Mario Lanza

In the field of opera singers, few built a reputation and following to match Mario Lanza, heartthrob matinee idol and one of the biggest stars of the 1940s and 1950s, who was worshipped by his fans with numerous movies to his name. Born as Alfredo Arnold Cocozza in the USA to Italian parents, his exceptional vocal talent first became apparent in his teens when he appeared in local operatic productions in Philadelphia. Studying under conductors Boris Goldovsky and Leonard Bernstein, he adopted the stage name Mario Lanza in homage to his mother's maiden name (Maria Lanza) and won widespread acclaim performing in The Merry Wives Of Windsor at the Berkshire Music Festival in Tanglewood in 1942. He served in the US Army Air Corps during the 2nd World War, appearing in various wartime shows and, after the war, was mentored by Peter Herman Adler and toured all over America. He found further fame playing Pinkerton in Puccini's Madam Butterfly and, after a show at Hollywood Bowl, was signed to a seven-year film contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Lanza's first two movies That Midnight Kiss and The Toast Of New Orleans were big successes, stimulating his recording career that took off in a major fashion with the first 3 million selling single Be My Love in 1950. The following year he portrayed one of his greatest heroes Enrico Caruso in The Great Caruso, another massive success, but left MGM after a row during the filming of The Student Prince. He became reclusive for a while but made a comeback in 1955 in the film Serenade and subsequently returned to concert appearances and made a number of operatic recordings at Rome Opera House, recording the soundtrack for his final film, For The First Time. However, his health declined and he died after suffering heart problems in Rome in 1959, aged just 38.