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Famous Italian People From Abruzzo | Famous Italian Person Abruzzo | Famous films shot in Abruzzo

Famous-People-Abruzzo-Dean_Martin

Famous Italian People From Abruzzo

Here is a list of famous Italian people or have Italian origins hailing from the Abruzzo region of Italy and a list of famous films shot in the Italian region of Abruzzo.  Due to its superior lighting conditions, beautiful photogenic scenic backdrop and streamlined logistics, the Abruzzo region of Italy is fast becoming earmarked as a key filming location for the international film industry. This post is open, so do feel free to leave a comment in case you would like to add to any famous person from Abruzzo or recently filmed movie shot in Abruzzo.

Are you planning to visit Abruzzo? Our Villa puts you in the Centre of all things Italian in the Adriatic Coast of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Contact Daniela today to enquiry about booking your dream Italian villa.

List of famous Italian people from Abruzzo:

    • Madonna – Singer (Pacentro)
    • Dean Martin – Actor/Singer (Pescara)

      Famous Person Abruzzo
      Famous Italian people from Italian Abruzzo region, Dean Martin was born in Pescara
    • Rocco Siffredi – Porn Star (Chieti)
    • Robert Henry De Niro abstract expressionist painter and, father of actor Robert De Niro hails from Molise (Abruzzi)
    • Al Martino – Actor and Singer. Well known for his role as singer Johnny Fontane in The Godfather (Nereto, province of Teramo)
    • Ennio Flaiano – Screenwriter, playwright, novelist, journalist, and drama critic. Some of his most notable work included working with Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita”, 8 1/2, and “La Strada” (Pescara)
    • Rocky Marciano – Boxer (Chieti)
    • Rocky Mattioli – Boxer (Chieti)
    • Henry Mancini – Composer/Conductor (Scanno)
    • Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti – Composer and music teacher (Ortona)
    • Perry Como- American singer and television personality (Palena)
    • Tommy Lasorda – American Baseball Player/Coach (Chieti)
    • Fabio Grosso – Footballer (Chieti)
    • John Fante – Novelist (Chieti)
    • Pope Bonifacio IV – S. Benedetto dei Marsi (L’Aquila)
    • Gabriele D’Annunzio – Writer (Pescara)
    • Jarno Trulli – Formual 1 Racer (Pescara)
    • Juan Manuel Fangio – Formual 1 Racer (Chieti)
    • Floria Sigismondi – Photographer and Director (Pescara)
    • Filippo Giovanni De Cecco – Founder of De Cecco Pasta (Chieti)

      Italian Famous People
      Madonna hails from Pacentro, Italy
    • De Cecco – Now run by family members, De Cecco is one of the largest producers of pasta (Pescara)
    • Bruno Vespa – Italian television and newspaper journalist (L’Aquila)
    • Luca Dirisio – Singer (Vasto)
    • Benedetto Croce – Philosopher (Pescasseroli)
    • Domenico “Mimmo” Locaschiulli – Singer (Penne)
    • Publius Ovidius Naso – Latin Poet (Sulmona)
    • Mario Batali – American Chef and Media Personality (Chieti)
    • Pino Costa – Publisher, Producer and Presenter (Pescara)
    • General Corradino D’Ascanio – Designed the first production helicopter as well as the Vespa scooter (Popoli, Pescara)
    • Famous Italian People from Italian region of Abruzzo | vespa - corradino dascanio
      Famous Italian People – Corradino D’Ascanio – Designer of the iconic famous Vespa scooter

      Elena Costa – Presenter, Author and Journalist (Pescara) Elena has written a book on the L’Aquilla tragedy which can be bought online

    • Bruno Sammartino – WWWF Champion, inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (Pizzoferrato)
    • Massimo Oddo – Footballer (Città Sant’Angelo)
    • Giada Colagrande – Film Director, married to actor William Dafoe (Pescara)
    •  Ildebrando d’Arcangelo – Opera Singer (Pescara)
    • Ariana Grande – Singer (Lanciano, Chieti)
    • Stephanie D’Abruzzo – Actress, singer and puppeteer (Sant’ Angelo del pesco)
    • Garry Marshall – Actor and writer for notable films such as Happy Days (San Martino Sulla Marrucina, Chieti)
    • Penny Marshall – Nominated for Golden Globe and casted on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley. (San Martino Sulla Marrucina, Chieti)
    • Mario Lanza – Tenor and Actor (Tocco da Casauria)
    • Paolo Silveri – Baritone singer (Ofena)
    • Andrea Iannone – Italian professional MotoGP rider (Vasto)
    • Ilio DiPaolo – Wrestler (L’Aquila)
    • John A Volpe  – Governor of Massachusetts and Secretary (Pescosansonesco, Pescara)
    • Gianluca Ginoble – Italian operatic pop singer (Roseto degli Abruzzi, Teramo)
    • Elio Di Rupo – Belgian politician (San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, Pescara)
    • Daniel Bison –  Founding owner of the Syracuse National and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Miglianico, Chieti)
    • Luciano Di Gregorio – Published Author to include the Bradt Travel Guide to Abruzzo (Pescara)
    • Alfred Zampa, famous bridge worker that helped construct Golden Gate Bridge, and several bridges in San Francisco Bay Area (Ortucchio, L’Aquila)
    • Francesco Paolo Michetti – Famous Italian painter and photographer (Tocco da Casauria, Pescara)
    • Pierluigi Zappacosta – Co-founder Logitech (Chieti)
    • Bradley Cooper – Actor (Chieti)
    • Juan Manuel Fangio aka “El Maestro” – Formula 1 racer (Chieti)
    • Berto “Robert” DiPierdomenico – Australian rules footballer (Abbateggio)
    • Mike Pompeo – American Politician (Caramanico, Province of Pescara)
    • Ignazio Silone – Political leader and nominated for Nobel prize for literature 10 times (Pescina, Province of L’Aquila Abruzzo)
    • Beverly D’Angelo – Actress and Singer (Introdacqua)
    • Ignazio Silone – Italian political leader, novelist, and short-story writer (Pescina)
    • Michael Bublé – Canadian singer, songwriter, actor and record producer (Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi)
    • Marco Verrati – Football player (Pescara)
    • Jim Croce – Folk and rock singer-songwriter (Trasacco and Balsorano L’Aquila)
    • Nazzareno Carusi – Italian pianist (Celano, L’Aquila)
    • Thomas D’Alesandro, grandfather of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (Montenerodomo, Province of Chieti)
    • Felice Orlandi – Actor: Avezzano (Chieti)
    • Don McLean – American singer-songwriter and guitarist (San Valentino)
    • Pietro Donato – American writer and bricklayer best known for his novel, Christ in Concrete (Vasto, Province of Chieti)
    • Ron DeSantis Florida Governor and Presidential candidate (Pratola Peligna Province of L’Aquila)

Are you planning to visit Italy? Our Villa puts you in the Centre of all things Italian in the Adriatic Coast of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Contact Daniela today to enquiry about booking your dream Italian villa.

List of Famous Films shot in Abruzzo:

  • The American- Starring: George Clooney, Paolo Bonacelli and Violante Placido
  • The Name of The Rose – Starring: Sean Connery, Christian Slater and Helmut Qualtinger

    Famous Italian People
    Elena & Pino Costa – famous Italians
  • King David – Starring: Richard Gere, Alice Krige and Edward Woodward
  • Francesco – Starring: Mickey Rourke, Helena Bonham Carter, Andrea Ferreol
  • La Strada, directed by Federico Fellini – Starring: Anthony Quin, Giulietta Masina and Richard Basehart
  • A Pure Formality – Starring: Roman Polanski, Gerard Depardiu and Sergio Rubini
  • Ladyhawke – Starring: Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer
  • Yado – Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brigette Nielsen
  • Krull – Starring: Ken Marchal, Lysette Anthony and Freddie Jones
  • Madonna (A documentary)
  • Pane e tulipani (Bread and Tulips) – Starring Licia Malietta, Bruno Ganz and Giuseppe Battiston
  • Dinner in Abruzzo is the story of two Detroit chefs’ culinary trip to Abruzzo, Italy, to attend a cousin’s wedding and cook for family. Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press
 

82 thoughts on “Famous Italian People From Abruzzo | Famous Italian Person Abruzzo | Famous films shot in Abruzzo

  1. Mario Batali, the American chef, was born in the USA but his background is from Abruzzo on his father’s side.

     
  2. Great website. The American actor, Robert Pastorelli (deceased) also needs to be added to the list of famous people that hail from Abbruzzo. I am pretty sure Robert DeNiro also has origins traced back to Abbruzzo, as Penny Marshall and her sitcom producer brother Garry Marshall.

     
  3. Dean Martin’s father was from Montesilvano which is now Pescara but when he was born and when Dean was born was part of Teramo not Pescara. (As were many towns such as Penne and Citta Sant’Angelo before 1927 when Pescara was formed and took 42 towns from Teramo)

     
    • Thank you Maria, Ildebrando d’Arcangelo is indeed famous and from Pescara. He is now added to the list of famous people from Abruzzo.

       
    • Hello Toni, Ariana Grande does hail from Abruzzo but no information is available as to where in Abruzzo. If anyone knows please do share…

       
  4. The Marshalls hailed from San Martino Sulla Marrucina, Chieti. Bruno Sammartino was from Pizzoferrato

     
  5. Seeing how popular the Abruzzo region is, it makes even more prouder to know my family came from Guilanova, Pescara, & Castel Frentano.

     
  6. Great list, I was surprised by many of the people on the list. Don’t forget to add Perry Como from Palena, Mario Lanza from Tocco da Casauria, and Al martino (I couldn’t find a home town for him). Also Paolo Silveri an opera singer from Ofena

     
  7. My paternal great grandparents were from Campobasso. My great grandpa Carmino DiGiacomo used to tell me that we are not Molisano because Campobasso was in the region before they split. Hence my dad was Bruzzese & my mother Potenzese like Carol Lawrence (Laraia), Danny DeVito

     
    • My great grandfather was also a Bruzzese. He came to Oregon from Italy in the early 1900’s. Trying to find out more about his family. Haven’t been too successful.

       
  8. Gianluca Ginoble born, raised, and still lives in Montepagano. He is the baritone of the Internationally recognized all Italian trio, IL VOLO. He is even being awarded Abruzzo’s Dean Martin Award this month, July 2016.

     
  9. Hello! My name is MaryMarkova, our compane need to advertise on your website. What is your prices? Thank you. Best regards, Mary.

     
  10. My Father in law, Lidio DeRubeis, was from L’ Aquila area. His father Rocco DeRubeis, worked many years as a chef for the Seagrams Restaurant in The Empire State Building. He sent money back home to Italy until my father in law, his sister and mother could book passage to come to America in 1937. I’m hoping to make my husband’s dream come true to go and visit the area where his father’s family is from.

     
  11. Robert Di Pierdomenico. Family is from Abbateggio. Very famous former AFL player and now media personality in Australia. Probably the most famous person of Abruzzese origin in Australia.

     
  12. Robert Di Pierdomenico. Family is from Abbateggio. A very famous former AFL player and now well known media personality in Australia. Probably the most well known Australian of Abruzzese descent. Posting this again because not sure if you got it.

    Also, Rocky Mattioli who was born in Ripa Teatina and emigrated to Australia when he was 6 years old was the WBC World Light Middleweight Champion from 8 June 1977 – 4 March 1979.

     
  13. Interesting list!
    What about the great writer Ignazio Silone, and the big painter Francesco Paulo Michetti? From Pescina dei Marsi and Torre da Casauria in Abruzzo.

     
  14. Good job, an entertaining website. You may have seen my bilingual book Heritage Italian-American Style. I’m proud to say that my Abruzzo genealogical research inspired my 16th century novel, The Spear of Lepanto and a screenplay adaption, The Forgotten Adventures of Miguel de Cervantes. Working on an Abruzzo crossword puzzle for NIAF that will appear in their Spring magazine edition of Ambassador.

     
  15. Les arrières parents de De Niro sont du Molise mais a leur époque le Molise ne formait qu’une seule région Abruzzo e Molise (jusqu’en 1963).

     
  16. In the depths of the pandemic, Stella 99 years old is stuck in a nursing home. Her parents hail from Castiglione a Casauria.
    She was a sergeant in WWll and air raid warden. She is a toughie, proud of her roots and this makes her famous!

     
  17. my parents wer born in castel di iero un abruzzo,italy
    i have one sister born un castel di ieor and i ad my other sister were born in brooklyn,NY

     
  18. Great list– amazing that all this talent comes from little old Abruzzo! You should add singer Don McLean whose mother’s (Elizabeth Bucci) family is from San Valentino. Acclaimed American author Pietro Donato (Christ in Concrete) who has roots in Vasto. And Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis who is almost 100% Abruzzese.

     
    • Thank you Graz, 🙂 Don McLean, Pietro Donato and Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis are also from Abruzzo

       
  19. My maternal family is all from Abruzzo—Montenerodomo (Chieti).
    Benedetto Croce is part of our family tree.

    We are currently close to getting our Italian Citizenship and intend to purchase land and a home somewhere in the area.

     

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