The prince of laughter was born in Naples on February 15th, 1898, in the Rione Sanità. From a human point of view, he lived on endemic dualism: private melancholy and public comedy, the art of getting by and the search for recognition through noble titles, which his grandfather didn't give him for being the son of a plebeian.
Arriving at the cinema at the age of 40, after having established himself in the ''avanspettacolo'', Totò was the protagonist of a thirty-year film career with 97 films, now considered a national heritage. He is not just a great artist, but a man of many qualities. He lived without letting others know about his generosity, walking through the poorest neighborhoods of Naples to do charity.
What does Totò leave to Italian culture? The need to maintain an inner joy, along with a great depth: he goes far beyond the hilarity of his jokes. Totò knows how difficult it is to make the audience laugh but also how important it is. He had a tough life, he knew how important it was to take life light-heartedly.
Among his artistic awards stand out the Silver Mask Award and the Silver Ribbon as the best leading actor. On April 15th, 1967, Prince Antonio De Curtis, known as Totò, died in Rome.
