Adriano Celentano

Biography

Adriano Celentano is an Italian singer, songwriter, actor, director, and television presenter, born on January 6, 1938, in Milan, Italy. Nicknamed "Il Molleggiato" (The Springy One) for his energetic and unique dancing style, he is one of the most influential and best-selling artists in Italian music history, with record sales of around 150 million worldwide. His parents were from Foggia in Apulia and had moved north for work. The street where he was born, Via Cristoforo Gluck 14, later became the subject of his famous song "Il ragazzo della via Gluck".

Career Beginnings and Musical Style

Heavily influenced by Elvis Presley and the American rock and roll scene of the 1950s, Celentano is credited with introducing this genre to Italy. Before his artistic debut, he worked as a watchmaker. His career began in 1957, and he quickly gained fame. In 1962, he founded his own record label, Clan Celentano, which is still active today. His music often blends rock and roll with pop and ballads, and his lyrics frequently touch on themes of love, social injustice, and environmentalism. Some of his most famous songs include "24.000 baci," "Azzurro," and "Prisencolinensinainciusol," a song famous for its use of a gibberish language that sounds like American English.

Acting and Directing

In addition to his prolific music career, Celentano has appeared in 39 films, mostly comedies. He made his film debut in 1959 and had a role in Federico Fellini's classic "La dolce vita" (1960). Throughout the 1970s and part of the 1980s, his films were highly successful at the Italian box office. Critics often point to "Serafino" (1968) as his best acting performance. Celentano also directed several films, including "Yuppi Du," which won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. He frequently cast his wife, Claudia Mori, and actresses Ornella Muti and Eleonora Giorgi in his films.

Personal Life

Adriano Celentano married actress and singer Claudia Mori in 1964. They met in 1963 on the set of the film "Uno strano tipo". The couple has three children: Rosita, Giacomo, and Rosalinda. Their daughter Rosalinda is known internationally for her role as Satan in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Despite a public affair with actress Ornella Muti in the early 1980s, Celentano and Mori have remained married for nearly 60 years. Celentano has been a vegetarian since 2005 and is an advocate for animal rights. He is also a well-known supporter of the Inter Milan football club.