Sylva Koscina (; born Silvija Košćina, ; 22 August 1933 – 26 December 1994) was a Yugoslav-born Italian actress, best known for her role as Iole, the bride of Hercules ( Steve Reeves) in ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

'' (1958) and '' Hercules Unchained'' (1960). She also played

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

's romantic interest in '' The Secret War of Harry Frigg'' (1968).

Early life

She was born Silvija Košćina () in

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

, Sava Banovina, to a

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

father, owner of a hotel in the "West Coast" section of

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

, and a Polish mother. During World War II, in her

preadolescence Preadolescence is a stage of human development following middle childhood and preceding adolescence.New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd Edition. 2005. Oxford University Press. It commonly ends with the beginning of puberty. Preadolescence is ...

, Košćina was brought to Italy to live with her older sister, who had married an Italian citizen. After winning beauty contests as a teenager, she was offered modeling work. In 1954, while studying physics at the

University of Naples Federico II The University of Naples Federico II (; , ) is a public university, public research university in Naples, Campania, Italy. Established in 1224 and named after its founder, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, it is the oldest public, s ...

, and living in a boarding school of nuns, she was asked to be ''Miss di Tappa'' ("Stage Miss"), who presents flowers to the winner of a stage of the 1954 Giro d'Italia bicycle race, then at

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. She was convinced, but with difficulty because of her shyness, then a picture of her, kissing the winner, was published in newspapers all over Europe.

Career

Eduardo De Filippo Eduardo De Filippo OMRI (; 26 May 1900 – 31 October 1984), also known simply as ''Eduardo'', was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright, best known for his Neapolitan language, Neapolitan works ''Filumena Marturano'' and ...

noticed her and decided to cast her in a small role for the movie '' Questi fantasmi'' (1954) that was about to be filmed. This did not ultimately happen, but it did lead to a small part, of an aspiring actress, alongside

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi De Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il principe della risat ...

in '' Are We Men or Corporals?'' (1955) 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 ...

, leading to her breakout role, portraying Giulia, daughter of the train engineer Andrea, in Pietro Germi's ''

The Railroad Man ''The Railroad Man'' () is a 1956 Italian drama film directed by Pietro Germi. Plot Train operator Andrea Marcocci witnesses the suicide of a desperate man who jumps in front of his train. Under the influence of this shock, he starts making mis ...

'' (1956). Koscina returned in '' Guendalina'' (1957), playing the part of a young mother. A lead player in popular comedies, such as '' Oh! Sabella'' (1957), '' Ladro lui, ladra lei'' (''He a thief, she a thief'', 1958), and '' Poor Millionaires'' (1958), Koscina alternated cleverly between roles as vamp and ingenue. She represented women in search of social upward mobility, the image of an Italy that had left its worst problems behind. Koscina was suited to sophisticated comedies like ''

Mogli pericolose ''Mogli pericolose'' ("Dangerous wives") is a 1958 Italian comedy film written and directed by Luigi Comencini. Cast * Sylva Koscina: Tosca, Pirro's wife * Dorian Gray: Ornella, Bruno's wife * Renato Salvatori: Dr. Federico Carpi * Nino T ...

'' (''Dangerous wives'', 1958), where she made a direct sentimental challenge to poor Giorgia Moll. She played Hercules' fiancée in '' Le fatiche di Ercole'' (''Hercules'', 1958), a prototype of this kind of film. In Italy, a police officer let her go without issuing a traffic ticket. Later, as a guest on a television program, she thanked the policeman, thus getting him into trouble with the police department. The incident and its aftermath inspired the movie '' Il vigile'' (''The Traffic Policeman'', 1960), in which she played herself. In the first half of the 1960s, she married her lover, Raimondo Castelli, a small producer connected with Minerva Films. She managed to keep well afloat with roles in Damiano Damiani's '' Il sicario'' (''The Hired Killer'', 1961). In ''La lepre e la tartaruga'' (''The Tortoise and the Hare''), an episode in '' Three Fables of Love'' (1963), the director Blasetti constructed a duel between Koscina and

Monica Vitti Maria Luisa Ceciarelli (3 November 1931 – 2 February 2022), known professionally as Monica Vitti, was an Italian actress who starred in several award-winning films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the 1960s. She appeared with Marcel ...

. In 1965, Koscina appeared in '' Juliet of the Spirits''. She was also a television personality and often made special guest appearances on variety shows. She also co-starred in

Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013), also commonly known as Jess Franco, was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a highly prolific director of low-budget exploitation and B-movies. He worked in many different gen ...

's '' Marquis de Sade: Justine'' (1969), as well as

Mario Bava Mario Bava (; 31 July 1914 – 27 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter. His low-budget genre films, known for their distinctive visual flair and stylish ...

's 1972 film '' Lisa and the Devil''. From the early 1960s, she invested most of her considerable earnings in a luxurious villa, in the well-to-do district of Marino, Rome, complete with 16th-century furniture and artistic paintings. That lasted until her spending overcame her dwindling income, and she had to face a tax evasion inquest, when she was forced to sell her house in 1976. Living with Raimondo Castelli since 1960, they did not marry due to then Italian law and because his wife Marinella refused to give him an annulment. Castelli and Koscina married in Mexico in 1967, but that marriage was not recognized in Italy. (1929–2002) photographed Koscina for the American edition of Playboy in May 1967. After turning 30, she partnered with actors such as

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. ...

in '' A Lovely Way to Die'' (1968) and

in '' The Secret War of Harry Frigg'' (1967), but without any luck. Her career was given a boost in the second half of the 1960s when she was photographed bare-breasted in the Italian edition of ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

'' magazine.

Mauro Bolognini Mauro Bolognini (28 June 1922 – 14 May 2001) was an Italian film and stage director. Early years Bolognini was born in Pistoia, in the Tuscany region of Italy. After earning a master's degree in architecture at the University of Florence, Bol ...

's '' L'assoluto naturale'' (1969) was released, complete with a "chaste" full nude shot. She also starred in the 1967 comedy caper '' Three Bites of the Apple'' with David McCallum, and ''

Deadlier Than the Male ''Deadlier Than the Male'' is a 1967 British crime and mystery film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Richard Johnson and Elke Sommer. It is one of the many take-offs of James Bond produced during the 1960s, but is based on an already est ...

'' (1967), in which Elke Sommer and she portrayed sophisticated professional killers dueling with Bulldog Drummond. She also played female partisan soldier Danica in the Yugoslavian movie '' Battle of Neretva'', in 1969. She played a German doctor, Bianca, in '' Hornets' Nest'' with

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular film stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades, and was a prominent figure in the G ...

. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Koscina was a frequent visitor to Rome's Piper Club. The opened in 1965 during the "''dolce vita''" era and was a destination of choice for the international jet set interested in what was new in art, culture and music. It is there that she met and befriended the elderly Archbishop Pietro Sfair.

Personal life and habits

Coscina was known for her habit of referring to herself in the third person.

Personal quotes

* On her notorious love scene in '' L'assoluto naturale'' (1969) – "Of course, if it had not been for the director, I wouldn't have done this film." * On her friendship with the elderly Archbishop Pietro Sfair -- "he's my grand-daddy" ("nonno")

Death

Koscina died in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 1994, aged 61, from

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

Selected filmography

* '' Are We Men or Corporals?'' (1955) - L'aspirante attrice * ''

'' (1956) - Giulia Marcocci * '' Michel Strogoff'' (1956) - Sangarre * '' Engaged to Death'' (1957) - Lucia * '' Guendalina'' (1957) - Francesca Redaelli, madre di Guendalina * '' Oh! Sabella'' (1957) - Lucia * ''Femmine tre volte'' (1957) - Sonia * ''Le naïf aux 40 enfants'' (1957) - Gina Lantois * '' The Mighty Crusaders'' (1957) - Clorinda * ''

'' (1958) - Iole, Daughter of Pelias * '' Young Husbands'' (1958) - Mara Rossi Bandelli * '' Ladro lui, ladra lei'' (1958) - Cesira De Angelis * ''Quando gli angeli piangono'' (1958) - Marta * '' Toto in Paris'' (1958) - Juliette Marchand * ''

'' (1958) - Tosca * '' Toto in the Moon'' (1958) - Lidia * '' Girls for the Summer'' (1958) - Renata Morandi * ''Non sono più Guaglione'' (1958) - Carolina * '' Hercules Unchained'' (1959) - Iole * '' Poor Millionaires'' (1959) - Alice * ''Le confident de ces dames'' (1959) - La docteur Maria Bonifati * ''La nipote Sabella'' (1959) - Lucia * '' Uncle Was a Vampire'' (1959) - Carla * ''

La cambiale ''La cambiale'' is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Camillo Mastrocinque. Plot Commander Bruscatelli, before being imprisoned, leaves the Posalaquaglia cousins a bill of exchange which they give to Temistocle Bisogni in compensation for ...

'' (1959) - Odette Mercury * '' Le sorprese dell'amore'' (1959) - Marianna * ''

Il vedovo ''Il Vedovo'' (The Widower) is a 1959 in film, 1959 Italy, Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. Plot Alberto Nardi (Alberto Sordi) is a Rome, Roman businessman who fancies himself a man of great capabilities, but whose factory (producing ...

'' (1959) - Herself (uncredited) * ''Genitori in blue-jeans'' (1960) - Elena * '' Siege of Syracuse'' (1960) - Clio * '' I piaceri dello scapolo'' (1960) - Eby * '' Trapped by Fear'' (1960) - Arabelle * '' Le pillole di Ercole'' (1960) - Silvia Pasqui * ''Mariti in pericolo'' (1960) - Silvana * '' Ravishing'' (1960) - Evelyne Cotteret * '' Femmine di lusso'' (1960) - Luciana * ''

The Traffic Policeman ''The Traffic Policeman'' () is a 1960 in film, 1960 Italy, Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Alberto Sordi in the lead role. A representative of the ''commedia all'italiana'' genre, it tells the story of a traffic policem ...

'' (1960) - Herself * ''

Blood Feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...

'' (1961) - Carla * ''Mani in alto'' (1961) * '' Jessica'' (1962) - Nunzia Tuffi * ''Le massaggiatrici'' (1962) - Marisa * '' Swordsman of Siena'' (1962) - Orietta Arconti * '' Le Masque de fer'' (1962) - Marion * ''

Copacabana Palace The Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, is a historic luxury hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, facing Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro#Copacabana Beach, Copacabana beach. Designed by French architect Joseph Gire, it opened on August 13, 1923. It is owne ...

'' (1962) - Ines * '' Three Fables of Love'' (1962) - Mia (segment "Le lièvre et le tortue") * ''La salamandre d'or'' (1962) - (uncredited) * '' The Shortest Day'' (1963) * '' Il Fornaretto di Venezia'' (1963) - Clemenza, Barbo's Wife * ''Le monachine'' (1963) - Elena * '' Rampage'' (1963) - Stewardess * ''

Judex Judex (real name Jacques de Trémeuse) is a fictional French vigilante hero created by Louis Feuillade and Arthur Bernède for the 1916 silent film '' Judex''. Judex (whose name is Latin for "judge") is a mysterious avenger who dresses in black ...

'' (1963) - Daisy * '' Girl's Apartment'' (1963) - Eléna * '' Hot Enough for June'' (1964) - Vlasta Simoneva * ''Love in Four Dimensions'' (1964) - Irma, la moglie (segment "Amore e vita") * '' Let's Talk About Women'' (1964) - Reluctant Girl * '' Corpse for the Lady'' (1964) - Laura Guglielmetti * '' Cyrano and d'Artagnan'' (1964) - Ninon de l'Enclos * '' Love and Marriage'' (1964) - (segment "Sabato 18 luglio") * ''Le grain de sable'' (1964) - Alexandra Fonseca * ''Una storia di notte'' (1964) - Maddalena * '' The Dictator's Guns'' (1965) - Rae Osborne * '' The Double Bed'' (1965) - Giulietta / Peggy * '' That Man in Istanbul'' (1965) - Kelly * '' The Dreamer'' (1965) - Irene * '' Juliet of the Spirits'' (1965) - Sylva * '' Thrilling'' (1965) - Paola (segment "L'autostrada del sole") * '' I soldi'' (1965) - Leda * '' Made in Italy'' (1965) - Diana (segment "3 'La Donna', episode 3") * '' Agent X-77 Orders to Kill'' (1966) - Mania * '' Me, Me, Me... and the Others'' (1966) - The 'Star' * ''Monnaie de singe'' (1966) - Lucile * '' Four Queens for an Ace'' (1966) - Dolorès Arrabal, Fashion Designer * '' Three Bites of the Apple'' (1967) - Carla Moretti * ''

'' (1967) - Penelope * '' Johnny Banco'' (1967) - Laureen Moore * '' The Secret War of Harry Frigg'' (1968) - Countess Francesca Di Montefiore * '' A Lovely Way to Die'' (1968) - Rena Westabrook * '' The Protagonists'' (1968) - Nancy * '' Kampf um Rom'' (1968-1969, part 1, 2) - Empress Theodora * '' Marquis de Sade: Justine'' (1969) - La marquise de Bressac * '' I See Naked'' (1969) - Herself * '' L'assoluto naturale'' (1969) - She * '' Battle of Neretva'' (1969) - Danica * ''La colomba non deve volare'' (1970) - Anna Duplessis * ' (1970) - Sylvie Dussart * ''La modification'' (1970) - Cécile * '' Hornets' Nest'' (1970) - Dr. Bianca * '' Ninì Tirabusciò, la donna che inventò la mossa'' (1970) - Baroness di Valdarno * ''Il sesso del diavolo'' (1971) - Sylvia, the Assistant * ''Mazzabubù... quante corna stanno quaggiù?'' (1971) - La moglie del presentatore * '' The Great Swindle'' (1971) - Lola * ''Les jambes en l'air'' (1971) - Favouille Grandblaise * '' Man of the Year'' (1971) - Carla * ''African Story'' (1971) - Barbara Hayland * ''No desearás la mujer del vecino'' (1971) - Susana * ''Perché non ci lasciate in pace?'' (1971) * ''

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 ...

'' (1972) - Fiametta * '' So Sweet, So Dead'' (1972) - Barbara Capuana * '' Sette scialli di seta gialla'' (1972) - Françoise Ballais * '' Beati i ricchi'' (1972) - Contessa Tanzini * '' The Italian Connection'' (1972) - Lucia Canali * ''Uccidere in silenzio'' (1972) - Madre di Valeria * '' My Pleasure Is Your Pleasure'' (1973) - La moglie del tintore * '' Lisa and the Devil'' (1973) - Sophia Lehar * ''Un par de zapatos del '32'' (1974) - Sonya Dorigny * ''Las correrías del Vizconde Arnau'' (1974) - Zoraida * ''Delitto d'autore'' (1974) - Milena Gottardi * '' Dracula in the Provinces'' (1975) - Mariù - wife of Costante * ''Clara and Nora'' (1975) * '' Casanova & Co.'' (1977) - The Prefect's Wife * ''

Sunday Lovers ''Sunday Lovers'' is a 1980 internationally co-produced romantic comedy film directed by Bryan Forbes, Gene Wilder, Dino Risi and Édouard Molinaro. It stars Roger Moore, Gene Wilder, Priscilla Barnes, Lynn Redgrave, Denholm Elliott and Kathl ...

'' (1980) - Zaira (segment "Armando's Notebook") * ''

Asso Asso ( Valassinese ) is an Italian ''comune'' in the province of Como, in Lombardy, Italy. It has 3,524 citizens and an area of , with a density of . Main sights Significant historic buildings are: * the castle, built in the 12th century; nowada ...

'' (1981) - Enrichetta Morgan * '' Questo e Quello'' (1983) - Dora (segment "Quello... col basco rosso") * '' Mani di fata'' (1983) - Contessa Irene * '' Cenerentola '80'' (1984) - Princess Gherardeschi * ''Die Nacht der vier Monde'' (1984) * '' Rimini Rimini'' (1987) - Countess Rita-Engineer Pedercini's Sister * '' Ricky & Barabba'' (1992) - Cristina Bonelli * ''Kim Novak Is on the Phone'' (1994) - Enrico's Mother (final film role)

Theatre

* ''La commedia del Decamerone'' ("The Decameron comedy") by

Mario Amendola Mario Natalino Concetto Amendola (8 December 1910 – 22 December 1993) was an Italian screenwriter, film director and dramatist. Biography Amendola was born in Recco, which is located in Genova to parents from Rome. He began his career o ...

and

Bruno Corbucci Bruno Corbucci (23 October 1931 – 7 September 1996) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He was the younger brother of Sergio Corbucci and wrote many of his films. He was born in Rome, where he also died. The vast majority of h ...

with Sylva Koscina, Marisa Solinas, Vittorio Congia, Anna Campori. Directed by Amendola & Corbucci (1972).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Koscina, Sylva 1933 births 1994 deaths 20th-century Italian actresses Deaths from cancer in Lazio Deaths from breast cancer in Italy Italian film actresses Italian female models Italian people of Greek descent Italian people of Polish descent Yugoslav emigrants to Italy Actresses from Split, Croatia Croatian expatriates in Italy Burials at the Cimitero Flaminio Croatian people of Greek descent Croatian people of Polish descent Nightclubs in Europe Actresses from Zagreb Illeists