Gina Lollobrigida (ˈdʒiːna lɔlloˈbriːdʒida; born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist and sculptress. She was one of the most popular European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was also an iconic
sex symbolA sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
of the 1950s. Today, she remains an active supporter of Italian and Italian American causes, particularly the
National Italian American FoundationThe National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage...
(NIAF). In 2008, she received the NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award at the Foundation's Anniversary Gala.
Youth
Born
Luigina Lollobrigida in
SubiacoSubiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, she was one of four daughters of a furniture manufacturer (her sisters are Giuliana, Maria and Fernanda). She spent her youth in a picturesque mountain village. In her youth, Gina did some
modellingA model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, and from there she went to participate successfully in several beauty contests. At around this time, she began appearing in
Italian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
films. In 1945, she played a part in the comedy
Santarellina by
Eduardo ScarpettaEduardo Scarpetta was an Italian actor and playwright from Naples. Although not from a theatrical family, he was on the stage by the age of four and is today best remembered as the creator of a character that became his stage alter-ego: Felice Sciosciammocca, a typical, good-natured Neapolitan...
at the
Teatro della ConcordiaTeatro della Concordia in Monte Castello di Vibio is the smallest public and regularely played theatre in the world. It has only 99 seats, which are distributed in 37 seats in boxes and 62 seats in the stalls...
of
Monte Castello di VibioMonte Castello di Vibio is a comune in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 30 km south of Perugia...
. In 1947, Gina entered the
Miss ItaliaMiss Italia is the name of a beauty pageant awarding prizes every year to young, female contestants from Italy. Since the first edition of the contest in 1939 many of the contestants have gone on to notable careers in television and film.-History:...
pageantA beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
and came in 3rd place. The contest was won by
Lucia BoséLucia Bosè, born Lucia Borloni , is an Italian actress, who was at the height of her fame during the period of Italian Neorealism, the 1940s and 1950s. She is the mother of famous Spanish singer Miguel Bosé.-Life and career:...
and second place was
Gianna Maria CanaleGianna Maria Canale was an Italian actress.- Biography :Canale was born in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, at the Miss Italia beauty contest, won by Lucia Bosè, she placed second. Canale received publicity in many Italian magazines after this. Her looks were compared to those of Ava Gardner...
– they would both go on to be actresses, though neither would come near Lollobrigida's success.
Films
In 1950
Howard HughesHoward Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
invited Lollobrigida to make Hollywood films, but she refused, preferring to work in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Despite this, her appearance in Italian films like
Bread, Love and Dreams (for which she received a BAFTA nomination and won a
Nastro d'ArgentoThe Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
award) and
Woman of RomeWoman of Rome is a 1954 drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Adriana* Daniel Gélin - Mino* Franco Fabrizi - Gino* Raymond Pellegrin - Astarita* Pina Piovani - Madre di Adriana...
, and in French films like
Fanfan la TulipeFanfan la Tulipe is a 1952 French comedy adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque. It has also been categorized under swashbuckler films. The film starred Gérard Philipe and Gina Lollobrigida. The film was remade in 2003 with Penélope Cruz in Lollobrigida's role.-Plot summary:The film is set in...
and
Beauties of the NightLes Belles de nuit is a 1952 French language motion picture fantasy directed and written by René Clair who co-produced with Angelo Rizzoli...
, brought her to the attention of Hollywood. She made her first American film,
Beat the Devil, in 1953 with
Humphrey BogartHumphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
and
Jennifer JonesPhylis Lee Isley , better known by her stage name Jennifer Jones, was an American actress. A five-time Academy Award nominee, Jones won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Song of Bernadette .-Early life:Jones was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the daughter of Flora Mae and...
, directed by
John HustonJohn Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
.
In 1955 Lollobrigida appeared in
The World's Most Beautiful Woman, for which she received the first
David di Donatello for Best Actress-Albo d'oro:1956Gina Lollobrigida - La donna più bella del mondo1958*Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind1959*Anna Magnani - Nella città l'inferno1961*Sophia Loren - La ciociara1963...
award. She appeared in the circus drama
TrapezeTrapeze is a 1956 circus film directed by Carol Reed and starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida, making her debut in American films....
directed by
Carol ReedSir Carol Reed was an English film director best known for Odd Man Out , The Fallen Idol , The Third Man and Oliver!...
with
Burt LancasterBurton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
and
Tony CurtisTony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
in 1956 and starred in
The Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1831. The French title refers to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on which the story is centered.-Background:...
directed by
Jean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
with
Anthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
the same year. In 1959 she co-starred with
Frank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
in
Never So FewNever So Few 1959 CinemaScope war film directed by John Sturges and starring Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Dean Jones and Steve McQueen with uncredited roles by renowned Asian actors Mako, George Takei and James Hong. The script was loosely based on an actual OSS...
and with
Yul BrynnerYul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
in
Solomon and ShebaSolomon and Sheba is a 1959 Biblical epic film made by Edward Small Productions and distributed by United Artists. The film stars Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders and Marisa Pavan, with David Farrar, Harry Andrews, Jack Gwillim, Laurence Naismith, William Devlin, Jean Anderson and...
. The latter was notable for having Brynner replace
Tyrone PowerTyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
, who died during filming; for being the last film directed by
King VidorKing Wallis Vidor was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose career spanned nearly seven decades...
; and for an orgy scene unusual in Hollywood motion pictures of that era.
In 1961 she appeared in the romantic comedy
Come SeptemberFor the Natalie Imbruglia song, see Come September .Come September is a 1961 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan, and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.-Plot:...
, with
Rock HudsonRoy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
,
Sandra DeeSandra Dee was an American actress. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Best known for her portrayal of ingenues, Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers, and over several years her films were popular...
and
Bobby DarinBobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
, for which she won a Golden Globe award. The same year she appeared alongside
Ernest BorgnineErnest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
and
Anthony FranciosaAnthony Franciosa was an American actor, usually billed as Tony Franciosa during the height of his career.-Early life:...
in the drama
Go Naked in the WorldGo Naked in the World is a 1961 American drama film starring Gina Lollobrigida, Ernest Borgnine and Anthony Franciosa.The son of a wealthy Greek immigrant Nick Stratton is attempting to find his own way in the world...
. In 1962 she was directed again by
Jean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
in
Venere ImperialeVenere Imperiale is a 1962 French-Italian historical film directed by Jean Delannoy and starring Gina Lollobrigida, Stephen Boyd and Raymond Pellegrin...
and received a
Nastro d'ArgentoThe Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
and a
David di DonatelloDavid di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
award. In 1964 she co-starred with
Sean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
in the thriller
Woman of StrawWoman of Straw is a 1964 British crime thriller starring Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery. It was directed by Basil Dearden and written by Robert Muller and Stanley Mann, adapted from the 1964 novel by Catherine Arley.- Plot :...
. She co-starred with Rock Hudson again in 1965's
Strange BedfellowsStrange Bedfellows is 1965 American comedy film directed by Melvin Frank and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Gig Young and Terry-Thomas....
and appeared alongside
Alec GuinnessSir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai...
in 1966's
Hotel ParadisoHotel Paradiso is a 1966 film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Peter Glenville and based on the play Hotel du Libre Echange by Maurice Desvallières and Georges Feydeau.-Synopsis:...
. In 1968 she starred in
Buona Sera, Mrs. CampbellBuona Sera, Mrs. Campbell is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Melvin Frank, who co-wrote the original screenplay with Denis Norden and Sheldon Keller.The United Artists release was filmed at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome...
with
Shelley WintersShelley Winters was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films, as well as on stage and television; her career spanned over 50 years until her death in 2006...
,
Phil SilversPhil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
, and
Telly SavalasAristotelis "Telly" Savalas was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz...
, the plot of which is the basis for the stage musical
Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
For this role she was nominated for a Golden Globe and won a third
David di DonatelloDavid di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
award. Lollobrigida co-starred with
Bob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
in the comedy
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'FarrellThe Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell is a 1968 film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller. It was filmed in Puerto Rico in 1967...
and also accompanied Hope on his visits to military troops overseas.
By the 1970s her film career had slowed down. She appeared in only a few poorly received productions in the early part of the decade. In the mid 1980s, she starred in the television series
Falcon CrestFalcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
as Francesca Gioberti, a role originally written for
Sophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
, who turned it down. For that role she received a third Golden Globe nomination. She also had a supporting role in the 1985 TV mini series
Deceptions, co-starring with Stephanie Powers. In 1986, she was the head of the jury at the
36th Berlin International Film Festival-Jury:* Gina Lollobrigida * Rudi Fehr* Lindsay Anderson* August Coppola* Werner Grassmann* Otar Iosseliani* Norbert Kückelmann* Francoise Maupin* Rosaura Revueltas* Naoki Togawa* Jerzy Toeplitz-Films in competition:...
, which awarded the
Golden BearAccording to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
to
Reinhard Hauff's film
StammheimStammheim - Die Baader-Meinhof-Gruppe vor Gericht is a 1986 West German film directed by Reinhard Hauff...
, although she distanced herself publicly from the decision, claiming the decision had been made for political reasons.
In the 1990s she made a few minor French film appearances and continued to visit international film festivals.
Photojournalism
By the end of the 1970s she had embarked on what turned out to be a successful career as a photographic journalist. She photographed, among others,
Paul NewmanPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
,
Salvador DalíSalvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
,
Henry KissingerHeinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
,
David CassidyDavid Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
,
Audrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian. Although modest about her acting ability, Hepburn remains one of the world's most famous actresses of all time, remembered as a film and fashion icon of the twentieth century...
,
Ella FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and the
German national football teamThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
and scooped the world's press by obtaining an exclusive interview with
Fidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. In 1973 a collection of her work was published,
Italia Mia.
Other interests
She has focused on other interests such as sculpting and it was 1984 before she returned to
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television screens with a part in
Falcon CrestFalcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
. She showed her sculptures in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
,
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
,
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
QatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. She was also a corporate executive for fashion and cosmetics companies.
Political activism
In 1999 she ran unsuccessfully for one of
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's 87 seats in the elections for
European ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
with the center-left party The Democrats.
Personal life
In 1949 she married a
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n physician, Mirko Skofic. They had one child, Mirko Skofic, Jr., born in August 1957. They were divorced in 1971. Skofic gave up the practice of medicine to become her manager.
In 1969 she was engaged for a short time to George Kaufman, a New York real estate heir. In the 1960s she also had an affair with heart transplant pioneer
Christiaan BarnardChristiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
.
In October 2006, at age 79, she announced to
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's
¡Hola!¡Hola! is a weekly Spanish-language magazine specializing in celebrity news, published in Spain and 13 other countries. It also has local editions in Brazil, Canada, Greece, Mexico, Peru, Britain, Russia and Argentina. It is the second most popular magazine in Spain, after the Pronto, the most sold...
magazine her engagement to a 45-year-old Spanish businessman, Javier Rigau y Rafols, whom she met at a party in
Monte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
in 1984 and who had been her companion since then. The engagement was called off on 6 December 2006, reportedly as a result of media pressure.
Now virtually retired, Lollobrigida has not made a film since 1997. She told
PARADEParade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
in April 2000:
She is of the Roman Catholic faith.
Awards and nominations
Lollobrigida has won 6
David di DonatelloDavid di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
, 2
Nastro d'ArgentoThe Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
, and 6
Bambi AwardsThe Bambi - Deutschlands Wichtigster Medienpreis, often simply called Bambi Awards and stylized as BAMBI, are presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year",...
; she was nominated three times for the Golden Globe and won one in 1961 as
World Film Favourite - Female; she was nominated once for a Bafta.
In 1985 she was nominated as an officier of
Ordre des Arts et des LettresThe Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
by
Jack LangJack Mathieu Émile Lang is a French politician. A member of the Socialist Party, he served as France's Minister of Culture from 1981 to 1986 and 1988 to 1992, and as Minister of Education from 1992 to 1993 and 2000 to 2002. He was also the Mayor of Blois from 1989 to 2000...
because of her achievements in sculpture and in photography.
In 1992 she was awarded the
Légion d'HonneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by
François MitterrandFrançois Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
.
On 16 October 1999, Gina Lollobrigida was nominated
Goodwill Ambassador The FAO Goodwill Ambassadors Programme was initiated in 1999. The main purpose of the programme is to increase public awareness and to disseminate information on issues related to food security, hunger and poverty in the world...
of the
Food and Agriculture OrganizationThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
of the United Nations (FAO).
Books by Gina Lollobrigida
- Italia mia, 1973, a collection of photographs across Italy.
- Wonder of Innocence, 1994, a book of photographs.
- Sculptures, 2003.
Cinema
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1946 |
Lucia di Lammermoor |
|
|
| 1946 |
This Wine of Love |
|
|
| 1946 |
Return of the Black Eagle |
|
|
| 1947 |
When Love Calls |
|
|
| 1947 |
Pagliacci |
Nedda |
|
| 1947 |
Flesh Will Surrender Flesh Will Surrender is a 1947 Italian drama film directed by Alberto Lattuada. It was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Aldo Fabrizi - Giovanni Episcopo* Roldano Lupi - Giulio Wanzer* Yvonne Sanson - Ginevra Canale...
|
|
|
| 1947 |
Vendetta nel sole |
young girl |
|
| 1948 |
Mad About Opera |
Dora |
|
| 1949 |
Campane a martello Campane a martello is a 1949 drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Agostina* Yvonne Sanson - Australia* Eduardo De Filippo - Don Andrea* Carlo Giustini - Marco* Carlo Romano - Gendarme...
|
Agostina |
|
| 1949 |
The Bride Can't Wait |
|
|
| 1949 |
The White Line The White Line is a 1950 Italian drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Donata Sebastian* Raf Vallone - Domenico* Erno Crisa - Stefano* Cesco Baseggio - Giovanni Sebastian...
|
Donata Sebastian |
|
| 1950 |
A Dog's Life A Dog's Life is a 1950 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and Steno.-Cast:* Aldo Fabrizi - Nino Martoni* Gina Lollobrigida - Margherita 'Rita Buton'* Delia Scala - Vera* Tamara Lees - Franca* Gianni Barrella - L'impresario...
|
Rita Buton |
|
| 1950 |
Miss Italy |
Lisetta Minneci |
|
| 1950 |
Children of Chance Campane a martello is a 1949 drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Agostina* Yvonne Sanson - Australia* Eduardo De Filippo - Don Andrea* Carlo Giustini - Marco* Carlo Romano - Gendarme...
|
|
|
| 1950 |
Alina |
Alina |
|
| 1951 |
A Tale of Five Cities A Tale of Five Cities is a 1951 British-Italian drama film directed by Romolo Marcellini and five other directors.-Cast:* Bonar Colleano - Bob Mitchell* Barbara Kelly - Lesley - American Magazine Editor* Anne Vernon - Jeannine Meunier...
|
Maria Severini |
|
| 1951 |
The Young Caruso |
|
|
| 1951 |
Four Ways Out |
|
|
| 1951 |
Love I Haven't... But... But |
|
|
| 1951 |
Attention! Bandits! Achtung! Banditi! also known as Attention Bandits is a 1951 Italian World War II film drama directed by Carlo Lizzani starring Gina Lollobrigida and Andrea Checchi.-Cast:*Gina Lollobrigida as Anna*Andrea Checchi as The engineer...
|
Anna |
|
| 1952 |
Wife for a Night |
Ottavia |
|
| 1952 |
Times Gone By |
Mariantonia Desiderio |
|
| 1952 |
Fanfan la Tulipe Fanfan la Tulipe is a 1952 French comedy adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque. It has also been categorized under swashbuckler films. The film starred Gérard Philipe and Gina Lollobrigida. The film was remade in 2003 with Penélope Cruz in Lollobrigida's role.-Plot summary:The film is set in...
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Adeline La Franchise |
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| 1952 |
Beauties of the Night Les Belles de nuit is a 1952 French language motion picture fantasy directed and written by René Clair who co-produced with Angelo Rizzoli...
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Leila, Cashier |
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| 1953 |
The Wayward Wife The Wayward Wife is a 1953 Italian drama film directed by Mario Soldati. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Gemma Vagnuzzi* Gabriele Ferzetti - Il professore Franco Vagnuzzi* Franco Interlenghi - Paolo Sartori...
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Gemma Vagnuzzi |
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| 1953 |
Bread, Love and Dreams |
Maria De Ritis |
Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress
Nastro d'Argento Best ActressA list of the Nastro d'Argento awards for Best Actress.*1946 - Clara Calamai - L'adultera*1947 - Alida Valli - Eugenia Grandet*1948 - Anna Magnani - L'onorevole Angelina*1949 - Anna Magnani - L'amore*1950 -...
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| 1953 |
Le infedeli Le infedeli is a 1953 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and Steno and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida as Lulla Possenti* May Britt as Liliana Rogers* Pierre Cressoy as Osvaldo Dal Prà* Tina Lattanzi as Carla Bellaris...
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Lulla Possenti |
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| 1953 |
Beat the Devil |
Maria Dannreuther |
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| 1954 |
Woman of Rome Woman of Rome is a 1954 drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Adriana* Daniel Gélin - Mino* Franco Fabrizi - Gino* Raymond Pellegrin - Astarita* Pina Piovani - Madre di Adriana...
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Adriana |
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| 1954 |
Bread, Love and Jealousy |
Maria De Ritis |
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| 1954 |
A Day in Court |
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| 1954 |
Crossed Swords |
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| 1954 |
Le Grand Jeu |
Sylvia Sorrego, Helena Ricci |
| 1955 |
The World's Most Beautiful Woman |
Lina Cavalieri |
David di Donatello for Best Actress -Albo d'oro:1956Gina Lollobrigida - La donna più bella del mondo1958*Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind1959*Anna Magnani - Nella città l'inferno1961*Sophia Loren - La ciociara1963...
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| 1956 |
Trapeze Trapeze is a 1956 circus film directed by Carol Reed and starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida, making her debut in American films....
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Lola |
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| 1956 |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1956 French film version of Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, directed by Jean Delannoy and produced by Raymond Hakim and Robert Hakim. The film is the first version of the novel to be made in color.It stars Mexican actor Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo and Gina...
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Esmeralda |
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| 1958 |
Anna of Brooklyn |
Anna |
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| 1959 |
The Law The Law is a 1959 Italian film directed by Jules Dassin.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Marietta* Pierre Brasseur - Don Cesare* Marcello Mastroianni - Enrico Tosso, the Engineer* Melina Mercouri - Donna Lucrezia* Yves Montand - Matteo Brigante...
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Marietta |
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| 1959 |
Never So Few Never So Few 1959 CinemaScope war film directed by John Sturges and starring Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Dean Jones and Steve McQueen with uncredited roles by renowned Asian actors Mako, George Takei and James Hong. The script was loosely based on an actual OSS...
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Carla Vesari |
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| 1959 |
Solomon and Sheba Solomon and Sheba is a 1959 Biblical epic film made by Edward Small Productions and distributed by United Artists. The film stars Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders and Marisa Pavan, with David Farrar, Harry Andrews, Jack Gwillim, Laurence Naismith, William Devlin, Jean Anderson and...
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Queen of Sheba |
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| 1961 |
Go Naked in the World Go Naked in the World is a 1961 American drama film starring Gina Lollobrigida, Ernest Borgnine and Anthony Franciosa.The son of a wealthy Greek immigrant Nick Stratton is attempting to find his own way in the world...
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Giulietta Cameron |
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| 1961 |
Come SeptemberFor the Natalie Imbruglia song, see Come September .Come September is a 1961 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan, and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.-Plot:...
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Lisa Helena Fellini |
Golden Globe Henrietta Award, World Film Favorite – Female |
| 1962 |
Lykke og krone (documentary) |
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| 1962 |
La bellezza di Ippolita La bellezza di Ippolita is a 1962 Italian comedy film directed by Giancarlo Zagni. It was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Ippolita* Enrico Maria Salerno - Luca* Milva - Adriana* Lars Bloch...
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Ippolita |
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| 1963 |
Venere Imperiale Venere Imperiale is a 1962 French-Italian historical film directed by Jean Delannoy and starring Gina Lollobrigida, Stephen Boyd and Raymond Pellegrin...
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Paulette Bonaparte |
David di Donatello for Best Actress -Albo d'oro:1956Gina Lollobrigida - La donna più bella del mondo1958*Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind1959*Anna Magnani - Nella città l'inferno1961*Sophia Loren - La ciociara1963...
Nastro d'Argento Best ActressA list of the Nastro d'Argento awards for Best Actress.*1946 - Clara Calamai - L'adultera*1947 - Alida Valli - Eugenia Grandet*1948 - Anna Magnani - L'onorevole Angelina*1949 - Anna Magnani - L'amore*1950 -...
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| 1963 |
Mad Sea |
Margherita |
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| 1964 |
Woman of Straw Woman of Straw is a 1964 British crime thriller starring Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery. It was directed by Basil Dearden and written by Robert Muller and Stanley Mann, adapted from the 1964 novel by Catherine Arley.- Plot :...
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Maria Marcello |
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| 1965 |
Me, Me, Me... and the Others Me, Me, Me... and the Others is a 1966 Italian comedy film directed by Alessandro Blasetti.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida - Titta* Silvana Mangano - Silvia* Walter Chiari - Sandro* Vittorio De Sica - Commendator Trepossi* Nino Manfredi - 'Millevache'...
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Titta |
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| 1965 |
Le Bambole Le bambole is a 1965 Italian comedy film in four segments; cast includes Virna Lisi, Nino Manfredi, Gina Lollobrigida, Elke Sommer and Monica Vitti...
(The Dolls) |
Beatrice |
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| 1965 |
Strange Bedfellows Strange Bedfellows is 1965 American comedy film directed by Melvin Frank and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Gig Young and Terry-Thomas....
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Toni Vincente |
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| 1966 |
Pleasant Nights Pleasant Nights is a 1966 Italian comedy film directed by Armando Crispino and Luciano Lucignani and starring Vittorio Gassman.-Cast:* Vittorio Gassman - Bastiano da Sangallo* Gina Lollobrigida - Domicilla* Ugo Tognazzi - Uguccione...
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Domicilla |
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| 1966 |
The Sultans |
Liza Bortoli |
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| 1966 |
Hotel Paradiso Hotel Paradiso is a 1966 film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Peter Glenville and based on the play Hotel du Libre Echange by Maurice Desvallières and Georges Feydeau.-Synopsis:...
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Marcelle Cotte |
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| 1967 |
Cervantes Cervantes is a highly fictionalized 1967 film biography of the early life of Miguel de Cervantes . It was the first screen biography of the author...
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Giulia Toffolo |
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| 1968 |
Stuntman |
Evelyne Lake |
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| 1968 |
La morte ha fatto l'uovo |
Anna |
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| 1968 |
A Curious Way to Love |
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| 1968 |
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell is a 1968 film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller. It was filmed in Puerto Rico in 1967...
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Maria |
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| 1968 |
Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Melvin Frank, who co-wrote the original screenplay with Denis Norden and Sheldon Keller.The United Artists release was filmed at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome...
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Carla Campbell |
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
David di Donatello for Best Actress-Albo d'oro:1956Gina Lollobrigida - La donna più bella del mondo1958*Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind1959*Anna Magnani - Nella città l'inferno1961*Sophia Loren - La ciociara1963...
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| 1969 |
That Splendid November |
Cettina |
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| 1971 |
Bad Man's River Bad Man's River is a 1971 Comedy Western film directed by Eugenio Martín and starring Lee Van Cleef, James Mason, Gina Lollobrigida and Simón Andreu....
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Alicia |
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| 1972 |
King, Queen, Knave King, Queen, Knave is a 1972 German comedy film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, based on the novel of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. It was entered into the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Gina Lollobrigida as Martha Dreyer...
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Martha Dreyer |
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| 1973 |
No encontre rosas para mi madre |
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| 1983 |
Wandering Stars Wandering Stars is an anthology of Jewish fantasy and science fiction, edited by Jack Dann, originally published by Harper & Row in 1974. It represented, according to the book cover, "the first time in science fiction that the Jew - and the richness of his themes and particular points of view --...
(documentary) |
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| 1995 |
Les cent et une nuits de Simon Cinéma -Cast:* Michel Piccoli as Simon Cinéma* Marcello Mastroianni as L'ami italien / The Italian Friend* Henri Garcin as Firmin, le majordome / The butler* Julie Gayet as Camille Miralis* Mathieu Demy as Camille, dit Mica...
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L'épouse médium du professeur Bébel |
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| 1997 |
XXL -Cast:* Catherine Jacob : Lorène Benguigui* Michel Boujenah : Alain Berrebi* Gérard Depardieu : Jean Bourdalou* Elsa Zylberstein : Arlette Stern* Gina Lollobrigida : Gaby* Maurice Chevit : David Stern* Gad Elmaleh : Sammy* Pascal Elbé : François Ste...
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Gaby |
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| 2011 |
Box office 3d |
herself |
(cameo appearance) |
Television
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1972 |
Le avventure di Pinocchio |
The Fairy with Turquoise Hair |
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| 1984 |
Falcon CrestFalcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
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Francesca Gioberti |
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 1985 |
Deceptions |
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| 1988 |
Woman of Rome |
Adriana's mother |
television remake |
| 1996 |
Una donna in fuga |
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External links