Don Lurio

Who was Don Lurio?

Donald Benjamin Lurio, better known with his stage name of Don Lurio was an American-born Italian dancer, choreographer and presenter for the RAI, the Italian television.

Born in the United States by Italian ancestors, he operated a dance studio on Broadway with Bob Fosse and Jack Cole, then toured Europe before arriving in Italy in 1957.

Openly gay, it took until 1961 to establish himself on Italian Television.

He had a long term relationship with Livio Costagli, who died in 1994 at the age of 44 years from complications caused by the AIDS virus.

He appeared in several Italian films of the 1960s and 1970s. He also appeared in a handful of British films.

In 1970 he choreograped the interval act for the Eurovision Song Contest.

He died in 2003 from respiratory failure.