Luigi Visconti, better known by his stage name Fanfulla, (26 February 1913 – 5 January 1971) was an Italian actor and comedian.

Life and career

Born in Rome, Visconti debuted at very young age on stage alongside his mother, the actress Mercedes Menolesi (best known as "Diavolina").

From the mid-forties to the late fifties, he adopted the stage name Fanfulla and was a popular comedian of cabaret and avanspettacolo shows, acclaimed for his brilliant style, referred to as "The King of Avanspettacolo" and even paired with Ettore Petrolini.

His career was relaunched by Federico Fellini, who chose him for the role of Vernacchio in Fellini Satyricon, a role that gave Fanfulla a Nastro d'Argento for best supporting actor. In 1970, Fellini gave him a main role in The Clowns.

In 1971, Fanfulla died from a heart attack in a hotel in Bologna, while he was on tour with his avanspettacolo company.

Selected filmography

• Era lui... sì! sì! (1951)
• The Piano Tuner Has Arrived (1952)
• Rommel's Treasure (1955)
• Toto, Peppino and the Fanatics (1958)
• Toto and Marcellino (1958)
• Toto in Paris (1958)
• Son of the Red Corsair (1959)
• La sceriffa (1959)
• Death of a Friend (1959)
• Quanto sei bella Roma (1959)
• World of Miracles (1959)
• Love in Rome (1960)
• The Dam on the Yellow River (1960)
• Caccia all'uomo (1961)
• Night Train to Milan (1962)
• Dark Purpose (1964)
• Fellini Satyricon (1969)
• The Clowns (1970)