Maria Caserini (née Gasperini; 24 July 1884 – 15 April 1969) was an Italian stage and film actress, as well as a pioneer of filmmaking during the early 20th century. She often starred in adaptations of stage and film productions for the works of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

. Born in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

, she started acting in stage productions at a young age. Her first film was in 1906, in what is believed to be the earliest film adaptation of Shakespeare's '' Othello'', titled '' Otello'', which was directed by her husband, Mario Caserini. She appeared in a film adaptation of '' Romeo and Juliet'' in 1907, along with appearing in another thirteen films through 1909. One of those films was the 1909 production '' Macbeth'', which was directed by her husband. From 1910 to 1927 she appeared in sixty five films, all produced in Italy, most of which were directed by her husband, and many of which were Shakespearean adaptations. She continued to perform in theater productions well after she left her film career. She was residing in Milan at the time of her death on 15 April 1969.

Selected filmography

* ''

Messalina Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...

'' (1910) * ''

Agrippina Agrippina is an ancient Roman cognomen and a feminine given name. People with either the cognomen or the given name include: Cognomen Relatives of the Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: * Vipsania Agrippina (36 BC–20 AD), first wife of the ...

'' (1911) * '' Love Everlasting'' (1913) * '' Floretta and Patapon'' (1913) * ''

Monna Vanna ''Monna Vanna'' (russian: Монна Ванна) is an unfinished opera by Sergei Rachmaninoff after a play by Maurice Maeterlinck. Rachmaninoff had completed Act I in short vocal score, with piano accompaniment, and then he went to ask for permiss ...

'' (1915) * ''

The Railway Owner ''The Railway Owner'' (Italian title:''Il padrone delle ferriere'') is a 1919 Italian silent drama film directed by Eugenio Perego and starring Luigi Serventi, Maria Caserini and Amleto Novelli.Dalle Vacche p.263 It is based on Georges Ohnet's nov ...

'' (1919) * '' The Shadow'' (1920)

References

* 1884 births 1969 deaths 20th-century Italian actresses Italian film actresses Italian silent film actresses Italian stage actresses Actresses from Milan {{Italy-actor-stub