Mike Bongiorno

Michael Nicholas Salvatore Bongiorno (May 26, 1924 in New York City – September 8, 2009 in Monte Carlo), known as Mike Bongiorno (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmaik bonˈdʒorno]), was an Italian television host. After a few experiences in the US, he started working on Italian TV in the 1950s and was considered to be the most popular host in Italy. He was also known by the nickname il Re del Quiz (The Quiz King), and the peculiarity of starting all his shows with his trademark greeting: Allegria! (Cheers!).

Early years

Bongiorno was born in New York City, but moved to Turin (his mother's native city), when he was young. His father was a Sicilian American lawyer. During World War II Mike abandoned his studies and joined a group of Italian partisans. He was captured and spent seven months in the San Vittore prison in Milan and was then deported to a German concentration camp. He was liberated before the end of the war due to an exchange of war prisoners between the United States and Germany. He returned to New York and in 1946 started work at the radio headquarters of Il Progresso Italo-Americano (The Italian-American Progress) newspaper.