Mario Marenco Biography
Mario Marenco (Foggia, 9 September 1933) is an Italian actor, designer, architect and comedian. He created and interpreted characters such as Colonel Buttiglione, Sgarambona, Riccardino, the Spanish astronaut Raimundo Navarro, Doctor Anemo Carlone, Professor Aristogitone, Verzo, Ida Lo Nigro, the poet Marius Marenco and many others. He was the author and protagonist of various television programs, often in the company of Renzo Arbore and Gianni Boncompagni. He graduated in architecture in 1957, in Naples, later obtaining research grants in Stockholm and Chicago. In 1960 he opened his own architecture and design atelier: Studio DEGW, based in Rome. He has collaborated with the most important Italian car manufacturers for the creation of their exhibition stands. Before making his debut on television in 1972 with Cochi and Renato and Enzo Jannacci in the program The Good and the Bad, he achieved success in 1970 with the radio program Alto gradimento written with Giorgio Bracardi and hosted by Arbore and Boncompagni themselves. He was Mr Ramengo in L'altra Domenica, a bizarre correspondent who shouted "Carmine!" after every report. He was the protagonist of the programs Odeon and The Egg and the Cube. In the eighties he participated in various television programmes, including Sotto le stelle (by Magalli, Minellono, Marenco and Boncompagni) where he performed Prof. Aristogitone and in several other sketches, and Indietro tutto! where he played the character of the child Riccardino.