Darix Togni

Darix Togni (1922-1976),was a circus artist/owner, animal trainer and actor. He was the son of circus director and clown Ercole Togni and his wife Caterina Barbera. Darix Togni was the most famous performer of the Togni dynasty, and the first true popular circus star in Italy. He entered the ring at age seven, as a young equestrian in a voltige à la Richard act with his sisters Leda and Doly, and then appeared in a Russian dance act with his cousins Wally and Angly. At age fourteen, he was included in the family's perch-pole act. In 1946, an unforeseen event changed Darix's life, and propelled him to circus stardom. The Circo Nazionale's lion trainer having left the circus, Darix took his place and entered the cage after only five days of rehearsals, donning an old gladiator costume he had used in one of his equestrian acts. He developed important relationships with the movie industry. He was featured in several "peplum" films requiring lions or tigers, such as Richard Fleischer's "Barabbas" (1961), starring Anthony Quinn. In 1959, in a spectacular publicity stunt, he replicated Hannibal's march through the Alps with three of his elephants. Darix Togni appeared in 7 feature films from 1949- 1961. Darix Togni was married to Fiorenza Colombo 1946 (granddaughter of Elena Fratellini), with whom he had five children: Danila, Livio, Corrado, Davio, and Nevia.