# Lino Banfi

Lino Banfi Knight Grand Cross OMRI (born Pasquale Zagaria; 9 July 1936) is an Italian actor and screenwriter. Since 1960 he has appeared in more than 100 films.

## Biography

Banfi was born in the Apulian city of Andria, and at the age of three he moved to Canosa di Puglia. He started his career as a local singer and as a fotoromanzi actor. In 1954, determined to realize his aspiration to be an actor, he moved to Milan, where he encountered great economic and work difficulties, before moving to Rome in 1957, where he eventually started his professional stage career. Initially performing as Lino Zaga, he was part of numerous avanspettacolo companies, including those led by Alberto Sorrentino and Beniamino Maggio.
Banfi made his film debut playing a minor role in Lucio Fulci's Howlers in the Dock. On the set of Fulci's I due evasi di Sing Sing he befriended the comedy duo Franco and Ciccio, and for several years he became a regular character actor in their films. In 1968, he embraced stand-up comedy, replacing Enrico Montesano at the Lando Fiorini's cabaret club Puff.
Lino Banfi became one of the most well-known actors in Italian "sexy comedies" in the 1970s. In the 1980s he reached the peak of his fame by appearing in movies such as L'allenatore nel pallone, Vieni avanti cretino, Il commissario Lo Gatto and Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio; he later portrayed Grandpa Libero [it] in Italian TV series Un medico in famiglia.
During his career, nearly all of Lino Banfi's characters spoke with the distinctive pronunciation of the Bari dialect. Banfi and his wife Lucia Lagrasta were married since 1962 until her death in February 2023; they have two children: Walter and Rosanna, who is also an actress. In 2000, Lino Banfi became a Goodwill ambassador for the Italian National Committee for UNICEF.

## Filmography
### Films

* Howlers of the Dock (1960)
* Sedotti e bidonati (1964)
* Two Escape from Sing Sing (1964)
* Goldginger (1965)
* The Two Parachutists (1965)
* Come inguaiammo l'esercito (1965), directed by Lucio Fulci
* 002 Operazione Luna (1965), directed by Lucio Fulci
* I due parà (1966), directed by Lucio Fulci
* War Italian Style (1966), directed by Luigi Scattini
* A suon di lupara (1968), directed by Luigi Petrini
* I due pompieri (1968), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* The Nephews of Zorro (1968), directed by Marcello Ciorciolini
* I due deputati (1968), directed by Giovanni Grimaldi
* Zum zum zum - La canzone che mi passa per la testa (1969), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Zum zum zum n° 2 (1969), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Indovina chi viene a merenda? (1969), directed by Marcello Ciorciolini
* Lisa dagli occhi blu (1969), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Gli infermieri della mutua (1969), directed by Giuseppe Orlandini
* Oh dolci baci e languide carezze (1969), directed by Mino Guerrini
* Paths of War (1969), directed by Aldo Grimaldi
* Diary of a Telephone Operator (1969), directed by Marcello Fondato
* Il Prof. Dott. Guido Tersilli, primario della clinica Villa Celeste, convenzionata con le mutue (1969 - not accredited), directed by Luciano Salce
* Quelli belli... siamo noi (1969), directed by Giorgio Mariuzzo
* Don Franco e Don Ciccio nell'anno della contestazione (1970), directed by Marino Girolami
* Nel giorno del Signore (1970), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Mezzanotte d'amore (1970), directed by Ettore Maria Fizzarotti
* Io non scappo... fuggo (1970), directed by Franco Prosperi
* Amore Formula 2 (1970), directed by Mario Amendola
* Ninì Tirabusciò la donna che inventò la mossa (1970), directed by Marcello Fondato
* Mazzabubù... Quante corna stanno quaggiù? (1971), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* In Prison Awaiting Trial (1971), directed by Nanni Loy
* Il clan dei due Borsalini (1971), directed by Giuseppe Orlandini
* Scusi, ma lei le paga le tasse? (1971), directed by Mino Guerrini
* Io non spezzo... rompo (1971), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Il furto è l'anima del commercio...?! (1971, directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Venga a fare il soldato da noi (1971), directed by Ettore Maria Fizzarotti
* Riuscirà l'avvocato Franco Benenato a sconfiggere il suo acerrimo nemico il pretore Ciccio De Ingras? (1971), directed by Mino Guerrini
* Il terrore con gli occhi storti (1972), directed by Steno
* Continuavano a chiamarli i due piloti più matti del mondo (1972), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* Boccaccio (1972), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* The Mighty Anselmo and His Squire (1972), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia (1973), directed by Luca Davan
* Lovers and Other Relatives (1973), directed by Salvatore Samperi
* The Funny Face of the Godfather (1973), directed by Franco Prosperi
* 4 marmittoni alle grandi manovre (1974), directed by Franco Martinelli
* Il trafficone (1974), directed by Bruno Corbucci
* Sesso in testa (1974), directed by Sergio Ammirata
* The Exorcist: Italian Style (1975), directed by Ciccio Ingrassia
* Loaded Guns (1975), directed by Fernando Di Leo
* Stangata in famiglia (1976), directed by Franco Nucci
* L'affittacamere (1976), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* Basta che non si sappia in giro (1976) - "Il superiore" episode, directed by Luigi Magni
* La compagna di banco (1977), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* Orazi e Curiazi 3 - 2 (1977), directed by Sergio Ammirata
* Kakkientruppen (1977), directed by Marino Girolami
* L'insegnante balla... con tutta la classe (1978), directed by Giuliano Carnimeo
* The Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' High (1978), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* La liceale nella classe dei ripetenti (1978), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* The Soldier with Great Maneuvers (1978), directed by Nando Cicero
* L'insegnante al mare con tutta la classe (1979), directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini
* Night Nurse (1979), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* Saturday, Sunday and Friday (1979) - "Sabato" episode, directed by Sergio Martino
* La liceale, il diavolo e l'acquasanta (1979), directed by Nando Cicero
* Tutti a squola (1979), directed by Pier Francesco Pingitore
* How to Seduce Your Teacher (1979), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* A Policewoman on the Porno Squad (1979), directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini
* The School Teacher in the House (1979), directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini
* The Nurse in the Military Madhouse (1979), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* La ripetente fa l'occhietto al preside (1980), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* La moglie in vacanza... l'amante in città (1980), directed by Sergio Martino
* La moglie in bianco... l'amante al pepe (1980), directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini
* Sugar, Honey and Pepper (1980), directed by Sergio Martino
* La dottoressa ci sta col colonnello (1980), directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini
* Spaghetti a mezzanotte (1981), directed by Sergio Martino
* L'onorevole con l'amante sotto il letto (1981), directed by Mariano Laurenti
* Cornetti alla crema (1981), directed by Sergio Martino
* Fracchia la belva umana (1981), directed by Neri Parenti
* Vieni avanti cretino (1982), directed by Luciano Salce
* Dio li fa e poi li accoppia (1982), directed by Steno
* Pappa e ciccia (1982), directed by Neri Parenti
* Vai avanti tu che mi vien da ridere (1982), directed by Giorgio Capitani
* Don't Play with Tigers (1982), directed by Sergio Martino
* Al bar dello sport (1983), directed by Francesco Massaro
* Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio (1983), directed by Sergio Martino
* L'allenatore nel pallone (1984 - also screenplay), directed by Sergio Martino
* I pompieri (1985), directed by Neri Parenti
* Grandi magazzini (1986), directed by Castellano & Pipolo
* Scuola di ladri (1986), directed by Neri Parenti
* Il commissario Lo Gatto (1986), directed by Dino Risi
* Roba da ricchi (1987), directed by Sergio Corbucci
* Missione eroica - I pompieri 2 (1987), directed by Giorgio Capitani
* Bellifreschi (1987), directed by Enrico Oldoini
* Com'è dura l'avventura (1988), directed by Flavio Mogherini
* L'allenatore nel pallone 2 (2008 - also screenplay), directed by Sergio Martino
* Un'estate al mare (2008), directed by Carlo Vanzina
* Focaccia blues (2009), directed by Nico Cirasola
* Wedding Fever in Campobello (2009), directed by Neele Vollmar [de]
* Buona giornata (2012), directed by Carlo Vanzina

### TV

* Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca (1964)
* Il triangolo rosso (1969)
* Arrivano i mostri (1977)
* Il superspia (1977)
* Se Parigi... (1982)
* Il vigile urbano (1989, Rai 1)
* Aspettando Sanremo (1990, Rai 1)
* Un inviato molto speciale (1992, Rai 2)
* Nuda proprietà vendesi (1997, Rai 1)
* Vola Sciusciù (2000, Rai 1 - subject also)
* Piovuto dal cielo (2000, Rai 1)
* Angelo il custode (2001, Rai 1)
* Un difetto di famiglia (2002, Rai 1)
* Il destino ha 4 zampe (2002, Rai 1)
* Un posto tranquillo (2003, Rai 1)
* Raccontami una storia (2004, Rai 1)
* Un posto tranquillo 2 (2005, Rai 1)
* Il mio amico Babbo Natale (2005, Canale 5)
* Il padre delle spose (2006, Rai 1)
* Il mio amico Babbo Natale 2 (2006, Canale 5)
* Scusate il disturbo (2009, Rai 1)
* Un medico in famiglia (1998–2016, Rai 1)
* Tutti i padri di Maria (2010, Rai 1)
* Il commissario Zagaria (2011, Canale 5)

## Books

* Alla grande! (1991)
* Una parola è troppa... Nonno Libero racconta (2004)
* C'era una volta Nonno Libero (2004)
* Ti racconto una storia. Ricordi di vita e di scena (2006)
* Il chèlcio secondo Oronzo Canà (2009)

## Honours

* Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (27 December 1998)