Ursula Andress (born 19 March 1936) is a Swiss-German actress, former model and sex symbol who has appeared in American, British and Italian films. Her breakthrough role was as

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

Honey Ryder Honeychile Rider is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel '' Dr. No''. In the 1962 Bond film of the same name, her name was shortened and changed to Honey Ryder. In the film, she is played by Swiss actress Ursula Andress and ...

in the first

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...

film, '' Dr. No'' (1962). She later starred as Vesper Lynd in the 1967 Bond parody '' Casino Royale''. Other credits include ''

Fun in Acapulco ''Fun in Acapulco'' is a 1963 American musical comedy film starring Elvis Presley and Ursula Andress. The film featured the Top 10 ''Billboard'' hit "Bossa Nova Baby" and reached No. 1 on the national weekly box office charts a week after the ass ...

'' (1963), ''

4 for Texas ''4 for Texas'' is a 1963 American comedy Western film starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, and Ursula Andress, and featuring Charles Bronson and Mike Mazurki, with a cameo appearance by Arthur Godfrey and the Three Stooges (Larr ...

'' (1963), ''

She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...

'' (1965), ''

The 10th Victim ''The 10th Victim'' ( it, La decima vittima) is a 1965 science fiction film directed and co-written by Elio Petri, starring Marcello Mastroianni, Ursula Andress, Elsa Martinelli, and Salvo Randone. An international co-production between Italy and ...

'' (1965), ''

The Blue Max ''The Blue Max'' is a 1966 British war film directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp. The film was made in DeLuxe Color and filmed in CinemaScope. The plot i ...

'' (1966), '' The Southern Star'' (1969), ''

Perfect Friday ''Perfect Friday'' is a British bank heist film released in 1970, directed by Peter Hall. It stars Ursula Andress as Lady Britt Dorset, Stanley Baker as Mr Graham, David Warner as Lord Nicholas Dorset and T. P. McKenna as Smith. Plot Mr. Gra ...

'' (1970), ''

Red Sun ''Red Sun'' (french: Soleil rouge, it, Sole rosso) is a 1971 Franco-Italian international co-production Spaghetti Western film directed by Terence Young and starring Charles Bronson, Toshirō Mifune, Alain Delon, Ursula Andress, and Capucine. ...

'' (1971), ''

The Sensuous Nurse ''L'Infermiera'' is a 1975 commedia sexy all'italiana film starring Ursula Andress, Jack Palance and Luciana Paluzzi, also known by the titles ''I Will If You Will'', ''The Nurse'', ''The Sensuous Nurse'' and ''The Secrets of a Sensuous Nurse''. ...

'' (1975), ''

Slave of the Cannibal God ''The Mountain of the Cannibal God'' (Italian title: ''La montagna del dio cannibale'') is a 1978 Italian horror film starring Ursula Andress and Stacy Keach, with English dialogue, that was filmed in Sri Lanka. The film was also widely released ...

'' (1978), ''

The Fifth Musketeer ''The Fifth Musketeer'' is a 1979 German-Austrian film adaptation of the last section of the 1847–1850 novel '' The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later'' by Alexandre Dumas, père, which is itself based on the French legend of the Man in the ...

'' (1979), '' Clash of the Titans'' (1981) and ''

Peter the Great Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...

'' (1986).

Early life

Andress, the third of six children, was born in Ostermundigen,

Canton of Bern The canton of Bern or Berne (german: Kanton Bern; rm, Chantun Berna; french: canton de Berne; it, Canton Berna) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. ...

, to a Swiss mother, Anna, and Rolf Andress, a German diplomat. Her father was expelled from Switzerland for political reasons and her grandfather, a garden designer, took the role of being her guardian. She has a brother, Heinz and four sisters, Erika, Charlotte, Gisela and Kàtey. She went to school in Bern until she was 16 and speaks several languages including English, French, German and Italian. She studied art in Paris for a year, then went to Rome, where she did jobs such as nannying children.

Career

Andress was at a party when she met a producer who offered her a screen test for a role in an Italian film. She was successful and got walk-on parts in ''

An American in Rome ''An American in Rome'' (originally ''Un americano a Roma'') is a 1954 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. The film consists in a satire of Americanization, and it was referred as "a milestone in the evolution of Italian self-identification". ...

'' (1954) (starring

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, director and screenwriter. Early life Born in Rome to a schoolteacher and a musician and the last of five children, Sordi was named in hon ...

), ''

The Sins of Casanova ''Le avventure di Giacomo Casanova'' (a.k.a. ''The Sins of Casanova'') is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti, Corinne Calvet and Irène Galter. Famed horror film director Lucio Fulci wrote the script, one o ...

'' (1955) (starring later Bond ally

Gabriele Ferzetti Gabriele Ferzetti (born Pasquale Ferzetti; 17 March 1925 – 2 December 2015) was an Italian actor with more than 160 credits across film, television, and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. Ferzetti's first leading role ...

) and ''La catena dell'odio'' (1955). She was seen by a Hollywood executive who persuaded her to try her luck in Hollywood. Andress arrived in Hollywood in late 1955. That spring she was signed to a seven-year contract with

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

starting at $287 a week. The contract resulted in no acting roles, owing to her reluctance to learn English at the time.James Bacon (22 June 1977)
Ursula Andress Lonely, Living Like a Saint
''

Sarasota Journal The ''Sarasota Journal'' was an American daily newspaper published in Sarasota, Florida, from 1952 until 1982. The ''Journal'' was founded in 1952 by publisher Lindsay Newspapers Inc. as an afternoon companion to their morning daily ''Sarasota Her ...

''. "I spent most of my time watching old

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

movies," she said. Andress did receive some publicity for dating

James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, '' Rebel Without a Caus ...

shortly before the actor's death. She bought herself out of her contract. In 1956 it was announced she signed to Columbia Pictures. She made no films for them either. She stayed in Hollywood because she married

John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer and photographer. Andress returned to screens in 1962 in an episode of ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'', "La Strega" (1962), with

Alejandro Rey Alejandro Rey (February 8, 1930 – May 21, 1987) was an Argentine-American actor and television director. Career Early work Rey was born in Buenos Aires and studied acting under Hedwig Schlichter and Milagros de la Vega. He became known a ...

. She became internationally famous as

, a shell diver and

's object of desire in '' Dr. No'' (1962), the first Bond film, even though her dialogue had to be dubbed by

Nikki van der Zyl Monica "Nikki" van der Zyl (27 April 1935 – 6 March 2021) was a German actress based in the United Kingdom, known for her dubbing work on the ''James Bond'' film franchise. Early life Nikki van der Zyl was born on 27 April 1935 in Berlin, t ...

. In what became an iconic moment in cinematic and fashion history, she rose out of the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexic ...

in a white bikini sporting a large diving knife on her hip. The calypso was sung by

Diana Coupland Betty Diana Coupland (5 March 1928 – 10 November 2006), billed as Diana Coupland, was an English actress and singer, best remembered for her role in the sitcom '' Bless This House'', as Jean Abbott, the wife of Sid James character Sid, which s ...

. The scene made Andress a "quintessential"

. Andress later said that she owed her career to that white bikini: "This bikini made me into a success. As a result of starring in ''Dr. No'' as the first

, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles and to become financially independent." The bikini she wore in the film sold at auction in 2001 for £41,125. In 2003, in a UK Survey by

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

, her entrance in ''Dr. No'' was voted #1 in "the 100 Greatest Sexy Moments". Andress won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year in 1964 for her appearance in the film. Andress followed it playing the female lead in an

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

musical, ''

'' (1963). She was billed after

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

and

Anita Ekberg Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg (; 29 September 193111 January 2015) was a Swedish actress active in American and European films, known for her beauty and stunning figure. She became prominent in her iconic role as Sylvia in the Federico Fellini ...

in ''

'' (1963); her casting in the latter led to the title being changed from ''Two for Texas''. Both films were widely seen. Less so was a film Andress starred in alongside Derek, ''

Nightmare in the Sun ''Nightmare in the Sun'' is a 1965 film drama directed by Marc Lawrence, and written by George Fass and Fanya Foss, about a murderous affair. Derek starred along with Ursula Andress and Aldo Ray. Smaller roles in the film featured Sammy Davis, ...

'' (1965). In 1965 nude photographs of her from ''Nightmare in the Sun'' were published in ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...

''; it was the first of seven times she was pictured in the magazine over the next fifteen years. When asked why she had agreed to do the ''Playboy'' shoot, Andress replied coolly, "Because I'm beautiful." Andress was cast in the title role of ''

'' (1965) playing an immortal queen, for

Hammer Films A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as wi ...

and Seven Arts Productions, shot in England and Israel. Andress agreed to make it as part of a two-picture deal with Seven Arts; it was a financial success at the box office. Andress did not appear in the sequel, ''

The Vengeance of She ''The Vengeance of She'' is a 1968 British fantasy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring John Richardson, Olinka Berova, Edward Judd, André Morell and Colin Blakely. It bears little in common with the 1905 novel '' Ayesha: The Return of She ...

'', as her contract expired before the film was produced. Andress had a supporting role in the comedy ''

What's New Pussycat? ''What's New Pussycat?'' is a 1965 screwball comedy film directed by Clive Donner, written by Woody Allen in his first produced screenplay, and starring Allen in his acting debut, along with Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capuci ...

'' (1965) for producer

Charles K. Feldman Charles K. Feldman (April 26, 1905 – May 25, 1968) was a Hollywood attorney, film producer and talent agent who founded the Famous Artists talent agency. According to one obituary, Feldman disdained publicity. "Feldman was an enigma to Holly ...

which was a huge hit. She went to France to play

Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor and producer. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward. His best known credits ...

's love interest in ''

Up to His Ears ''Up to His Ears'' (french: Les Tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine or in English, "Tribulations of a Chinaman in China") is a 1965 French=Italian international co-production adventure comedy film starring Jean Paul Belmondo and Ursula Andress. It w ...

'' (1965), which was popular in France; she and Belmondo became romantically involved, leading to her and Derek divorcing (although they had already been separated for a year). Andress moved to Paris to live with Belmondo and it was her home for the next seven years. Ursula Andress Galería Elmyr

In Italy, she starred opposite

Marcello Mastroianni Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni (28 September 1924 – 19 December 1996) was an Italian film actor, regarded as one of his country's most iconic male performers of the 20th century. He played leading roles for many of Italy's top di ...

in the science fiction movie ''

'' (1965). She returned to Hollywood to play

George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...

's love interest in the World War One film, ''

'' (1966), another success at the box office. Andress made her second film for Seven Arts: another with Derek, who again starred and directed, '' Once Before I Die'' (1966), shot in the Philippines. More widely seen was the Bond satire '' Casino Royale'' (1967), also produced by Feldman, where Andress played Vesper Lynd, an occasional spy who persuades

Evelyn Tremble ''Casino Royale'' is a 1967 spy parody film originally distributed by Columbia Pictures featuring an ensemble cast. It is loosely based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, the first novel to feature the character James Bond. ...

, played by

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

, to carry out a mission. It was a big box office hit. Her fee was a reported £200,000. Val Guest directed Andress in ''Casino Royale'' and said "I don't think I have ever met someone who was so universally loved by everyone in a studio. They'd all do anything for her and this is really quite something. One day someone is going to get the real Ursula on the screen in a comedy and she's going to astound everybody. The trouble is that she's so tense." In Italy she appeared alongside fellow former Bond girl

Claudine Auger Claudine Auger (born Claudine Oger; 26 April 1941 – 18 December 2019) was a French actress best known for her role as a Bond girl, Dominique "Domino" Derval, in the James Bond film '' Thunderball'' (1965). She earned the title of Miss F ...

in '' Anyone Can Play'' (1968) for director

Luigi Zampa Luigi Zampa (2 January 1905 – 16 August 1991) was an Italian film director. Biography Son of a worker, Zampa studied filmmaking from 1932 to 1937 at the Italian film school Centro sperimentale di cinematografia in Rome. He directed several ...

. She then went to Africa to make '' The Southern Star'' (1969) with

George Segal George Segal Jr. (February 13, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American actor. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles. After first rising to prominence with roles in acclaimed films such as ''Ship o ...

, which was a hit in England. She appeared nude or semi-nude in nearly all of her film roles between 1969 and 1979, earning her the nickname "Ursula Undress". Andress went to England to appear in ''

'' (1970), a heist film starring

Stanley Baker Sir William Stanley Baker (28 February 192828 June 1976) was a Welsh actor and film producer. Known for his rugged appearance and intense, grounded screen persona, he was one of the top British male film stars of the late 1950s, and later a pro ...

and David Warner. In Spain she appeared in ''

'' (1971), a Western with an international cast, including

Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and wa ...

, Toshiro Mifune and

Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...

. In a 1972 interview, she said "I think my image, especially to Americans, is that of a femme fatale, a man-eating woman. I'm not empty-headed or calculating and cool. But maybe my looks give that impression. I'm disciplined in my doings and undisciplined in my emotions. I can't control the things I feel or hide my feelings." Andress did some action films, ''

Stateline Motel ''Stateline Motel'' ( it, L'ultima chance, also known as ''Last Chance'', ''Motel of Fear'' and ''Last Chance for a Born Loser'') is a 1973 Italian crime film directed by Maurizio Lucidi. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Franc ...

'' (1973), ''

Loaded Guns ''Loaded Guns'' (Italian: ''Colpo in canna'') is a 1975 Italian crime film written and directed by Fernando di Leo and starring Ursula Andress. Plot A flight attendant finds herself in the middle of fighting between rival gangs in Naples. Cast ...

'' (1975), and ''

Africa Express ''Africa Express'' is a 1975 Italian adventure film starring Ursula Andress, Giuliano Gemma, and Jack Palance that was filmed in Rhodesia. A sequel '' Safari Express'' with the same leads followed a year later. Plot John Baxter is a freewheeli ...

'' (1975). She played the title role in ''

'' (1975) and did a comedy with another former Bond girl,

Barbara Bouchet Barbara Bouchet (born Bärbel Gutscher; 15 August 1943)
glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com; ...

, '' Spogliamoci così, senza pudor...'' (1976). Andress played

Joséphine de Beauharnais Josephine may refer to: People * Josephine (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Josephine (singer), a Greek pop singer Places *Josephine, Texas, United States * Mount Josephine (disambiguation) * Josephine Co ...

in the swashbuckling spoof ''

The Loves and Times of Scaramouche ''The Loves and Times of Scaramouche'' (Italian: ''Le avventure e gli amori di Scaramouche'') is a 1976 comedy film directed by Enzo G. Castellari. Plot Along with his sidekick Whistle (Giancarlo Prete), Scaramouche (Michael Sarrazin) unwittingl ...

'' (1976) with

Michael Sarrazin Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)

Safari Express ''Safari Express'' is a 1976 Italian-German adventure- comedy film directed by Duccio Tessari. It is the sequel of ''Africa Express''. Cast * Ursula Andress: Miriam * Giuliano Gemma: John Baxter * Jack Palance: Van Daalen * Peter Martell: H ...

'' (1976), then did another with Mastroianni, ''

Double Murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the c ...

'' (1978). Andress was in the cult favorite ''

'' (1978) with

Stacy Keach Walter Stacy Keach Jr. (born June 2, 1941) is an American actor and narrator. He has played mainly dramatic roles throughout his career, often in law enforcement or as a private detective. His most prominent role was as Mickey Spillane's fiction ...

; the anthology sex comedy '' Tigers in Lipstick'' (1979) for

; and the swashbuckler period piece ''

'' (1979), playing

Louise de La Vallière Françoise ''Louise'' de La Vallière, Duchess of La Vallière and Vaujours, born Françoise Louise de La Baume Le Blanc de La Vallière, Mademoiselle de La Vallière (6 August 1644 – 7 June 1710) was a French noblewoman and the first mistress ...

opposite

Beau Bridges Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III (born December 9, 1941) is an American actor and director. He is a three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe and one-time Grammy Award winner, as well as a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. Bridges was awar ...

. She played

Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols incl ...

in 1981's '' Clash of the Titans'', alongside

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

. During the making of the film, Andress started a romantic relationship with leading man Harry Hamlin, with whom she had a son. In 1982 she portrayed

Mabel Dodge Mabel Evans Dodge Sterne Luhan (pronounced ''LOO-hahn''; née Ganson; February 26, 1879 – August 13, 1962) was a wealthy American patron of the arts, who was particularly associated with the Taos art colony. Early life Mabel Ganson was the heir ...

in the adventure-drama film '' Red Bells'' and guest starred on shows like ''

Manimal ''Manimal'' is an American superhero television series created by Glen A. Larson and Donald R. Boyle, it ran on NBC from September 30 to December 17, 1983. The show centers on the character Jonathan Chase ( Simon MacCorkindale), a shape-shiftin ...

'' and ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

''. In France she was in ''Liberté, égalité, choucroute'' (1985). On television, she participated in the 1986

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning miniseries ''

'', and joined the cast of the primetime soap opera ''

Falcon Crest ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California ...

'' for a three-episode arc in 1988 as an exotic foreigner who assists

David Selby David Lynn Selby is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins on the daytime soap ''Dark Shadows'' (1968–71) and Richard Channing on the prime-time soap '' Falcon Crest'' (1982–90) ...

in retrieving

Dana Sparks ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California ...

from a white slave ring. Andress was also in ''Big Man – The Diva'' (1988) with

Bud Spencer Carlo Pedersoli (31 October 1929 – 27 June 2016), known professionally as Bud Spencer, was an Italian actor, professional swimmer and water polo player. He was known for action-comedy and Spaghetti Western roles with his long-time film partn ...

and ''Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders'' (1989). Since the beginning of the 1990s, her acting appearances have been rare. She was in ''Klassäzämekunft'' (1990) (English title: ''Broken Silence''), '' The Cave of the Golden Rose 3'' (1993), '' The Cave of the Golden Rose 4'' (1994) and ''

Cremaster 5 ''The Cremaster Cycle'' is a series of five feature-length films, together with related sculptures, photographs, drawings, and artist's books, created by American visual artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney. ''The Cremaster Cycle'' was made over a ...

'' (1995). In 1995 Andress was chosen by ''Empire'' magazine as one of the "100 Sexiest Stars in film history." Her last role to date was playing "Madonna" in the low-budget 2005 Swiss feature ' (English title: ''The Bird Preachers''). She appeared in the documentary ''Masterpiece or Forgery? The Story of Elmyr De Hory'' (2008).

Personal life

Andress has stated that she lost her virginity to married French actor Daniel Gelin in 1953, when she was 17 and he was 32. She dated

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...

and

after moving to the US in 1955, and that same year began an affair with actor/director

John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer and photographer.Pati Behrs, and their family to be with 19-year-old Andress. Derek and Andress wed in 1957 in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...

, but separated in 1964 over her affair with '' Once Before I Die'' co-star

Ron Ely Ronald Pierce Ely (born June 21, 1938) is an American actor and novelist born in Hereford, Texas, and raised in Amarillo. Ely is best known for having portrayed Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series ''Tarzan'' and for playing the lead role in ...

, officially divorcing in 1966. During the interim, the separated but still married Andress publicly dated John Richardson, her co-star from ''

'', and

, her co-star from ''

''. From 1965 to 1972, Andress lived with her ''

'' co-star

. He was, she says, the love of her life.Page Six (9 January 1986)
Kiss & Tell
''

New Straits Times The ''New Straits Times'' is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print (though not the first), having been founded as ''The Straits Times'' on 15 July 1845. It was relaunched as the ' ...

''. Her next live-in relationship was with another co-star, ''

Fabio Testi Fabio Testi (born 2 August 1941) is an Italian actor. After growing up witnessing film work done around Lake Garda, Testi entered the sets of the film and began work as a stuntman and a double on set, where he worked as a stuntman on ''The Good, ...

, from 1973 to 1977 (except for one year when they broke up). She also dated

Ryan O'Neal Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941) is an American actor and former boxer. He trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera '' Peyton Place ...

John Delorean John Zachary DeLorean (January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.S. automobile industry, widely known for his work at General Motors and as founder of the DeLorean Motor Company. DeLorean ma ...

Helmut Berger Helmut Berger (; born Helmut Steinberger; 29 May 1944) is an Austrian actor, known for his portrayal of narcissistic and sexually-ambiguous characters. He was one of the stars of the European cinema in the late 1960s and 1970s, and is regarded ...

, Paolo Pazzaglia,

Johnny Dorelli Johnny Dorelli (real name Giorgio Guidi; born 20 February 1937) is an Italian actor, singer and television host. Early life Dorelli was born in Meda, Italy. In 1946 he moved to New York City with his family, where his father, Nino D'Aurelio ...

Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), ...

, with whom she later starred in '' Red Bells'',

Nels Van Patten Richard Nels Van Patten (born January 15, 1955), known as Nels Van Patten, is an American actor and former professional tennis player. He is married to actress Nancy Valen. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Van Patten is the eldest son of actor Dick V ...

and

Ricci Martin Ricci James Martin (born Ricci Crocetti, September 20, 1953 – August 3, 2016) was an American musician and singer. He was a son of Dean Martin. He established his band, The Pack. In 1977, he released the album ''Beached'' in collaboration wit ...

When Andress broke her arm in late summer 1978, the official story had it that she'd been struck by Hurricane Norman while bodysurfing in Malibu, but rumors flew that she actually suffered the injury during a fight with her on-again/off-again boyfriend O'Neal. O'Neal and Andress were in a relationship twice, first from 1972 to 1973 then again from 1977 to 1978. Andress was in a relationship with actor Harry Hamlin, who is 15 years her junior, after meeting on the set of '' Clash of the Titans'' in 1979. At the age of 44 she gave birth to their son, Dimitri Alexander Hamlin, on 19 May 1980.David Wallace (4 July 1983)
'I Want to Be with Him,' Says Ursula Andress, but Harry Hamlin Just Wants to Be on His Own
''People''. Accessed 14 December 2010. The night of her delivery, Linda Evans drove Andress to the hospital while Evans' assistant Bunky Young retrieved Hamlin from the set of '' King of the Mountain''. Although she was engaged to Hamlin, the couple never married. In 1983, Hamlin broke up with her. In the mid-1980s, Andress was romantically involved with Brazilian football player

Paulo Roberto Falcão Paulo Roberto Falcão, or simply Falcão (; born 16 October 1953), is a Brazilian former footballer and football manager. He is the current sporting coordinator of Santos. Falcão is widely considered one of the best players in Internacional ...

, actor

Gerardo Amato Gerardo Amato (born 15 October 1948) is an Italian actor and voice actor. Life and career Born Gerardo Placido in Ascoli Satriano, the brother of the actor and director Michele Placido, Gerardo Amato at a young age moved to Milan where he trai ...

, singer

Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...

, real estate developer Stan Herman and Greek bodybuilder Mario Natokis. In 1986 she began dating future Sicilian Regional Assembly member Fausto Fagone, then an economics student at university; he was 20 and she was 50. The relationship, which infuriated Fagone's parents, lasted until 1991. Later that year Andress briefly dated martial arts expert

Jeff Speakman Jeff Speakman (born November 8, 1958) is an American actor and a martial artist in the art of American Kenpo and Japanese Gōjū-ryū, earning black belts in each. Between 2008 and 2018, he was President of the International Kempo Federation. ...

, but has not been publicly linked with anyone since then. In 2017, Andress sold her home in Beverly Hills at a considerable profit. As of 2022, Andress splits her time between an apartment in Rome and a house in

Gstaad Gstaad ( ; ) is a town in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Bern in southwestern Switzerland. It is part of the municipality of Saanen and is known as a major ski resort and a popular destination amongst high society and the internati ...

, near to her siblings. Her preferred language is Italian.

Filmography

Early life

Career

Personal life

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links