Toni Dalli
I...who had nothing
From Rags to Riches
This is a truly remarkable story of a young Italian, from the slums of Pescara in Italy, to topping the bill at the London Palladium.
Antonio D’Alessandro was the eldest of eight children who, with his mother, kept his younger brothers and sisters from starvation.
His persistent and optimistic make-up enabled him to climb the ladder of success. This ‘rags to riches’ scenario has more twists and turns than a novel by Charles Dickens.
Soon after he entered show business Antonio D’Alessandro became Toni Dalli! Early on he shared the bill with some all-time greats including Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Durante, Connie Francis and Dean Martin. He met most of the top stars of Hollywood during the 60s and 70s before making his way to Marbella and further success.
Toni still sings in his restaurant most evenings and is always happy to spend a moment or two reminiscing about the past.
