Rai 1 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's flagship television channel and is known for broadcasting mainstream and generalist programming, usually aimed towards families, including TG1 news bulletins, prime time drama, cinema and entertainment, and major breaking news, sports and special events.
It was launched on 3 January 1954 as the first regular television service in Italy. It was the only one until 4 November 1961, when RAI launched a second channel.[ Rai 2: info, storia e curiosità StaseraTv.it] The channel was initially referred to as "Programma Nazionale". It received other names, such as "Rete 1" and "Raiuno" until it adopted its current name "Rai 1". It has the highest viewership in Italy and regularly competes with Mediaset's Canale 5.
In the United Kingdom, it is available in free-to-air satellite broadcast from Hot Bird 13B.
History
Early years
The first television channel receivable in
Italy started its experimental broadcasts in 1934.
[ Televisione] After the interruption caused by the Second World War, it was reinstated in 1949 from Triennale di Milano and for its presentation, Corrado Mantoni was selected,
already noted for his radio work and especially for the announcement of the end of the conflict. Its regular broadcasts started at 11am on Sunday, January 3, 1954.
Initially, the channel had no official name, because it was directly identified as
RAI TV, which was the name of the company.
The first set of programming for Rai 1 was almost completely educational with no advertising, except for the popular Carosello. Early shows were meant to teach a common language to a country torn apart by World War II. Shows like Non è mai troppo tardi... were simply shot in a classroom setting and meant to help with reconstruction. While televisions were not widely available nor affordable, those who could spend the money on them became community leaders and often invited the neighbourhood to visit. Bars and cafés turned from places where men would meet to argue or play cards into miniature cinemas where arguments over what show to watch would break out. Women and children were also more accepted inside the bars due to the lack of men post-war and their need to enter working society. Churches also bought televisions are a means of drawing people to spend time as part of those communities.
2000s
In 2002, Fabrizio Del Noce, akin to
Forza Italia, became the channel's director.
High-definition feed
The channel launched an
HDTV 1080i simulcast in September 2013, available nationwide on subscription-television providers and on DTT (channel 1). Previously, HD programmes used to be aired on
Rai HD.
Broadcast in outside Italy
In Slovenia, France (except Monaco), Greece, Austria, Lebanon, Hungary, Switzerland, Croatia, Lithuania, San Marino and Vatican City. The channel is also available to watch on satellite via Hellas Sat 4.
Logos
File:Logo Raiuno 1983.svg|3 October 1983 to 26 September 1988
File:Rai 1 logo.svg|18 May 2010 to 12 September 2016
File:Rai 1 - Logo 2016.svg|In use since September 2016
Directors of Rai 1
From June 2022, as part of a management reorganization of Rai, network management has been abolished in favour of gender ones.
Current programmes
Events
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(2003, since 2007)
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David di Donatello (1963-1967, 1969, 1971-1972, 1976-1977, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1988-1995, 1997-2000, 2002, 2004-2005, 2009-2015, since 2018)
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(since 2022, first on Real Time (TV channel)
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Eurovision Song Contest (1956-1965, 1971-1973, 1975-1977, 1979, 1983, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, dal 2016)
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Festival di Castrocaro
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Junior Eurovision Song Contest (since 2022, first on Rai Gulp)
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(since 2003)
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(1992-2020, from 2024)
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Notte della Taranta (since 2021, first on Rai 2 and Rai 5)
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(since 2019, first on Rai 2)
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(since 2023, first on Rai 2 and Rai 3)
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Prix Italia (since 2019, first on Rai 3)
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Academy Awards (from 2024
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(1993-1998, 2001, since 2015)
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Sanremo Music Festival (since 1995)
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(since 1990, first on Rai 2 and Rai 3)
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TIM Music Awards (since 2012, first on Italia 1)
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(since 2000)
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(2024)
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(since 2000)
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Zecchino d'Oro (since 1959)
Shows in prime time
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Ballando con le stelle (since 2005)
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(2008-2013, 2016-2017, dal 2023)
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(dal 2012)
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(from 2012)
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(2016, from 2022)
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(2019, from 2022)
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The Voice Senior (from 2020)
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(from 2023)
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The Voice Kids (from 2023)
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(from 2024)
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(from 2024)
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(from 2024, first on Rai 2)
Game shows
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L'eredità (since 2002)
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Affari tuoi (2003-2017, from 2023)
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(since 2007)
Daytime entertainment
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Domenica in (since 1976)
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(since 1994)
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(since 2004)
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(since 2004)
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(since 2010)
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Unomattina in famiglia (since 2010, first on Rai 2)
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(since 2017)
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(since 2019)
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(since 2020)
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(since 2021)
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(since 2022)
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(since 2022)
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(from 2023)
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(from 2024, first on Sky Uno and Rai 3)
Disclosure and culture
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(1977-2002, since 2023)
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(since 1981)
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(since 1982)
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(since 1994), focusing on the Mediterranean Sea and shores
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Overland (dal 1996)
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(since 1997)
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(2000-2001, since 2014)
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(since 2011)
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Milleeunlibro - Scrittori in tv (since 2013)
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(since 2014)
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(since 2015)
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(since 2017)
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(since 2018)
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(since 2018)
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(since 2018)
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(since 2018, first on Rai 3)
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(since 2021)
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(since 2021)
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(since 2022)
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(since 2022)
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(since 2022)
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(since 2023)
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(since 2023)
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(since 2023)
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(since 2023)
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(since 2023)
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(since 2023)
News and information
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(since 1960)
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(since 1963)
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TG1 (since 1976)
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(since 1976)
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(since 1981)
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(since 1981, also broadcast on other RAI networks RAI)
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Unomattina (since 1986)
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(since 1992)
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Rai Parlamento (from 1993, also on Rai 2 and Rai 3)
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Porta a porta (since 1996)
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(since 2000, first on Rai 2)
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(since 2011)
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(2011, since 2013)
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(since 2016)
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(since 2018, also broadcast on other networks RAI)
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(since 2022)
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Storie di sera (since 2023)
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(since 2023)
Editing
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(since 2012), a programme using video clips, images, and vintage films from the RAI archive and connected to each other based on a specific. theme, thread, or character.
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(from 2024)
Entertainment
Documentaries and culture
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Quark Atlante, SuperQuark Saturday afternoon spin-off, focusing on wilderness and adventure
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Linea Verde, focusing on wilderness, agriculture and rural cooking, hosted by Patrizio Roversi and Daniela Ferolla
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Overland World Truck Expedition, adventure and documentary expeditions
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Rewind – Visioni private, focusing on TV history
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Magazzini Einstein, focusing on arts and culture
TV series
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Il Commissario Montalbano, with Luca Zingaretti, produced in HD since Season 9
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Il giovane Montalbano (prequel of "Il Commissario Montalbano"), with Michele Riondino and Alessio Vassallo, produced in HD
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Don Matteo, with Terence Hill, Nino Frassica and Natalie Guetta, produced in HD since Season 7
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Un passo dal cielo, with Terence Hill, produced in HD
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Fuoriclasse, with Luciana Littizzetto, produced in HD
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Che Dio ci aiuti, with Elena Sofia Ricci, produced in HD
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Der letzte Bulle, with Henning Baum and , produced in HD
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Provaci ancora prof, with Veronica Pivetti and Enzo Decaro, produced in HD since Season 5
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Questo nostro amore, historical drama with Anna Valle and Neri Marcorè, produced in HD
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Um Himmels Willen, with Fritz Wepper, produced in HD since Season 8
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Un medico in famiglia, with Lino Banfi, Giulio Scarpati and Margot Sikabonyi, produced in HD since Season 6
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Una pallottola nel cuore, with Gigi Proietti, produced in HD
Sports
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FIFA World Cup Finals (if Italy team involved only, 1954–2014)
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UEFA Europa League
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UEFA Europa Conference League
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UEFA European Championship
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UEFA European Under-21 Championship (5 matches: three Italy group matches, one semi-final, and one final)
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UEFA Nations League (Italy matches only, plus a final)
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Italy national football team: Nations League, qualifiers, friendlies, and finals tournament
Kids
Past programmes
Events
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Safety Love (2024)
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La grande Opera Italiana patrimonio dell'umanità (2024)
Documentaries
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La nostra Raffaella (2024),
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(2024)
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Perché Sanremo è Sanremo? (2024)
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Sanremo Dietro la Quinta (2024)
Films
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Un amore in Cornovaglia (2024)
[This film was broadcast on Rai 1 on July 24, 2024. The film title in English is "The Presence of Love" (Hallmark Channel Original Movies)]
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Dirty Dancing (2024)
[This film was broadcast on July 31, 2024 on Rai 1]
Early programmes
Until the autumn 1976/77 season, regular broadcasting was in
monochrome (black and white), with very few exceptions (shown in
bold). Regular colour broadcasting began during the winter 1976/77 season.
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Un due tre... aka 1, 2, 3, satire/variety show starring Raimondo Vianello e Ugo Tognazzi. Considered one of the most influential shows in Italian television history, it was discontinued in 1959 after the duo performed an ironic sketch about then-president of the Republic, Giovanni Gronchi
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Lascia o raddoppia, a one-hour-long game show hosted by Mike Bongiorno (1955–59, on Thursday, at 9:00 PM, except for the first season shown on Saturday night).
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Primo applauso, early talent show hosted by Enzo Tortora and Silvana Pampanini. The clap-o-meter was introduced to Italian television during this programme. Magician Silvan and singer Adriano Celentano debuted in Primo Applauso (from 29 April 1956 until December of the same year, Sunday night, 9:00 PM).
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Telematch, variety/game show hosted by Enzo Tortora and Silvio Noto (from 6 January 1957 to July 1958, Sunday night at 9:15 PM).
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La macchina per vivere, health care/educational programme about the human body (two seasons, from 31 January 1957, Thursday night at 10:45 PM).
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Il Musichiere, a one-hour-long Italian version of Name That Tune, hosted by Mario Riva until his death (1957–60, on Saturday nights at 9:00 PM).
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Campanile Sera, a one-hour-long game show, hosted by Enzo Tortora, Mike Bongiorno and Enza Sampò (1959–61, on Thursday at 9:00 PM). One of the various games on the show, "il gioco dei prezzi", was an early Italian incarnation of The Price Is Right franchise.
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Studio Uno, Saturday night variety show, hosted mainly by Mina (1961–66, 9:00 PM).
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L'amico del giaguaro, Saturday night comedy/variety show, hosted by Corrado Mantoni and starring Gino Bramieri, Marisa Del Frate and Raffaele Pisu. Broadcast during 1961, 1962 and 1964 summer seasons, at 9:00 PM.
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Giocagiò, daytime half-hour-long Italian version of the BBC children's show Play School (1966–70, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 5:00 PM)
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L'Odissea, eight one hour episodes of a screenplay of Homer's Odyssey, directed by Franco Rossi and starring Bekim Fehmiu as Odysseus and Irene Papas as Penelope. This Italian-German-French-Yugoslavian co-production was broadcast for the first time in Italy from 24 March 1968, on Sunday night, at 9:05 PM. In colour, but the programme was shown in black and white in Italy the first time it was aired.
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Eneide, seven one hour episodes of a screenplay of Virgil's Aeneid, directed by Franco Rossi and starring Giulio Brogi (Aeneas) and Olga Karlatos (Dido). This Italian-German-French co-production was broadcast for the first time in Italy from 19 December 1971, on Sundays, at 9:00 PM and in Germany from 5 November 1972. In colour.
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Le avventure di Pinocchio, five one hour episodes of a screenplay of Collodi's children novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, directed by Luigi Comencini and starring Nino Manfredi (Geppetto), Gina Lollobrigida (the Fairy with Turquoise Hair), Franco Franchi (the Cat), Ciccio Ingrassia (the Fox), Vittorio De Sica (the Judge) and child actor Andrea Balestri in the main role of Pinocchio. This very successful French-German-Italian coproduction aired for the first time in Italy on Saturday night from 8 April 1972, at 9:00 PM. The French version is about 40 minutes longer and is divided into 6 episodes. In colour.
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Fatti e fattacci, variety show, hosted by Gigi Proietti and Ornella Vanoni, directed by Antonello Falqui (four episodes, from 15 February 1975, Saturday night at 8:40 PM). In colour.
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Dov'è Anna, drama/ giallo miniseries in seven episodes, starring
An abridgement of the epilogue
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Albert e l'Uomo Nero (the title, roughly translated, means Albert and the Bogeyman), drama/ giallo miniseries in three episodes, starring Nando Gazzolo, Franco Graziosi and then kid Claudio Cinquepalmi in the title role of Albert. Avant-garde soundtrack by
A scene from the first episode
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Bontà loro, one-hour-long late night talk show hosted by Maurizio Costanzo, is considered by some critics to be the first modern talk show on Italian television (two seasons, from 18 October 1976, Monday night, 10:45 PM). In colour from 1977.
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Non Stop, one-hour-long comedy consisting of a collage of sketches performed by young and (then) unknown comedians – among these, future theatrical actor and director Carlo Verdone and actors Massimo Troisi and Lello Arena. Broadcast for two seasons (1977-8 and 1978-9), on Thursday night, at 8:40 PM.
Notes
External links
