Quick Facts
Biography
Maurizio Arena (26 December 1933 – 21 November 1979) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 78 films between 1952 and 1978.
Life and career
Born in Rome as Maurizio di Lorenzo, Arena made his film debut at nineteen years old, with a small role in Bellezze in moto-scooter. His breakout role came in 1956 with the role of Romolo in the successful Dino Risi's romance-comedy film Poveri ma belli. Until the early 1960s Arena was one of the most popular actors in the Italian cinema, as well as a protagonist of gossip columns for his tumultuous sentimental life. Declined the fame, he was active as a character actor in films often of modest value until his death.
An occasional singer, in the last years of his short life Arena was also a healer with some local following. He died at age 45 following a heart attack which occurred as a result of worsening of the renal affection he suffered from some time. In 2008 a park was named after him in his native district Garbatella.
Selected filmography
- Beauties on Motor Scooters (1952)
- It Happened in the Park (1953)
- Siamo tutti inquilini (1953)
- La lupa (1953)
- Un giorno in pretura (1954)
- The Sign of Venus (1955)
- Totò and Carolina (1955)
- Tempo di villeggiatura (1956)
- Poveri ma belli (1957)
- Belle ma povere (1957)
- The Black Devil (1957)
- Poveri milionari (1958)
- Love and Troubles (1958)
- The Defeated Victor (1958)
- Policarpo (1959)
- Il carabiniere a cavallo (1962)
- Il giorno più corto (1962)
- The Legion's Last Patrol (1962)
- La fuga (1964)
- Le bambole (1965)
- The Peking Medallion (1967)
- They Came to Rob Las Vegas (1968)
- The Assassination of Matteotti (1973)
- The Godson of the Godfather (1973)
- The Balloon Vendor (1974)
- To Love Ophelia (1974)
- Hallucination Strip (1975)
- The Career of a Chambermaid (1976)