Lanza, Mario

(born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza), American tenor and actor; b. Philadelphia, Jan. 31, 1921; d. Rome, Oct. 7, 1959. Lanza's parents were Italian immigrants who settled in Philadelphia. He studied singing with various local teachers and signed as a teenager with a major classical management firm. At this time, he took his stage name, a variation of his mother's maiden name, Maria Lanza.

However, before Lanza could begin a career as a professional singer, he was drafted into the Army. Appearing in several army shows and billed as the "Service Caruso," Lanza began to gain attention for his strong voice. He settled in N.Y. after the war, recording and appearing on radio shows. The head of MGM studios heard one of his recordings and signed him to a film contract in 1947.

Lanza's first film, That Midnight Kiss from 1949, set the pattern for all his Hollywood work. The score mixed sentimental popular hits with familiar operatic selections, giving Lanza a chance to show off his voice without loading the film down with too much high-toned music. The film was an immediate hit.

Lanza's next film, The Toast of New Orleans, included his most popular song, Be My Love, a million-selling hit. In 1951 Lanza had the opportunity to portray his idol, ENRICO CARUSO, in the Hollywood-version of the famed tenor's life, entitled The Great Caruso. Besides the obligatory arias, the film introduced It's the Loveliest Night of the Year, which gave Lanza another million-seller.

However, from this point, Lanza's career began to suffer. Extremely high-strung, Lanza began to balk at the quality of the projects MGM offered him. Meanwhile, tales of his binge eating were sweeping through Hollywood, and the already rotund star was beginning to burst out of the seams of his clothing. He also became dependent on tranquilizers and alcohol.

Lanza completed two further films for MGM, although in his final picture for the studio, an adaptation of the popular operetta The Student Prince, he only sang on the soundtrack. He then retired from performing for a year, returning in 1956 in the film Serenade. Despite the abuse to his body, Lanza was still in good voice and had a hit with the film's title song.

MGM producer Joe Pasternak said of Lanza, "[He had] the most beautiful voice I had ever heard—but his bushy hair made him look like a caveman!"

Nevertheless, Lanza was tired of the Hollywood scene, and in 1957 moved to Italy. There he appeared in the film The Seven Hills of Rome in 1958, introducing the ever-popular song, Arriverderci, Roma. He then toured England and continental Europe, appearing in good shape and singing well.

However, in autumn 1959 Lanza checked into a clinic in Rome. A week later, he was dead of an apparent heart attack.

One rumor that circulated at the time of Lanza's death was that he was killed by the Mafia because he refused to sing for the famous mobster Lucky Luciano.

Lanzas legacy is still much debated. Some opera fans and stars consider him to be "Americas Caruso," one of the great voices of our century. Others feel he catered to a pop audience by performing the most well-worn parts of the opera repertoire.