater, in the cinema, on television, in variety shows. He could be an actor (from romantic lead in his first plays to sidekick to Totò to character actor in Pirandello plays), a TV host or the M.C of the San Remo song contest of 1958. He could sing and dance, perform alone or as part of a company. Yes, Agus could do everything including promoting the career of Vittorio Gassman... who was chosen to replace him after he had slapped the leading actress of his theater company! Gianni Agus appeared in lots of Italian films. He was particularly good as Count Almaviva in Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia "Figaro qua, Figaro là" (1950), as the fascist official in "Il federale" by Luciano Salce (1961), as the fascist mayor in Sergio Corbucci's best film "I due marescialli" 1961) and as Sergio in Dino Risi's "Mordi e fuggi" (1972). Of course Agus lent talent to a series of appalling z comedies. But he was an entertainer first and foremost. If he was given the opportunity to entertain the Italian audience he never turned his nose up at it. That is the reason why he is still fondly remembered by his fellow-countrymen. They are aware that through his nondiscriminatory choices Agus respected them all, whether highbrow or lowbrow.