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Alberto Rabagliati (Milan, 26 June 1906 - Rome, 7
March 1974) was Italy's first pop star.


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== A would-be Rudolph Valentino ==
In 1927 Alberto Rabagliati moved to Hollywood from
native Italy as the winner of a Rudolph Valentino
look-alike contest. He later recalled: "For
someone like me, who had seen no more than Lake
Como or Monza's cathedral so far, finding myself
on board a luxury steamer with three cases full of
clothes, a few rolls of dollars, granduchesses and
countesses flirting with me was something
extraordinary".

He remained four years in United States|America,
but his career as an actor never took off. During
his stay he had however the opportunity to get to
know new musical genres such as jazz, swing
(genre)|swing, scat.

== Singing ==
Back in Europe he became a singer. After a brief
experience with Pippo Barzizza's orchestra, he
joined the Lecuona Cuban Boys, a Cuban band. He
performed with his face painted black and made a
hit with the song Maria la O.

While with the Lecuona Cuban Boys he met Giovanni
D'Anzi who proposed him an audition with Italian
state radio station EIAR. Rabagliati soon became a
radio star, and in 1941 even had his own radio
show. Every Monday night EIAR aired Canta
Rabagliati ("Rabagliati sings"), with the singer
presenting his most famous songs such as Ma
l'amore no, Mattinata fiorentina, Ba-ba-baciami
piccina, Silenzioso slow, Bambina innamorata. 

He was so popular that his name was sung in the
lyrics of La famiglia canterina, Quando canta
Rabagliati, Quando la radio. Female audience went
crazy for him, and covered him with red roses at
every performance. At a time when anything foreign
was banned, the idol Rabagliati was allowed to
maintain his American-influenced style. Indeed,
the Fascism|Fascist government decided to make use
of his popularity by choosing his song Sposi (c'è
una casetta piccina) ("Wed (there's a little
home)") as their demographic campaign anthem.

== Acting ==
His enormous fame as a singer helped his acting
career restart. From 1940 to 1965 he starred in
some twenty movies, including The Barefoot
Contessa, Montecarlo, Il Vedovo.

Rabagliati was active also on the stage until mid
1950s. He performed in musical reviews and
commedies by Garinei and Giovannini.

His last public appearance was in 1974 as a guest
in the TV show Milleluci hosted by Mina
(singer)|Mina and Raffaella Carrà. Soon
afterwards he died of cerebral thrombosis.

== External links ==
* http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704711/ Filmography