Born in Turin, Macario made his debut at young age in the amateur dramatics company Don Bosco Oratory in Valdocco, then he was part of some small amateur companies of his hometown until 1924 when he was cast in the company of dancing and pantomime of Giovanni Molasso. Soon after, he entered the company of Wanda Osiris, the undisputed queen of the revue of that time in Italy. Between the two wars he became in a short time one of the most popular comedians of the revue theater.

Macario made his film debut in 1933 with Aria di paese but the success came just six years later with two comedy films directed by Mario Mattoli and co-written by a young Federico Fellini, Imputato alzatevi! and Lo vedi come sei… lo vedi come sei?. After a series of successful comedies directed by Carlo Borghesio since the early fifties Macario appeared in short characterizations in anthology films and was sidekick of Totò in a number of films. Starting from mid-sixties he finally dedicated to television and theater.  His comical style was referred as a mixture between Chaplin’s Charlot and Marx Brothers.