Initially, a person and a character, and only then an actor. This is how Marco Ferreri described his colleague Tonyazzi, referring to him in an interview as one of the creators of the comedy in the Italian style. Thanks to her extraordinary performing talent, irony and sensual presentation, Hugo Tonyazzi managed to present on the big screen a lot of complex, ironic, and sometimes grotesque images. They immediately fell in love with the audience and laid the foundation for the very concept of "comedy in the Italian style."
Childhood and youth
The future famous Italian actor and director was born in Cremona on March 23, 1922. His father worked as a simple inspector of an insurance company, and although the budget of the Tonyazzi family was very modest, the head of the family spared no money on his son's education and paid for his violin lessons. Despite the talent and acting talent that showed up at a young age, fourteen-year-old Ottavio (Hugo) Tonyazzi was still forced to quit his studies and go to work at the Salumificio Negroni sausage company to help his family. The young man, however, continued to dream of a theatrical scene and attended all kinds of competitions and auditions to participate in theatrical productions and variety shows. Moreover, he had a chance to taste the fruits of acting glory at the tender age of four, when, as part of the dramatic society of his city, he went on stage to Donizetti di Bergamo.
Comic genre
During the Second World War, Hugo Tonyazzi was drafted into the army. For some time, the young man served in the Navy, where in the short minutes of rest he entertained his colleagues with his acting skills. His comic talent was noticed by the command, which considered that Tonyazzi would do more good as part of the front-line theater brigades. So young talent became the highlight of entertainment programs designed to raise the morale of soldiers. Characters created by the actor on the basis of jokes and folk tales were especially popular among the military, and Tonyazzi, having decided on his role, decided not to stop there.
First successes
Returning to his native Cremona in 1943, Hugo Tonyazzi arranged to work as an archivist, and in his spare time he made small performances in cinemas before the start of the session. Comic scenes with his participation begin to be very popular with the audience, and the ambitious young man decides to leave the province and goes to Milan. There, at first, he continues to entertain the audience of the cinema with his humor, but very soon attracts the attention of the impresario of the Osiris theater group. Touring and performing as part of this troupe, Tonyazzi gained experience and achieved significant success in his acting career. Towards the end of the war, the theater group disintegrates, and the actor transfers to the troupe of the famous Roman comedy theater Vittorio Caprioli.
The path to the big movie
The talented actor was spotted by director Mario Mattoli, who invites Tonyazzi to take part in the film "Cadet Boys" (1950). So the actor made his film debut. He begins to receive a lot of offers to participate in comedy films, though not always of high quality, but demanded by the post-war audience, who yearned for humor.
Fame and recognition of the audience
Along the way, filming a movie, the actor, with his humorous scenes, becomes Raimondo Vianello's favorite participant in the television show. For six years, it has been unchanged in popularity with the Italian viewer, thanks in large part to the talented comedian Hugo Tonyazzi. Films with his participation, such as “Joy of Life”, “Fascist Leader”, “Modern History: Queen of the Bees”, “Campaign in Rome”, “Monsters”, “Antisex”, “Monkey Woman” and many others also enjoy the same viewer popularity.
Critical Recognition
The actor’s work in the film directed by Antonio Pietrangeli “I knew her well” in 1965 finally brought Tonyazzi recognition of film critics. He was awarded the Silver Ribbon Association of Italian Film Journalists. Tonyazzi subsequently became the winner of this national award three more times. One of the most beloved actors of the European audience played roles in more than a hundred-odd films, as the director released six full-length films. The recognized works of the actor are “Scroll in the Nose” of 1967 (Golden Bear nomination of the Berlin Film Festival), 1968 Immoral (Golden Globe nomination), but the most significant roles, according to critics, Tonyazzi played in the films “Big Grub” "(1973) directed by Marco Ferreri and in the trilogy of paintings" Cage for Eccentrics "(1978, 1980, 1985) directed by Primo Spagiarri.
Best Actor
The main and deserved for Tonyazzi was the prize of the International Cannes Film Festival in 1981. Work with the director Bernardo Bertolucci on the dramatic role of the protagonist of the film Primo Spaggyari, who is tormented by a difficult choice: to lose his son or the work of a lifetime, brought the actor world fame and critical acclaim. For the role of the owner of the cheese factory Spaggyari in the film “The Tragedy of a Funny Man” Tonyazzi received an award for Best Actor.
Personal life
Friends called Tonyazzi a man “too much”: his indefatigable energy was boiling both on the set and in his personal life. Many novels, including with the French actress Helene Chanel, could not but affect his image. The actor is known as a noble heartthrob, however, this does not plead with the interest of women in his person. In 1955, he falls in love with Pat O'Hara, an Irish dancer. Having lived with her for many years, but never having formed a relationship, he breaks, despite his son Ricky, who emerged from this union. From a romance with the Norwegian actress Margaret Robsham in 1964, Tonyazzi gives birth to another son, Thomas. Finally, in 1965, the actor meets the love of his life, the Italian actress Franco Betoya. In this marriage, they had two children: Jean-Marco in 1967 and Maria in 1971. Tonyazzi lived with Franca until the end of his days, sons from previous unions also lived with his father, and later followed in his footsteps. Despite the successes in cinema and on television in recent years, Tonyazzi was in a creative depression and appeared mainly only on the stage. The actor died suddenly from a stroke on October 27, 1990, leaving behind a rich legacy in the form of his roles for all movie fans.