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Liana Orfei

Acting Born Jan 7, 1937 San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy 24 credits

Biography

Liana Orfei (San Giovanni in Persiceto, June 6, 1937). Belonging to the famous Orfei circus dynasty, Liana is a multifaceted figure in Italian entertainment, capable of successfully ranging between circus, cinema, theater, and television.

Active on the big screen primarily between the 1950s and 70s, she acted in approximately forty films, working with masters of the caliber of Federico Fellini (in the documentary The Clowns), Orson Welles, Mario Monicelli, and Dino Risi. Her versatility led her to perform in highly diverse genres, from commedia all'italiana to Westerns, and even horror and science fiction. In television, her participation in the musical television drama Scaramouche (1965) is well-remembered.

She made her debut in the ring at just two years old as a clown (under the name Lacrima). In 1960, together with her brothers Nando and Rinaldo, she founded her own circus characterized by colossal and innovative productions, such as "Circorama" and the "Circus of the Thousand and One Nights"—the latter born from an idea by Fellini with costumes by Oscar winner Danilo Donati. In 1984, to respond to the industry's crisis, she founded the Golden Circus, an international festival that remains a reference point for circus arts today.

In the theatrical field, she collaborated with distinguished names such as Eduardo De Filippo and Emma Gramatica, returning to the stage even in more recent years (in 2005 with the musical Se il tempo fosse un gambero). She was also a singer and entrepreneur: in the 1980s, she founded the theme park Divertimondo in Rimini, inspired by the emerging major amusement parks.

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Known for

Film

La Dolce Vita

as (uncredited)
Film

The Clowns

as Circus Performer
Film

Casanova '70

as Lion Tamer

Full filmography

  • La Dolce Vita (1960) as (uncredited)
  • Scaramouche (1965) as Irina Papandrei
  • The Clowns (1970) as Circus Performer
  • The Prophet (1968) as Albertina
  • Casanova '70 (1965) as Lion Tamer
  • The Devil in Love (1966) as Olimpia
  • The Giant of Metropolis (1961) as Queen Taxen
  • Mill of the Stone Women (1960) as Annelore
  • Pirates of the Coast (1960) as Anna del Peru
  • Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961) as Merith
  • The Tartars (1961) as Helga
  • Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti (1977) as Self - Camilla - Queen of the Volsci (archive footage)
  • Le motorizzate (1963) as Cacace's Defence Counsel (segment "Il Vigile Ignoto")
  • Tipi da spiaggia (1959) as Magalì
  • Hercules, Samson & Ulysses (1963) as Dalila - Philistine Queen
  • Adventure at the Motel (1963)
  • Damon and Pythias (1962) as Adriana
  • How, When, and with Whom (1969) as Seamstress
  • Django Kills Softly (1967) as Linda
  • The Avenger (1962) as Camilla, Queen of the Vulga
  • Terror of the Red Mask (1960) as Jolanda
  • Fortunata y Jacinta (1970) as Jacinta
  • Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend (1966) as Veronica Turner
  • Rage of the Buccaneers (1961) as Luana