'Il Prode Anselmo'.
Mario Pompei was born in Terni, but eventually settled in Rome, where he began his artistic career. For sixteen years, he worked in Vittorio Podrecca's theater. Until the mid-1920s, he designed costumes for several theater companies. From 1927, he was a frequent contributor to Il Corriere dei Piccoli. There, he created such comics as 'Bice e Bauci', 'Saputino' and 'Il Prode Anselmo'. He also drew for Balilla, La Gazzetta del Popolo ('Armando il Pittore', 'Pinco Pallino', 'Isolina Marzabotto') and Fuorisacco. In 1936, he provided the scenography for the animated film 'Le Avventure di Pinocchio' by Raoul Verdini. Unfortunately, the film was never realized. After World War II, he continued his scenography work in the television world, doing several juvenile television series for RAI. He died of a heart attack in 1958.