Renzo Palmer

Renzo Palmer, born Lorenzo Bigatti on 20 December 1930 in Milan, Italy, was an Italian actor whose career spanned film, television, stage, and radio. He was the adopted son of stage actress Kiki Palmer, born Giulia Fogliata, from whom he took his professional surname. Palmer died of cancer in Milan on 4 June 1988 at the age of 58.

Palmer's entry into performance came through radio rather than the stage. Discovered at a singers' audition in 1955, he abandoned his law studies to pursue an acting career, subsequently spending two years with the Company of Prose at Radio Roma. His television debut followed in 1957 with L'avaro, directed by Vittorio Cottafavi, the same year he made his theatrical debut at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan in the revue I pallinisti. Television became a particularly significant medium for Palmer, providing him with widespread popularity through numerous successful television films and series throughout his career.

As a film actor, Palmer appeared in more than 60 productions between 1957 and 1988, working primarily within the commedia all'italiana and poliziotteschi genres as a character actor. His 1983 film Giallo sera stands among his screen credits. Beyond acting, Palmer also worked as a radio and television host and established himself as a popular voice actor.

His stage work extended to Broadway, where he appeared in 1964 in the production Rugantino, bringing his Milan-rooted theatrical background to an international audience.