Lino Banfi

Actor, also writer · Born July 9, 1936 (90) · Andria, Puglia, Italy

He was born in the Apulian city of Andria and at the age of three, moved to Canosa di Puglia. Lino Banfi became one of the most well-known actors in Italian "sexy comedies" in the 1970s. In the 1980s he reached the peak of his fame by appearing in movies such as "L'allenatore nel pallone", "Vieni avanti cretino", "Il commissario Lo Gatto" and "Occhio, "Malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio"; he recently portrayed Grandpa Libero in Italian TV series "Un medico in famiglia". During his career nearly all of Lino Banfi's characters spoke with the distinctive pronunciation of the Bari dialect. Lino and his wife Lucia have been married since 1962 and have two children, Walter and Rosanna; Rosanna is also an actress. In 2000, Lino Banfi became a Goodwill Ambassador for the Italian National Committee for UNICEF.

Biography from IMDb.

Born: July 9, 1936 (90)
From: Andria, Puglia, Italy
Works as: Actor, also writer
Titles: 25 on MovieCove · 136 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 11% in 30 days

What are Lino Banfi's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight

Bonds

39%

Self

22%

Morality

13%

Power

12%

Society

Survival

Romantic love8 Ambition5 Deception7 Family bonds4 Community3 Marriage2 Corruption2 Survival2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Wry

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 6 · Wry 1 · Earnest 13

Light

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 21 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

Gentle

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 18 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 14 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 4

Funny

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 19

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

Casual

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 22 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Easy watch

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 22 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 1

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 13 analyzed roles.

Hero

7 of 13

Trickster

2 of 13

Ally

2 of 13

Threshold guardian

1 of 13

Shadow

1 of 13

Show the 13 roles

Threshold guardianas Prof. Amedeo Larussa in The Nurse in the Military Madhouse (1979)
Heroas Nicola La Brocca in Sabato, domenica e venerdì (1979)
Shadowas Prof. Amedeo Larussa in The Nurse in the Military Madhouse (1979)
Tricksteras Prof. Amedeo Larussa in The Nurse in the Military Madhouse (1979)
Heroas Maria Pasquale Papone detto 'Lino' in La liceale, il diavolo e l'acquasanta (1979)
Heroas Valerio Milanese in Zucchero, miele e peperoncino (1980)
Heroas Giuseppe 'Peppino' Patanè in La moglie in bianco... l'amante al pepe (1981)
Heroas Mario Zamboni in Ricchi, ricchissimi... praticamente in mutande (1982)
Heroas Oronzo Canà in L'allenatore nel pallone (1984)
Allyas Amalio Siraghi in School of Thieves (1986)
Tricksteras Mosé in Asino vola (2015)
Allyas Antonio Pezzolla in Surprise Trip (2022)
Heroas Mario in Oi vita mia (2025)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd

Joyful

Warm

Manic

Romantic

Other

How their films linger

Fun18 Feel-good14 Bittersweet4 Wistful4 Hopeful2 Unsettling2

How their films end · 3 with a twist

Happy16
Bittersweet4
Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lino Banfi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (2).

Also on these channels

ScreenPix1 title, show their title on ScreenPix

Subscription and free streaming for Lino Banfi's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

136 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Lino D’Italia - Storia di un itALIENO (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Writer · as Sé stesso
Oltre il Marketing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Oi vita mia(2025)
as Mario
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Il Bar del Cult (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
as Sé stesso
Il Grande Romanzo della Bibbia - i peccati dell'uomo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Actor
Totò e il Principe De Curtis - L'uomo oltre la maschera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Actor
Steno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
as Sé stesso
Surprise Trip(2022)
as Antonio Pezzolla
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Old Rascals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Actor
La voce di Fantozzi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
as Sé stesso
Late Winter Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Producer
Where Am I Going?(2016)
as Senatore Binetto
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Asino vola(2015)
Actor
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Le frise ignoranti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
as Cavalier Lanotte
Buona giornata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
as Leonardo Lo Bianco
Il Commissario Zagaria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Show 2 episodes · Creator · Story · Writer · as commissario Pasquale Zagaria
Wedding Fever in Campobello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
as Antonio Marcipane
Focaccia Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
as Barese
Scusate il disturbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Actor
Un'estate al mare(2008)
as Nicola
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
L'allenatore nel pallone 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Screenplay · as Oronzo Canà
Il mio amico Babbo Natale 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
as Ezechiele Babbo Natale
Il padre delle spose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
as Riccardo Catalano
Sulle ali dei gabbiani - L'isola vola in città (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
as Lucanòr, il mago (voice)
Il mio amico Babbo Natale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
as Ezechiele Babbo Natale
L'isola degli smemorati (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
as Lucanòr, il mago (voice)
Raccontami una storia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
as Salvatore
Un medico in famiglia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 26 episodes · as Nonno Libero (voice)
Un posto tranquillo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
as Frate Raniero
Il destino ha 4 zampe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
as Giuseppe Pardi
Family Flaw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
as Nicola Gammarota
Piovuto dal cielo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Actor
Vola sciusciù (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Writer · Actor
Chi ha incastrato Peter Pan? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Show 1 episode · as Ospite
A Doctor in the Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Show 135 episodes · as Nonno Libero Martini
Nuda proprietà vendesi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
as Domenico
The Sanremo Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Show 5 episodes · as Defense Attorney Pasquale Passalacqua
Il vigile urbano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Show 13 episodes · as Urbano Tommasi
How Long Is the Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
as Piero Bigazzi
BelliFreschi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
as Tommaso nicknamed Tom
Stuff for the Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
as Aldo Petruzzelli (2° episodio)
Firefighters 2: Heroic Mission (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
as Nicola Ruoppolo
Il commissario Lo Gatto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
as Natale Lo Gatto
School of Thieves(1986)
as Amalio Siraghi
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Department Store (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
as Nicola Patecola da Cerignola, il mendicante
Firefighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
as Nicola Ruoppolo
L'allenatore nel pallone(1984)
Screenplay · as Oronzo Canà
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
as Altomare Secca (episodio "Il pelo della disgrazia")
At the Sports Bar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
as Lino
Two of a Kind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
as Nicola Calore / Capitano Tombale
God Makes and Then Pairs Them Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
as Dario Ricciotti
The Yellow Panther (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
as commissario Pasquale Bellachioma
Vieni avanti cretino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Co-Writer · as Pasquale Baudaffi
Ricchi, ricchissimi... praticamente in mutande(1982)
as Mario Zamboni
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Fracchia The Human Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
as Commissario Auricchio
Cream Horn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
as Domenico Petruzzelli
The Honorable with His Lover under the Bed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
as Armando Battistoni
Spaghetti at Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
as Savino La Grasta
La moglie in bianco... l'amante al pepe(1981)
as Giuseppe 'Peppino' Patanè / Calogero Patanè
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
The Doctor Is Staying with the Colonel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
as Colonnello Anacleto Punzone
Zucchero, miele e peperoncino(1980)
as Milanese Valerio
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
The Repeating Student Winked at Dean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
as Rodolfo Calabrone
The Wife on Vacation... The Lover in Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
as Peppino
School Teacher on the Sea with Her Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
as Ercole Cubetti
La liceale, il diavolo e l'acquasanta(1979)
as Maria Pasquale Papone detto 'Lino'
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
The Nurse in the Military Madhouse(1979)
as Prof. Amedeo La Russa
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Tutti a squola (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
as Pasquale
A Policewoman on the Porno Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
as Commissioner Scappavia
How to Seduce Your Teacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
as Pasquale La Ricchiuta
Sabato, domenica e venerdì(1979)
as Nicola La Brocca (episodio "Sabato")
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
School Teacher Dances... with Her Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
as Prof. Mezzoponte
Night Nurse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
as Nicola Pischella
The Soldier with Great Maneuvers(1978)
as Don Pagnotta
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
The School Teacher in the House(1978)
as Amedeo
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
The Highschool Girl Repeating Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
as Zenobio Cantalupo
The Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' High(1978)
as Peppino
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
The Schoolmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
as Teo D'Olivo
Orazi e Curiazi 3 - 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
as Apollo
Kakkientruppen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
as Soldato Otto
Keep It To Yourself! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
as Il Direttore del carcere
The Landlord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
as Lilino
Stangata in famiglia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
as Nicola Zagaria
Friends More Than Before (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Actor
The Exorciccio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
as Pasquale Abbate
Loaded Guns(1975)
as Commissario Calogero
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Il trafficone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
as Luigi Scardocchia
Il matrimonio di Rosa Palanca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
as Ciommo
Italian Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
as presidente della commissione d'esame
Venial Sin(1974)
as Conte Zagaria
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
4 Crazy Draftees at the Army (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
as Sgt. Merode
Franco e Ciccio superstars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Actor
Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
as Brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria
The Funny Face of the Godfather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
as Rocky Ganova
The Mighty Anselmo and His Squire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
as Il castrato effeminato
The Terror with Cross-Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
as Vice Commissioner Magli
Nights of Boccaccio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
as Ignazio
Continuavano a chiamarli i due piloti più matti del mondo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
as Torricelli
Cause of Divorce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
as Foreman
Why?(1971)
as Direttore del carcere di Sagunto
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Will the Lawyer Franco Benenato Be Able to Defeat his Arch Enemy the Magistrate Ciccio De Ingras? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as cancelliere
It's a Woman's War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Angelo Maria Pisanò
Il furto è l'anima del commercio!?... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Mammoletta
...Excuse Me, Do You Pay Taxes? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Signor Lamberti
Mazzabubù... quante corna stanno quaggiù? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Pizzicagnolo
The Clan of the Two Borsalini (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Ferdi
Io non spezzo... rompo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
as Agente Zagaria
Amore formula 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Petronio
Ninì Tirabusciò: The Woman Who Invented the Move (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Nicola Maldacea
Midnight of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Doganiere #1
Quelli belli... siamo noi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Domenico Fronzetti
Don Franco and Don Ciccio in a Year of Protest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Cosimino
Paths of War(1970)
as Mormone
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
On the Day of the Lord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Discepolo di Raffaello
The Little War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
as Farmer from Bari
Sweet Kisses and Languid Caresses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Actor
Lisa with the Blue Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
as Pasquale - the presenter
Il Prof. Dott. Guido Tersilli primario della Clinica Villa Celeste convenzionata con le mutue(1969)
as rappresentante di medicinali
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Diary of a Telephone Operator(1969)
as Regista dei Fotoromanzi
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Zum Zum Zum 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
as Pasquale
Gli infermieri della mutua (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
as Borrower
Guess Who's Coming for a Snack? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
as Uomo Civetta (uncredited)
Zum zum zum - La canzone che mi passa per la testa(1969)
as Hotel receptionist
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
The Nephews of Zorro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
as Cercatore d'oro
The Black Sheep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
as Journalist (uncredited)
Two Firefighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Actor
Don Chisciotte e Sancio Panza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
as Cliente della locanda
I 2 deputati (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
as Amico di Franco
A suon di lupara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Actor
Adultery Italian Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
as Marco (Uncredited)
The Two Parachutists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
as Tequinho
War Italian Style(1965)
as Cigar Smoking German Soldier (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
002 Operation Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
as Policeman who catches Franco and Ciccio
The Amazing Doctor G(1965)
as An agent (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Con rispetto parlando (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
as Il barbiere
Seduced and Duped (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)
as Il parente di Franco e Ciccio alla stazione
Howlers of the Dock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
as Leopoldo Cannavone

Career shape

Star power in the 99^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 137 titles from 1960 to 2026; peak year 1986.

Biggest box office

Where Am I Going? (2016)

$76M worldwide

Highest rated

Why? (1971)

Midcredits 93^rd

Film career

19602026

Peak 1986 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

1965Screen debut· The Amazing Doctor G
1973First top-billed film· Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia
1984Career best· L'allenatore nel pallone

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting136 of 137 · 17^thWriting6 of 137Producing1 of 137Other crew1 of 137

137 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1960s21 · acting1970s52 · acting1980s27 · 27 acting · 2 crew1990s4 · acting2000s17 · 17 acting · 2 crew2010s7 · 6 acting · 2 crew2020s9 · 9 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 31% of 54 roles

20%

44%

25%

63%

6575808505

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Lino Banfi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 17^th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

20^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

45^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

75^th and up3
50^th to 74^th3
25^th to 49^th5
Below 25^th14

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 25 titles are Mixed.

Universally Loved1
Universally Panned1
Crowd Pleaser4
Broadly Agreed3
Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Surprise Trip (2022)

69^th percentile spread · 49% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Why? (1971)

Midcredits 93^rd · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 55/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.