Background
Dalli was born in Pescara, Abruzzo, in central Italy.
Dalli was born in Pescara, Abruzzo, in central Italy.
He could not take up professional singing until he had completed the necessary four years residency pre-requisite of working in the steelworks.
After singing at local functions there as a boy, he moved to Yorkshire, England at the age of sixteen. He became a British resident by working in the coal mines and steel mills for four years. During this period, he performed at local Working Men"s Clubs and appeared in several television amateur shows, such as "Top Down", "Bid Foreign Fame", "What Makes A Star" and Carol Levis.
Dalli was immediately booked at the Cecil Cinema in Hull.
Here he was spotted by Mr. Livingstone and Rob Goldstein (from 20th Century Fox) who told him that he must leave Yorkshire and go to London.
lieutenant was here that he was discovered by the comedian, Max Bygraves, whose agent, Jock Jacobsen, also signed Dalli on. By this time, Toni Dalli was appearing in numerous major television shows.
In February 1958, he did his first Editor Sullivan Show in New York, following by major performances at the Moulin Rouge, Hollywood and the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.
Upon Dalli"s return to England, a contract was waiting for him with Electric and Music Industries Records and his first of five albums was recorded, including the hit "Come prima" ("More Than Ever"). Later he recorded with Capitol Records and Decca and appeared in theatres throughout the world. These included two one-man-shows at the Carnegie Hall and Hollywood Bowl.
When Mario Lanza died in 1959, Dalli was signed up to do the Mario Lanza story.
The film was never released for legal reasons. Dalli sang in the United States.A. where he had his own television show on channel 13 KCOP in Los Angeles for 13 weeks.
He also worked in Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong. After twenty-five years of constant travelling, Dalli opened a restaurant in Marbella, southern Spain.
Dalli"s sons also have four restaurants, namely "Dalli"s Pasta Factory" in Marbella and Malaga.