Carosello's dad has left us

The father of Carosello, Luciano Emmer, has left us at the ripe old age of 91. Emmer was a filmmaker and advertiser who back in the late 50's created the unforgettable beginning of Carosello, which was a series of delightful publicity spots with skits, comedy, music, and animation.

I moved with my parents to Italy in 1962 as a kid. The Carosello, incredibly enough, was actually something people looked forward to. It started with its trademark music (mandolins and flutes), with theater curtains opening. Over the years it evolved but remained recognizable.

It was especially beloved of kids (such as myself), so that we were told that we would go straight to bed after Carosello. Memorable things from those years were major singers such as Mina, the little Bialetti coffee man whose mouth changed to form the letters he spoke, the San Pellegrino mineral water ad (which always featured a hit song), Topo Gigio, and my beloved tiny, oppressed black baby chick, Calimero.