Fabrizio Frizzi

Fabrizio Adriano Frizzi (5 February 1958 – 26 March 2018) was an Italian television presenter and voice actor. He often presented a mixture of variety shows, talent shows and game shows across Italy and he was also known as the Italian voice of Woody from the ''Toy Story'' franchise.

Biography

Born in Rome, Frizzi began his career in 1980, successfully auditioning to host the children's show ''Il barattolo'' for Rai 2 in 1980. Giorgio Dell'Arti, Massimo Parrini. ''Catalogo dei viventi''. Marsilio, 2009. . Aldo Grasso, Massimo Scaglioni, ''Enciclopedia della Televisione'', Garzanti, Milano, 1996 – 2003. . He continued in the young people's afternoon slot, firstly with ''Tandem'' and later with ''Pane e marmellata'', which he co-hosted with his first wife Rita Dalla Chiesa.

Starting from the early nineties, Frizzi presented several prime-time RAI TV shows, including ''I fatti vostri'', ''Scommettiamo che...?'' (the Italian version of '' Wetten, dass..?''), ''Europa, Europa'' (with Elisabetta Gardini), the popular Sunday afternoon magazine show ''Domenica in'' and several editions of Miss Italia. He also became presenter of the annual celebrity football match ''Partita del cuore'', which raised funds for charity and scientific research, and hosted various editions of the Italian Telethon. In 1995 he won the 'Oscar della TV' award for his presentation of the quiz show ''Luna Park''. In 1997 he began co-hosting the prime-time show ''Per tutta la vita...?'' (Italian version of the French ''Pour la vie'') together with former model Natasha Stefanenko, for two of the show's six seasons, and with Romina Power for another three seasons.

After a brief spell with Mediaset channel Canale 5, Frizzi returned to the state broadcaster in 2003 as presenter of the weekday morning show ''Piazza Grande'', a format Frizzi had been familiar with as host of its nineties' predecessor ''I Fatti Vostri''. In 2005 he starred in the first series of ''Ballando con le stelle'', the Italian version of ''Strictly Come Dancing'', coming fourth overall. As his popularity increased he also returned to ''Telethon'' and ''Partita del cuore'', charity TV and sports events which he had championed in the 1990s. In the summer of 2007 he launched the new early evening game show ''I soliti ignoti – identità nascoste'', based on the US game show ''Identity''. The show was a big success for RAI and Frizzi went on to host it until 2012, when the show was suspended (it was successfully revived in 2017).

In April 2014, Frizzi became the third host of the Italian game show ''L'eredità'', replacing Carlo Conti. The pair then shared the hosting of the show until October 2016, when Frizzi became its only presenter. In 2015 he was appointed Commendatore della Repubblica by President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano.

Other ventures

Frizzi received international attention for dubbing the voice of Sheriff Woody (originally voiced by Tom Hanks), one of the main characters in Pixar's ''Toy Story'' film series into Italian, as well a car version of Woody in ''Cars''. He also reprised the role of Woody in television shorts, video games and more. Frizzi also made a guest appearance in the Italian dubbed version of ''The Simpsons'' on the episode ''Pay Pal'' in which he voiced John Wilkes Booth.

From 1999 to 2001, Frizzi had an acting role as Paolo Bonelli in the RAI television drama series ''Non lasciamoci più''. The show only lasted two seasons.

Personal life

Previously married to fellow television presenter Rita dalla Chiesa, ten years his senior, in 2014 Frizzi married his second wife, the nearly 24 years younger TV presenter Carlotta Mantovan, whom he had met during the 2001 auditions for Miss Italia. The couple had a daughter, Stella, born in 2013.

Frizzi was also the younger brother of composer Fabio Frizzi.

Illness and death

On 23 October 2017, while recording an episode of ''L'eredità'', Frizzi suffered an ischemic stroke, which led him to take a break from work.

He returned to the show to great acclaim in December of the same year. In the early hours of 26 March 2018, he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage that proved to be fatal. He was rushed to the Sant'Andrea Hospital but it was too late to save him and he died. He was 60 years old. His funeral, attended by thousands, was held two days later at the Basilica di Santa Maria in Montesanto located in the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, commonly known as the ''Chiesa degli artisti'', the "Church of the Artists".

The Italian voice of Woody was passed on to voice actor and Frizzi's friend Angelo Maggi in ''Toy Story 4''. The Italian dubbed version of the movie is dedicated to Frizzi.

Dubbing roles

Animation

*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story 2''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story 3''
*Sheriff Woody in '' Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story of Terror!''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story That Time Forgot''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Hawaiian Vacation''
*Sheriff Woody in '' Small Fry''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Partysaurus Rex''
*Woody Wagon in ''Cars''
*John Wilkes Booth in ''The Simpsons'' (episode 25x21)

Video games

*Sheriff Woody in '' Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Toy Story Mania!''
*Sheriff Woody in '' Toy Story 3: The Video Game''
*Sheriff Woody in ''Disney Infinity''

Filmography

*''Non lasciamoci più'' (1999–2001) – Paolo Bonelli
*'' Buona giornata'' (2012) – Himself

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Frizzi, Fabrizio
1958 births
2018 deaths
Mass media people from Rome
Italian television presenters
Italian game show hosts
Italian male voice actors
Italian male video game actors
Officers of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Sapienza University of Rome alumni
People of Emilian descent