Lino Banfi celebrates 90th birthday with documentary and tributes

Italian actor Lino Banfi, born Pasquale Zagaria on 9 July 1936, turned 90 on 9 July 2026. The milestone was marked by a special Rai 1 documentary, "Storia di un itALIENO", aired on 8 July, and the release of his autobiography "90 non mi fai paura!".

Banfi’s six‑decade career spans avanspettacolo, the 1970s commedia sexy, iconic film roles such as Oronzo Canà and the TV character Nonno Libero in "Un medico in famiglia". He debuted on television in 1964 with "Biblioteca di Studio Uno" and later worked with directors including Nanni Loy and Dino De Laurentiis. The actor was also honoured at the Premio Diomede ceremony in Canosa di Puglia, which highlighted his status as one of Italy’s most beloved performers.