Ettore Petrolini, born on January 13, 1884, in Rome, Italy, was an Italian stage and film actor, playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He began performing at local attractions and made a debut at the Teatro "Pietro Cossa" in Trastevere in 1900. In 1907, Petrolini embarked on a successful tour of South America with partner Ines Colapietro. Upon returning to Italy, he performed in theaters across the country, forming the company Compagnia dei grandi spettacoli di varietà Petrolini in 1915. He was noted for creating the character Fortunello and collaborating with futurists like Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. In the 1920s, a repertoire expanded to include works by notable Italian authors. A cinematic debut came in 1919 with the film Mentre il pubblico ride (1919). He performed internationally until his death on June 29, 1936.
