Leli Debattista

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Leli Debattista was a character actor.

He was born in Floriana on 1 February 1928, and made his stage debut at the age of 18 with L-Għaqda tal-Malti. He eventually developed the role of a mischievous boy (tifel imqareb), which he presented often on stage, as well as on the Rediffusion cable radio quiz programme Madwar Malta.

Eventually he reprised the role on television.

His comic skills were appreciated by his peers, and the Italian newspaper La Sicilia called him "Comico Celebre." In the 1960s he also often played female roles in comical skits and farces. In these roles he rivaled Malta's best known drag performer Nosi Ghirlando from the same era.

Still, he also played a number of dramatic roles. The best remembered of these was that of Caifas in the Passion Play at Floriana.

Besides acting, Debattista also contributed to the theatre scene as a writer of various farces and comical skits, particularly for his short-lived, but nationally popular theatre company Florians. His last appearance was in the teleserial Villa Sunset broadcast on TVM in 2000-2001.

He died on 24 February 2003 at the age of 75.