Franco Latini

Franco Latini (September 12, 1927 – February 2, 1991) was an Italian actor and voice actor. He was considered to be one of the top voice dubbers for many animated films and cartoons for audiences across Italy.

Born in Pomezia, which is in Rome, Latini started out working as a singer in nightclubs in the early 1950s, then he went on to act in radio comedies and theatre plays. In 1953 he starred in the film The World Condemns Them. Latini's filmography includes comedies such as the 1966 musical film Mondo pazzo... gente matta! starring Silvana Pampanini, the 1976 film The Black Maid starring Carla Brait and spaghetti westerns such as Blue Summer and Johnny Hamlet.

Latini was heavily active as a voice actor. He dubbed Stan Laurel in several redubs of Laurel and Hardy shorts and films in which he was paired up with Carlo Croccolo. He also dubbed characters in many animated productions: he was the Italian voice of Skeletor and other characters in the first season of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and from 1983 until 1988 he was the primary Italian voice of Donald Duck. Latini voiced most of the characters in the Italian editions of the Looney Tunes, various Muppets in The Muppet Show and Tom from Tom & Jerry.

Latini founded his own dubbing company in the late 1970s, which was active until the end of the '80s. In 1981 he lost one of his legs in an accident, which rendered him unable to perform on screen. After that, he devoted himself exclusively to dubbing.

Latini had three children, daughters Laura and Ilaria from his marriage with dialogue writer Maria Pinto and son Fabrizio from his relationship with actress Piera Vidale. All three followed in Latini's footsteps.

Latini died of a stroke at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome around the evening of 2 February 1991, at the age of 63, it was also the 21st birthday of his son Fabrizio Vidale. He was later interred at Campo Verano.

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