Elsa Martinelli (born Elisa Tia; 30 January 1935 – 8 July 2017) was an Italian actress and

fashion model A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Thoug ...

Life and career

Born Elisa Tia in

Grosseto Grosseto () is a city and ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain on the Ombrone river. It is the ...

Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...

, she moved to Rome with her family. In 1953, she was discovered by Roberto Capucci who introduced her to the world of fashion. She became a model and began playing small roles in films. She appeared in

Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Biography Born at Luzarches in Val-d'Oise, Autant-Lara was educated in France and at London's Mill Hill Sc ...

's ''

Le Rouge et le Noir ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (; meaning ''The Red and the Black'') is a historical psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing t ...

'' (1954), but her first important film role came the following year with '' The Indian Fighter'' opposite

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. D ...

, who claimed to have spotted her on a magazine cover and hired her for his production company, Bryna Productions. Douglas subsequently signed her to a two pictures a year for two years non-exclusive contract with Bryna Productions in February 1956. She was loaned out from Bryna Productions to

Universal-International Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

in March 1956 for the film '' Four Girls in Town''. In 1956, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the

6th Berlin International Film Festival The 6th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 22 June to 3 July 1956. The FIAPF granted the festival the "A status" during this year, which was previously only reserved for Cannes and Venice. The awards for the first time, w ...

for playing the title role in

Mario Monicelli Mario Alberto Ettore Monicelli (; 16 May 1915 – 29 November 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the '' Commedia all'Italiana'' (Comedy Italian style). He was nominated six times for an Oscar, and was a ...

's '' Donatella''. From the mid-1950s through the late 1960s, she divided her time between

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, appearing in films such as '' Four Girls in Town'' (1957) with

Julie Adams Julie Adams (born Betty May Adams; October 17, 1926 – February 3, 2019) was an American actress, billed as Julia Adams toward the beginning of her career, primarily known for her numerous television guest roles. She starred in a number of ...

, '' Manuela'' (1957) with

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage, film, and television actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved star status with his role in the film ''Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by ''T ...

, ''

Prisoner of the Volga ''Prisoner of the Volga'' is a 1959 adventure film starring John Derek. He plays an officer in the time of the Tsar who is sentenced to Siberia.John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer and photographer.Hatari!'' (1962) with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

, '' The Pigeon That Took Rome'' (1962) with

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...

, '' The Trial'' (1962) directed by

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

, '' The V.I.P.s'' (1963) with

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

and

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

, '' Rampage'' (1963) with

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...

, ''

Woman Times Seven ''Woman Times Seven'' ( it, Sette volte donna) is a 1967 sex comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It consists of seven segments, all starring Shirley MacLaine, most of which deal with aspects of adultery. Plot ''Paulette/Funeral ...

'' (1967) with

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...

, and ''

Candy Candy, also called sweets (British English) or lollies (Australian English, New Zealand English), is a confection that features sugar as a principal ingredient. The category, called ''sugar confectionery'', encompasses any sweet confection, i ...

'' (1968) with

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

. From the late 1960s, she worked in Europe in mostly foreign language productions. Her last English language role was as Carla the Agent in '' Once Upon a Crime'' (1992) with

John Candy John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its '' SCTV'' seri ...

. Her final acting appearance was in the 2005 European television series ''

Orgoglio Orgoglio is a literary character in Edmund Spenser's famous epic ''The Faerie Queene''. He appears in the seventh canto of Book One as a beast and attacks the main character, Redcrosse, who symbolizes the ultimate Christian knight, during a momen ...

'' as the Duchessa di Monteforte.

Personal life

Martinelli was first married to Count Franco Mancinelli Scotti di San Vito, by whom she had a daughter, Cristiana Mancinelli (born 1958), also an actress. In 1968, she married the ''

Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly news magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. History and profile A sports news magazine, ''Match l'intran'' (a play on '' L'Intransigeant ...

'' photographer and 1970s furniture designer,

Willy Rizzo Willy Rizzo (22 October 1928 – 25 February 2013) was an Italian photographer and designer. Publications *''Starsociety'', editor Schirmer Mosel, 1994 *''Mes stars : L'Album secret de Willy Rizzo'', text of Jean-Pierre de Lucovich, editor Fili ...

Death

Martinelli died of cancer in Rome on 8 July 2017, at the age of 82.

Filmography

Charles Boyer Elsa Martinelli The Rogues

* ''

The Red and the Black ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (; meaning ''The Red and the Black'') is a historical psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing ...

'' (1954) (uncredited) * ''

If You Won a Hundred Million ''If You Won a Hundred Million'' (Italian: ''Se vincessi cento milioni'') is a 1953 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and Carlo Moscovini and starring Tino Scotti, Nerio Bernardi and Anna Carena.Betz p.249 It is an anthology f ...

'' (1954) as Anna (segment "L'indossatrice") * '' The Indian Fighter'' (1955) as Onahti * '' Rice Girl'' (1956) as Elena Nardi * '' Donatella'' (1956) as Donatella Guiscardi * '' Four Girls in Town'' (1957) as Maria Antonelli * '' Manuela'' (1957) as Manuela Hunt * ' (1958) as Lucia * ''

Prisoner of the Volga ''Prisoner of the Volga'' is a 1959 adventure film starring John Derek. He plays an officer in the time of the Tsar who is sentenced to Siberia.Ciao, ciao bambina! ''Ciao, ciao bambina!'' is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Sergio Grieco and starring Elsa Martinelli and Antonio Cifariello. It grossed 220 million lire at the Italian box office. Cast * Elsa Martinelli as Diana * Antonio Cifariello a ...

'' (1959) as Diana * ''

Tunis Top Secret ''Tunis Top Secret'' ( it, Tunisi top secret, german: Akte Sahara – streng vertraulich) is a 1959 Italian-German adventure- spy film written and directed by Bruno Paolinelli and starring Elsa Martinelli and Giorgia Moll.U. Tani (31 October 195 ...

'' (1959) as Kathy Sands * '' Wild Cats on the Beach'' (1959) as Doriana * '' Bad Girls Don't Cry'' (1959) as Anna * ''

Call Girls of Rome ''Call Girls of Rome'' ( it, I piaceri del sabato notte, lit=The pleasures of Saturday night) is a 1960 Italian film directed by Daniele D'Anza and starring Andreina Pagnani, Jeanne Valérie, Scilla Gabel, and Elsa Martinelli. Jean Murat also ...

'' (1960) as Marisa * '' Blood and Roses'' (1960) as Georgia Monteverdi * ''

Il carro armato dell'8 settembre ''Il carro armato dell'8 settembre'' is a 1960 Italian film. It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti. Cast * Gabriele Ferzetti: Tommaso * Elsa Martinelli: Mirella * Dorian Gray: soubrette * Marisa Merlini: Palmira * Yvonne Furneaux * Mario Valdemarin * ...

'' (1960) as Mirella * '' Captain Blood'' (1960) as Gisèle d'Angoulême * ''

Love in Rome ''Un amore a Roma'' (internationally released as ''Love in Rome'') is a 1960 Italian romantic drama film directed by Dino Risi.Paolo D'Agostini, ''Dino Risi'', Editrice Il castoro, 1995 Plot Marcello (Baldwin), a young writer, loves Anna (Demonge ...

'' (1960) as Fulvia * '' The Menace'' (1961) as Lucile * '' Hatari!'' (1962) as Anna Maria 'Dallas' D'Allesandro * '' The Pigeon That Took Rome'' (1962) as Antonella Massimo * '' Pelle viva'' (1962) as Rosaria * '' The Trial'' (1962) as Hilda * '' The V.I.P.s'' (1963) as Gloria Gritti * '' Rampage'' (1963) as Anna * ''

All About Loving ''All About Loving'' (french: De l'amour) is a 1964 French comedy film directed by Jean Aurel and starring Anna Karina. Cast * Anna Karina as Hélène * Elsa Martinelli as Mathilde * Michel Piccoli as Raoul * Jean Sorel as Antoine * Philippe ...

'' (1964) as Mathilde * '' Marco the Magnificent'' (1965) as The Woman with the Whip * ''

Je vous salue, mafia! ''Je vous salue, mafia!'' (''Mafia, I Salute You'') is a 1965 French Italian film directed by Raoul Lévy. It was released in Italy as ''Mafia, Yo Te Saludo''. Cast *Eddie Constantine as Rudy *Henry Silva as Schaft *Jack Klugman as Phil *Elsa M ...

'' (1965) as Sylvia * ''

Diamonds Are Brittle ''Diamonds Are Brittle'' (french: Un milliard dans un billard) is a 1965 French romantic crime film directed by Nicolas Gessner. Cast *Jean Seberg as Bettina Ralton *Claude Rich as Bernard Noblet *Elsa Martinelli as Juliette *Pierre Vernier as ...

'' (1965) as Juliette * ' (1965) as Sonia * '' The 10th Victim'' (1965) as Olga * ''

How I Learned to Love Women ''How I Learned to Love Women'' ( it, Come imparai ad amare le donne, french: Comment j'ai appris à aimer les femmes, german: Das gewisse Etwas der Frauen, also known as ''Love Parade'') is a 1966 Italian-French-German comedy film directed by L ...

'' (1966) as Monica the rallye driver * '' Maroc 7'' (1967) as Claudia * ''

The Oldest Profession ''The Oldest Profession'' (french: Le Plus Vieux Métier du monde) is a 1967 internationally co-produced comedy film. It features contributions from six different film directors, each one doing a segment on prostitution through the ages. Plot ...

'' (1967) as Domitilla (segment "Nuits romaines, Les") * ''

'' (1967) as Pretty woman (segment "Super Simone") * ' (1967) as Laureen * '' Manon 70'' (1968) as Annie * ''

The Belle Starr Story ''The Belle Starr Story''/''Il mio corpo per un poker'' is a 1968 Italian made episodic ''Bonnie and Clyde'' type Spaghetti Western co-written and co-directed by Lina Wertmüller and starring Elsa Martinelli who also sings the title song. It is t ...

'' (1968) as Belle Starr * '' Madigan's Millions'' (1968) as Vic Shaw * ''

'' (1968) as Livia * '' If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium'' (1969) as Maria, Woman on Venetian bridge * ' (1969) as Gilberte de Baer * '' Una sull'altra'' (1969) as Jane Bleeker * '' The Pleasure Pit'' (1969) as Martine * ''

L'amica ''L'amica'' is a 1969 Italian film. It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti. Plot Cast *Lisa Gastoni: Lisa Marchesi *Gabriele Ferzetti: Mario Marchesi *Elsa Martinelli: Carla Nervi *Jean Sorel Jean Sorel (; born 25 September 1934) is a French act ...

'' (1969) as Carla Nervi * ''

OSS 117 Takes a Vacation ''OSS 117 takes a vacation''/''Hot Holidays for OSS 117''/''OSS 117 prend des vacances'' is a French/ Brazilian international co-production 1970 spy film directed by Pierre Kalfon who also co-wrote and co-produced the film. It starred Luc Mer ...

'' (1970) as Elsa * ' (1971) as Inés de Suárez * '' The Lion's Share'' (1971) as Annie * ' (1976) as Zobeida * ''

I Am an ESP ''I Am an ESP'' ( it, Sono un fenomeno paranormale, also known as ''I'm a Paranormal Phenomenon'') is a 1985 Italian comedy film written and directed by Sergio Corbucci. Plot Roberto Razzi, the skeptical and atheist host of the TV-program "Futu ...

'' (1985) as Carla Razzi * ' (1988) * '' Once Upon a Crime'' (1992) as Carla the Agent

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Martinelli, Elsa 1935 births 2017 deaths 20th-century Italian actresses 21st-century Italian actresses Bryna Productions people Deaths from cancer in Lazio Italian female models Italian film actresses Italian television actresses People from Grosseto Silver Bear for Best Actress winners