Constantin “Tino” Rossi (29 April 1907 – 26 September 1983) was a French singer and film actor of Corsican origin.
Born in Ajaccio, Corsica, Rossi was gifted with a voice well suited for opera. He became a tenor in the French cabaret style. Later, he appeared in various movies. During his career it is reported he recorded over 2000 songs and he appeared in more than 25 films, the most notable of which was the 1954 production, Si Versailles m’était conté… directed by Sacha Guitry.
Among his most famous hit songs, “Petit Papa Noel” sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Throughout his 50-year singing career, Tino Rossi recorded over 2000 songs and sold over 200 million albums making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.
As a young man, Rossi played guitar and sang in many clubs in Ajaccio, but later went on to perform in Marseille and at resort clubs along the French Riviera. In the early 1930s he went to Paris and within a few years achieved enormous success, joining a Columbia Records roster that included the biggest stars of that time such as Lucienne Boyer, Damia, Pills et Tabet, Mireille, and Jean Sablon.
Rossi’s success was greatly aided by songwriter Vincent Scotto , who wrote his first hits and collaborated with him for many years, composing and arranging many of Rossi’s songs. Prior to World War II, Rossi was a major box office attraction in the French-speaking world, and expanded his audience in 1938 to the U.S. and Canada during a first visit there. Rossi began his film career with a role in Les Nuits Moscovites (1934); his first real success came with Marinella (1936).
During the Occupation of France by Nazi Germany Rossi’s film career reached its peak, notably with Fièvres (1942), Le Soleil a oujours raison (1943), Mon amour est près de toi (1943) and L’Île d’amour (1944). In 1946 he recorded his song Petit Papa Noël for a movie. The song remained classic for the family and sold several million copies after being released on CD in 1992.
He is the recipient of the prestigious musical award Grand Prix du Disque.
Rossi died in 1983 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
Ajaccio named a street and the sailing harbor in his honor and in Nogent-sur-Marne, there is a square named Tino Rossi Square. A garden on the banks of the Seine in Paris – the Jardin Tino Rossi – was also named in his honor.
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