Carlo Bonomi, commonly known as the original Pingu voice, died on August 6 at the age of 85. The Italian magazine AF News broke the news, adding stating that he died in Milan. However, the reason of death is unclear, and no additional information about his funeral has been released.
All About Carlo Bonomi
Carlo Bonomi, who was born on March 12, 1937, was most known for his vocal work in the Italian cartoon series La Linea. From 1971 through 1986, the program ran on RAI for 90 episodes and became a popular show, spawning a comic strip, novels, short films, commercial devices and items, and other homages and parodies.
In the Italian commercial program Carosello, the Milan native lent his voice to several characters. It incorporated live-action, animation, and puppetry in short sketch comedy films. The noise language he created and utilized in La Linea was reimagined in the stop-motion children’s animation Pingu. From March 1990 to April 2000, the series ran for four seasons before being extended for two more seasons from August 2003 to March 2006. The show was nominated for BAFTAs and earned favorable reviews from reviewers and spectators.
Bonomi’s grammelot was intended to be a parody of the Milanese dialect, but it was influenced by three other languages often employed by comedians in France and Italy. HIT Entertainment acquired Pingu’s rights in 2003, and Carlo was replaced by well-known voice performers David Sant and Marcello Magni.
In 1985, Bonomi also performed his voice for the animated series Stripy. The next year, he recorded train announcements at Milan’s central station, which were used until 2008. He also worked on Italian radio plays and provided voices for cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Fred Flinstone. In 2008, Bonomi performed his last part for the Yellow Tribe in Spore, a life simulation real-time strategic god game. Despite receiving excellent reviews, the game was panned for its shallow gameplay and basic individual gaming features.
Carlo withdrew from performing in 2008, and little information about his personal life is now accessible. His net worth was believed to be approximately $2 million, and his major source of income for the last 40 years had been as a voice actor.
Twitter users pay tribute
Carlo Bonomi’s immaculate work as a voice actor made him a household name in the entertainment world. When word of his death spread, Twitter was inundated with tributes:
R.I.P Carlo Bonomi, the original voice of Pingu. 1937-2022 pic.twitter.com/EdTiBHpZnW
— Travis Bickerstaff 🆖️ (@Bickpixx) August 6, 2022
Pingu will always be a legend!
RIP to Carlo Bonomi the original voice of our favourite little penguin. pic.twitter.com/srxJSyJtga— Mattskating (@Mattskating) August 8, 2022
