He was repeatedly proposed (but never nominated) for Life
Senatorship in Italy's Parliament.
2007: Received a degree honoris causa in "Television, cinema and multi medial production" from the IULM University.
He was so famous in Italy that, upon his death, condolences were issued by President Giorgio Napolitano, Premier Silvio Berlusconi, Vatican Radio, and Bongiorno's favorite soccer (football) team.
During WWII, he worked for the Italian resistance. He was captured, deported to a concentration camp, and later freed in a prisoner-of-war exchange.
He was born in New York, but moved to Turin, Italy, his mother's hometown, as a child.
Grandfather of Stella, Elia, Luce (Nicolò's children) and Margherita (Michele's daughter). Father-in-law of Tarin Meneghello and Agnese Visconti.
From 1956 until 1961 he was the partner of actress Flora Lillo.
In January 2004, after 50 years of Italian TV and 3,125 episodes of La ruota della fortuna (1987), he was still actively hosting quiz shows and had a relevant position in the hierarchy of Mediaset Group, the Silvio Berlusconi's Television Company.