Clara Calamai (7 September 1909 – 21 September 1998) was an Italian actress.

Career

Calamai was born in

Prato Prato ( ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') in Tuscany, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Prato. The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of , at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana ch ...

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

, on 7 September 1909. Calamai's first acting role was in the 1938 war film ''

Pietro Micca Pietro Micca (6 March 1677 – 30 August 1706), also known as Pierre Micha, was an Italians, Italian soldier who became a national hero of the Duchy of Savoy for his sacrifice in the siege of Turin, defence of Turin against the Kingdom of France, ...

'', directed by Aldo Vergano. In

Alessandro Blasetti Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Four Steps in the Clouds''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during the ...

's '' The Jester's Supper'' (1942), Calamai briefly appeared topless in a scene. The scene is commonly credited with being the first time that an actress had appeared topless in an Italian sound film, although Vittoria Carpi showed a bare breast for a moment in the 1941 film '' La corona di ferro'' (''The Iron Crown''), which was also directed by Blasetti. Calamai stated in a later interview that the original script did not have the character revealing herself this way and did not want to do the scene, but felt compelled by the director to do it and gave in when she was promised a closed set. Her most remembered role was in the film

Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo (; 2 November 1906 – 17 March 1976) was an Italian filmmaker, theatre and opera director, and screenwriter. He was one of the fathers of Italian neorealism, cinematic neorealism, but later ...

's '' Ossessione'' (1943), in which she played Giovanna, the ill-fated female protagonist. Calamai was offered the lead role in '' L'adultera'' (''The Adulteress'', 1946, directed by

Duilio Coletti Duilio Coletti (28 December 1906 – 22 May 1999) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 29 films between 1934 and 1977. Career Born in Penne, Abruzzo, he took a degree in medicine and surgery and practiced the profession for ...

), after

Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Academy Award-winning Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of ...

, originally cast in the part, "was visibly five months' pregnant when she arrived on the set." Calamai was awarded the

Nastro d'Argento The (plural: ''Nastri d'Argento''; English: Silver Ribbon) is an Italian film award, held since 1946 by the ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani'' (Italian National Union of Film Journalists). Awards are given annually in ...

(Silver Ribbon) in 1946 for best actress for her performance in the film. She played a prostitute in

's ''

Le notti bianche ''White Nights'' (, ) is a 1957 romantic drama film directed by Luchino Visconti, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s 1848 short story of the same name. It was written for the screen by Visconti and Suso Cecchi d'Amico, and stars Maria Schell, Marcel ...

'' (1957) and appeared in '' Le streghe'' (1967). After years of retirement, she returned in 1975 to appear in the horror film ''

Profondo rosso ''Deep Red'' (), also known as ''The Hatchet Murders'', is a 1975 Italian ''giallo'' film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. It stars David Hemmings as a musician who investigates a series of murders per ...

'' (''Deep Red'', directed by

Dario Argento Dario Argento (; born 7 September 1940) is an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. His influential work in the horror film, horror and giallo genres during the 1970s and 1980s has led him to being referred to as the "Master of the ...

) as the eccentric matriarch, Marta.

Personal life

On 19 May 1945 she married explorer, and documentary film maker Count Leonardo Bonzi with whom she had two daughters. The marriage was annulled in November 1959, and she lived with Captain of Aviation Valerio Andreoni. Calamai died in Rimini on 21 September 1998. Calamai is buried in the Monumental Cemetery of Rimini. In September 2022, a stele dedicated to her was unveiled in the cemetery behind the funerary monument of

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and ...

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1938, directed by Aldo Vergano) - La contessa de Lassere *'' Il destino in tasca'' (1938, directed by Gennaro Righelli) *'' They've Kidnapped a Man'' (1938, directed by

Gennaro Righelli Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and acting, actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound fil ...

) *''

Ettore Fieramosca Ettore Fieramosca (born Ferramosca) (1476 in Capua – 20 January 1515 in Valladolid) was an Italian condottiero and nobleman during the Italian Wars. His father was Rainaldo, baron of Rocca d'Evandro, and it is thought that his mother was a no ...

'' (1938, directed by

) - Fulvia *'' I, His Father'' (1939, directed by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Career Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made befo ...

) - Renata *'' The Fornaretto of Venice'' (1939, directed by

) (doppiata da

Tina Lattanzi Tina Lattanzi (born Annunziata Concetta Costantini; 5 December 1897 – 25 October 1997) was an Italian actress and voice actress. Biography A native of Licenza and the daughter of Ercole Costantini and Geltrude Montori, Lattanzi began her acti ...

) - Olimpia Zeno *'' L'eredità in corsa'' (1939, directed by Oreste Biancoli) - Lilli *'' The Silent Partner'' (1939, directed by

Roberto Roberti Vincenzo Leone (24 July 1879 – 10 January 1959), known professionally as Roberto Roberti, was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director. He made over sixty films, mostly during the silent era. He was married to the actress Bice Waleran. ...

) - La moglie di Prado *'' Le sorprese del vagone letto'' (1940, directed by Gian Paolo Rosmino) - La canzonettista *''

Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio ( , ; ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so well known as a writer that he was s ...

'' (1940, directed by Marcello Albani) - Giannina, falso Boccaccio *'' Captain Fracasse'' (1940, directed by Duilio Coletti) (doppiata da

) - Iolanda De Foix *'' Goodbye Youth'' (1940, directed by Ferdinando Maria Poggioli) - Elena *'' Manovre d'amore'' (1940, directed by Gennaro Righelli) - Agnese, l'istitutrice *''

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the fina ...

'' (1941, directed by

Goffredo Alessandrini Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904 – 16 May 1978) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films. He practiced athletics (sport), athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian Athletics ...

) - Madonna Giaconella *'' Il re del circo'' (1941, directed by

Hans Hinrich Hans Hinrich (27 November 1903 – 20 October 1974) was a German film director and actor. He initially worked in Germany but later also worked in Italy where he was usually credited as ''Giovanni Hinrich''. Hinrich was a noted theatre director, ...

) - Bianca *'' I mariti - Tempesta d'amore'' (1941, directed by

Camillo Mastrocinque Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...

) - Clara Ferri *'' Light in the Darkness'' (1941, directed by

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comed ...

) - Amelia Gioiosi * '' Thrill'' (1941, directed by

Giacomo Gentilomo Giacomo Gentilomo (5 April 1909 – 16 April 2001) was an Italian film director and Painting, painter. Early life He was born in Trieste. Gentilomo moved to Rome at a young age. Career At 21 years old he entered the cinema industry, working ...

) - Federica Usticky *'' Pirates of Malaya'' (1941, directed by

Enrico Guazzoni Enrico Guazzoni (18 December 1876 – 23 September 1949) Birth name Enrico Guazzone. Additionally, document states in lower right, "è morte in Roma in 23-9-49 / died in Rome 23 September 1949". was an Italian screenwriter and film director. G ...

) - Ada *''

The Adventuress from the Floor Above ''The Adventuress from the Floor Above'' (Italian: ''L'avventuriera del piano di sopra'') is a 1941 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Vittorio De Sica, Clara Calamai and Giuditta R ...

'' (1941, directed by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films ...

) - Biancamaria Rossi *'' The Jester's Supper'' (1942, directed by

) - Ginevra *'' The Queen of Navarre'' (1942, directed by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

) - Isabella del Portogallo *'' La guardia del corpo'' (1942, directed by

Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 f ...

) - Adriana *'' Le vie del cuore'' (1942, directed by Camillo Mastrocinque) - La baronessa Emilia Carpineti *'' Ossessione'' (1943, directed by

) - Giovanna Bragana *'' Enrico IV'' (1943, directed by

Giorgio Pàstina Giorgio may refer to: * Castel Giorgio, ''comune'' in Umbria, Italy * Giorgio (name), an Italian given name and surname * Giorgio Moroder, or Giorgio, Italian record producer ** ''Giorgio'' (album), an album by Giorgio Moroder * "Giorgio" (song), ...

) - Matilde Spina / Frida *'' A Little Wife'' (1943, directed by Giorgio Bianchi) - Isa * '' Farewell Love!'' (1943, directed by

Gianni Franciolini Gianni Franciolini (1 June 1910 – 1 January 1960) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 19 films between 1939 and 1959. Life and career Born in Florence, in 1929 he moved to Paris to study journalism; there he came in ...

) - Laura Acquaviva *''

The Materassi Sisters ''The Materassi Sisters'' (Italian: ''Sorelle Materassi'') is a 1944 Italian comedy film directed by Ferdinando Maria Poggioli and starring Emma Gramatica, Irma Gramatica and Olga Solbelli.Reich & Garofalo p.268 The film is an adaptation of the ...

'' (1944, directed by Ferdinando Maria Poggioli) - Peggy *'' La resa di Titì'' (1945, directed by Giorgio Bianchi) - Paola De Marchi *'' Two Anonymous Letters'' (1945, directed by

Mario Camerini Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Camerini began his career in the film industry in 1920, working for his cousin the director Augusto Genina. Camerini went on to direct his own fi ...

) - Gina *'' The Adulteress'' (1946, directed by Duilio Coletti) - Velca *'' The Tyrant of Padua'' (1946, directed by

Max Neufeld Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film ''The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica. Selecte ...

) - Tisbe *'' Il mondo vuole così'' (1946, directed by Giorgio Bianchi) - Carla *'' Last Love'' (1947, directed by

Luigi Chiarini Luigi Chiarini (20 June 1900 – 12 November 1975) was an Italian film theorist, essayist, screenwriter and film director. Life and career Born in Rome, Chiarini wrote extensively about film theory and in 1935 he founded the drama school Cent ...

) - Maria, la canzonetista *''

When the Angels Sleep ''When the Angels Sleep'' () is a 1947 Spanish-Italian drama film directed by Ricardo Gascón and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Clara Calamai and Maria Eugénia. In Italian the film's title is '' Quando gli angeli dormono''.Lancia p.102-03 Cast * Amed ...

'' (1947, directed by Gilberto Gascon) - Elena * ''

Prelude to Madness ''Prelude to Madness'' or ''Loveless Lovers'' () is a 1948 Italian drama film directed by Gianni Franciolini and starring Clara Calamai, Roldano Lupi and Jean Servais. It is inspired by the 1889 novella '' The Kreutzer Sonata'' by Leo Tolstoy. ...

'' (1948, directed by

(doppiata da

Lydia Simoneschi Lydia Simoneschi (4 April 1908 – 5 September 1981) was an Italian actress and voice actress. During her career, she gave her voice to actresses mainly during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Ages. Biography Born in Rome and the daughte ...

) - Elena Leonardi *'' Romanticismo'' (1949, directed by

Clemente Fracassi Clemente Fracassi (5 March 1917 – 2 February 1993) was an Italian film producer, film director, director and screenwriter. His career spanned from 1939 to 1967. Born in Vescovato, Italy, Vescovato, province of Cremona, Cremona, Fracassi s ...

) - Giuditta Ansperti *'' Sicilian Uprising'' (1949, directed by Giorgio Pàstina) - Elena Di Caltabellotta * '' The Phantom Musketeer'' (1952, directed by Max Calandri) - Marina Venier *'' Carne inquieta'' (1952, directed by Silvestro Prestifilippo) - Marchesa di Francavilla *''

White Nights White night, White Night, or White Nights may refer to: * White night (astronomy), a night in which it never gets completely dark, at high latitudes outside the Arctic and Antarctic Circles * White Night festivals, all-night arts festivals held in ...

'' (1957, directed by Luchino Visconti) - La prostituta *'' Slave Women of Corinth'' (1958, directed by Mario Bonnard) - Stenele *''

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...

'' (1960, TV Mini-Series) *'' The Witches'' (1967, directed by Luchino Visconti) - Ex-actress (segment "Strega Bruciata Viva, La") *''

Deep Red ''Deep Red'' (), also known as ''The Hatchet Murders'', is a 1975 Italian ''giallo'' film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. It stars David Hemmings as a musician who investigates a series of murders perf ...

'' (1975, directed by

) - Marta *'' The Sinner'' (1975, directed by

Pier Ludovico Pavoni Pier Ludovico Pavoni (born 25 April 1926) is an Italian cinematographer, director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Rome, Pavoni graduated from the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia as a camera operator in 1948 and started working in severa ...

) - Michele's Mother (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Calamai, Clara 1909 births 1998 deaths Nastro d'Argento winners People from Prato Actresses from Tuscany 20th-century Italian actresses Burials at the Monumental Cemetery of Rimini