Adriano Celentano

Adriano Celentano is a well-known Italian actor, writer, director, and singer who has released over 40 albums and appeared in numerous films and TV programs. Born and raised in Milan, Celentano was heavily influenced by rock and roll music and first gained fame for his song "The Boy From Gluck Street," which was the first of many hit singles. In the late '50s he appeared on many popular Italian music programs, including "Ragazzi del Juke-Box" and "Hey, Let's Twist," where he showed off his hula hooping skills. Celentano's bumbling and comical on-screen persona was firmly established by the mid '60s and he appeared in numerous popular low-budget comedies like "Un strano tipo" and "Europa canta." In 1968 he landed the lead role in "Serafino," as a young shepherd who ultimately walks away from a large inheritance that he believes is more trouble than it's worth. Celentano starred in many commercially successful films during the '70s and '80s, including "The Taming of the Scoundrel" and "Bingo Bongo." In 1975 he wrote, directed and starred in the musical comedy "Yuppi du," about a man whose world is turned upside down when he is reunited with a long lost love. The film was a critical and commercial success and garnered Celentano a Golden Palm nomination at the Cannes film festival that year. Celentano, who often cast his wife Claudia Mori in his films, has since directed the TV series "Rockpolitik" and composed music for the Hollywood musical "Nine."