Raffaella Carrà


Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni, better known as Raffaella Carrà, is an Italian singer, dancer, television presenter, and actress. She is a popular figure in Europe and Latin America, both as a result of her many well-known taped presentations and records, and because of her many popular TV shows. Carrà is widely regarded as a gay icon.

Early life

She was born in Bologna, and took dance lessons there early on. When she was 8 years old, she left Bologna to study at the National Dance Academy in Rome, and started her film career in the 1950s, playing the character of Graziella in Tormento del passato, where she appears credited with her real name.

Career

Actress

Carrà debuted in cinema at age nine, in Tormento del passato. She did five other movies until 1960 when she graduated from the national film school of Italy. The same year she appeared in Long Night in 1943, and went on to appear in many Italian peplum films, including Fury of the Pagans, Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops, Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules, Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules, Pontius Pilate and Caesar the Conqueror, as well as comedies and action films such as 5 marines per 100 ragazze, The Terrorist, The Organizer and La Celestina P... R....
In 1965, she moved to the United States signing with 20th Century Fox. As Carrà, she starred in the motion picture Von Ryan's Express with Frank Sinatra, Edward Mulhare, and Trevor Howard. In 1966, she guest starred in an episode of the American television series I Spy. Feeling homesick, she decided to return to Italy where she starred in several Italian and French films such as Le Saint prend l'affût, the Our Man Flint parody Il vostro super agente Flit, Why Did I Ever Say Yes Twice? and Cran d'arrêt, as well as a few television shows. However, subsequently her acting career has been scarce with no more than five works mainly for television.

Singing and dancing

Since 1961, Carrà has sung and danced on the variety shows of Italian television. In particular, since the early 1970s, they have contained elaborate choreography, mesmerizing elaborate themes, and her uninhibited style. She was the first television personality to show her belly button on camera. This was met with heavy criticism from the Vatican and Catholic churches in the countries that watched her show, Canzonissima.
Carrà had a hit song with the sensual Tuca Tuca, written for her singing and dancing television presentations by her long-time collaborator and former boyfriend, Gianni Boncompagni. Similarly, in 1971 Carrà achieved other hits with Ma che musica maestro and Chissà se va.
Her greatest international hit single was Tanti Auguri, which has become a popular song with gay audiences. The song is also known under its Spanish title Para hacer bien el amor hay que venir al sur. The Estonian version of the song Jätke võtmed väljapoole was performed by Anne Veski.
"A far l'amore comincia tu" was another success for her internationally, known in Spanish as En el amor todo es empezar, in German as Liebelei, in French as Puisque tu l'aimes dis le lui, and in English as Do It, Do It Again. It was her only entry to the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 9 in 1978, where she remains a one-hit wonder. "A far l'amore comincia tu" has also been covered in Turkish by a Turkish singer Ajda Pekkan as "Sakın Sakın Ha". In 1977, she recorded another hit single, Fiesta originally in Spanish, but then recorded it in french and italian after the song hit the charts.
In 1984, Carrà recorded "Spera, aspetta e spera", italian version for "Lança Perfume", classic from Rita Lee, the queen of brazilian rock'n roll. In 1985, Carrà's Starlight Express video was released featuring characters, costumes and sets from the show.
Recently, Carrà has gained new attention for her appearance as the female dancing soloist in a 1974 TV performance of the proto-rap funk gibberish song Prisencolinensinainciusol by Adriano Celentano. A remixed video containing her dancing went viral on the internet in 2008. In 2008 a video of a performance of her only UK hit single, Do It, Do It Again, appeared in the Doctor Who episode Midnight.
Rafaella Carrà worked with Bob Sinclar on the new single Far l'Amore which was released on YouTube on 17 March 2011. The song charted in different European countries., and appeared in the soundtrack of the italian Academy award winner movie The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.. In May 2011, she presented the Italian points in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Spanish-language market

After her boom in the Italian market of the early 1970s, Carrà moved to Spain, doing television and releasing records in the Spanish language. This led her to move to South America, where her records had been heard for some years. In 1979, she established her headquarters in Buenos Aires, which was under a military dictatorship. Carrà was one of the figures of the ATC, the official television network of Argentina.
She was well received throughout North, Central and South America, and filled the stadiums and theaters wherever she performed. In 1980, she filmed the Barbara musical romantic comedy, also in Buenos Aires, with the most important stars of the region. After appearing in the Festival de Viña del Mar she returned permanently to Italy. She visited the city of Salto, Uruguay and performed a show in the Parque Harriague.

Discography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1962–1963Il paroliere questo sconosciutoHerselfTalk show, co-host with Lelio Luttazzi
1964I grandi camaleontiOrtensiaItalian TV Series; 8 episodes
1965ScaramoucheCostanza De MauriacItalian TV Miniseries; 4 episodes
1966I SpySophiaAmerican TV Series; episode: "Sophia"
1970Io, Agata e tuHerselfCo-host alongside Nino Ferrer
1970–1975CanzonissimaHerselfVariety show, co-host with Corrado
1971Arsène LupinAntoninaItalian TV Series; episode: "La donna dai due sorrisi"
1974MilleluciHerselfVariety show, co-host with Mina
1976La hora de...Raffaella Carra’HerselfSpanish Variety show, host
1978Ma che seraHerselfVariety show, host
1981MillemilioniHerselfMusical show, host
1982, 1991FantasticoHerselfVariety show, co-host with various
1983–1985Pronto, Raffaella?HerselfTalk show, Host
1985–1986Buonasera RaffaellaHerselfVariety-talk show, Host
1986–1987Domenica inHerselfTalk show, host
1988Raffaella Carrà ShowHerselfVariety show; host
1989Il principe azzurroHerselfGame show, host
1990... E saranno famosiHerselfVariety show, host
1990–1991Ricomincio da dueHerselfTalk show; host
1992–1994Hola Raffaella!HerselfSpanish Variety-talk show, host
1993–1994A las 8 con RaffaellaHerselfSpanish talk show, host
1995En casa con RaffaellaHerselfSpanish talk show, host
1995–2009Carramba Che sorpresa/fortunaHerselfVariety show, Host
1996–199740 minuti con RaffaellaHerselfGame show, Host
1997Mamma per casoNicolettaItalian TV Miniseries; 4 episodes
1998CentoventitreHerselfGame show, host
1999I Fantastici di RaffaellaHerselfGame show, Host
2001Festival di SanremoHerselfMusical show, host
2001Dopo il Festival tutti da meHerselfTalk show, host
2004SogniHerselfVariety show; host
2006AmoreHerselfCharity show; host
2008Salvemos Eurovision/EuropasionHerselfSpanish Variety show, host
2011Eurovision Song ContestHerselfMusical show, commentator
2013–2016The Voice of ItalyHerselfTalent show, Coach
2015Forte forte forteHerselfTalent show, judge and creator
201660 años juntosHerselfSpanish Tv Special, host
2019A raccontare comincia tuHerselfTalk show, Host