Luigi Maria Burruano

Luigi Maria Burruano (20 October 1948 – 10 September 2017 in Palermo) was an Italian film, stage and television actor. He began his career in Sicilian-language cabaret and theatre before turning his attention to films.

Born in Palermo, the son of a doctor, Burruano made his acting debut in a local amateur company. He got a large local success playing Rancu Tanu in the comedy play Palermo oh cara and got his national breakout appearing in the eight season of the TV-series La piovra.

A follower of the Stanislavski's system, he was specialized in playing Sicilian working-class characters. In 2001 he was nominated for Nastro d'Argento for best supporting actor thanks to his performance in Marco Tullio Giordana's One Hundred Steps. For his performance in The Return of Cagliostro and in Break Free he received a special mention from the Pasinetti Award jury at the 2003 Venice Film Festival. In 2006 he was arrested on charges of stabbing his daughter's divorced husband, who did not pay alimony to his daughter nor pay child support.

Burruano died after a long illness on 10 September 2017, at the age of 68. He was the uncle of actor Luigi Lo Cascio.

Plays in which Burruano appeared include: