He began his career on stage at the age of 18 under the guidance of Alfredo De Sanctis and later did work for the EIAR.

[2] Cigoli appeared in more than 40 films and 20 television shows between 1935 and 1980, mostly in supporting roles.

[4][5] He was the Italian voice of nearly every major Hollywood star from the 1940s through the 1960s, including Gregory Peck, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Burt Lancaster, Steve Reeves, Vincent Price, Lee Van Cleef and Orson Welles.

He also dubbed some Italian actors such as Andrea Checchi, Mino Doro, Alberto Farnese, Massimo Serato and Vittorio Gassman.

Cigoli has dubbed the voice of the narrator in several documentaries, films and animated productions such as Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone and The Three Caballeros.