Italian actor Massimo Boldi hospitalised after fall at Forte dei Marmi

The fall

Massimo Boldi, the 81-year-old Italian comic actor, fell and struck his head on the pavement in the centre of Forte dei Marmi on the afternoon of Thursday, 13 August, around 17:00. Boldi was walking with friends near the Caffè Principe, a historic bar in the Tuscan seaside town that was reopened two years ago by the Prada Group, when he lost his balance and fell. It remains unclear whether he simply tripped or suffered a mild malaise. Staff at the café and his friends provided first aid while waiting for emergency services to arrive. The 118 emergency line was called by the actor's companions.

Hospital transfers

Emergency responders transported Boldi in code yellow, a classification indicating medium urgency, to the emergency department at Versilia hospital. He was treated there as a medium-urgency case. Doctors, noting the head trauma and as a precautionary measure, then decided to transfer him to the hospital in Livorno for further examinations. As of the morning of 15 August, Boldi was undergoing clinical tests at the Livorno facility. His general condition was not reported to be causing particular concern, though he remained under medical observation. Adnkronos reported that Boldi would undergo the necessary medical examinations, although his condition at the moment did not give rise to particular concern. No official update had been issued by his staff as of the latest reports, though updates were expected in the coming hours. Fans had already begun sending messages of support on social media.

Health history

Boldi turned 81 on 23 July, receiving messages of affection from colleagues and friends in the entertainment world on social media. He had travelled from Milan to Versilia for the Ferragosto weekend to spend a few days of relaxation by the sea. In recent years, he had spoken about the minor ailments that come with age. He told Corriere della Sera about the changes brought by passing years.

“I'm sorry about the years passing. The aches come out, the rhythm and lifestyle change.”

The most serious health episode in his recent history was in 2018, when he underwent angioplasty for a coronary obstruction discovered during a routine check-up. Examinations had revealed three blocked coronary arteries, and the alternative was a triple bypass, as he explained in an interview with Domenica Live. He had already undergone surgery the previous spring, after which he acted in the film "Amici come prima" with Christian De Sica. The following summer, he began feeling pain again, discovering he needed further surgery. It was at Forte dei Marmi that he first felt the renewed pain, a town that recurs in the actor's life as a favoured holiday destination in Versilia.

Career

Born in Luino 81 years ago, Boldi is one of the most recognised faces of Italian comedy. He rose to prominence through the Derby club in Milan, a venue that launched the careers of comedians such as Cochi and Renato and Diego Abatantuono, who remained close friends of Boldi. He became known to the wider public through the character of "Cipollino" and achieved his greatest commercial success through his partnership with Christian De Sica in the "cinepanettoni" holiday comedy films, which were consistent box-office draws in Italy.