 roberto remigio benigni, cavaliere di gran croce omri. quirinale.it (;listen. pronounceitright.com . retrieved on 2012-03-10. born 27 october 1952) is an italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television. ==early years== benigni was born on 1952 to luigi benigni and isolina papini. he was raised catholic and served as an altar boy;when tragedy, comedy meet: italian actor-director roberto benigni. the jewish week (1998-10-23)is there humor in the holocaust? roberto benigni's bittersweet answer.jewish exponent (1998-11-05) he still considers himself a believer. his first experiences as a theatre actor took place in 1971, in prato. during that autumn he moved to rome where he took part in some experimental theatre shows, some of which he also directed. in 1975, benigni had his first theatrical success with cioni mario di gaspare fu giulia, written by giuseppe bertolucci. benigni became famous in italy in the 1970s for a shocking tv series called onda libera, on rai2, by renzo arbore, in which he interpreted the satirical piece the hymn of the slippery body (l'inno del corpo sciolto, a scatological song about the joys of defecation). a great scandal for the time, the series was suspended due to censorship. his first film was 
1952_births Best_Actor_Academy_Award_winners Best_Actor_BAFTA_Award_winners David_di_Donatello_winners European_Film_Award_for_Best_Actor_winners Italian_Roman_Catholics Italian_buskers Italian_comedians Italian_film_directors Italian_male_film_actors Italian_singer-songwriters Living_people Nastro_d\'Argento_winners Outstanding_Performance_by_a_Male_Actor_in_a_Leading_Role_Screen_Actors_Guild_Award_winners People_from_Prato People_from_the_Province_of_Arezzo