Sylva Koscina
Biography
Sylva Koscina, born Silvija Košćina on 22 August 1933 in Zagreb, then part of Yugoslavia (now Croatia), was a Yugoslav‑born Italian actress. She achieved international recognition for portraying Iole, the bride of Hercules played by Steve Reeves, in the sword‑and‑sandals films Hercules (1958) and Hercules Unchained (1960). In 1968 she appeared as the romantic interest of Paul Newman in The Secret War of Harry Frigg. Throughout her career she amassed more than one hundred screen credits. Koscina also posed for Playboy magazine. She died on 26 December 1994 in Rome at the age of 61.
Career overview
Sylva Koscina was born Silvija Košćina on 22 August 1933 in Zagreb, then part of Yugoslavia and now the capital of Croatia. She later became an Italian actress and is recorded as having studied physics before entering the film industry. Her career began in the mid‑1950s and she quickly became a prominent figure in Italian cinema during the 1950s and 1960s.
Koscina is best remembered for portraying Iole, the bride of Hercules, in the sword‑and‑sandal epics Hercules (1958) and Hercules Unchained (1960) starring Steve Reeves. In 1968 she appeared opposite Paul Newman as his romantic interest in The Secret War of Harry Frigg. In addition to these internationally known titles, she featured in several European productions, including the Czech‑titled films Železná maska and Boj o Řím. Her public profile was further enhanced by a pictorial appearance in Playboy, reflecting her status as a popular screen icon of the era. Sylva Koscina continued to work in film and television until her death on 26 December 1994 in Rome, at the age of 61.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
123 titles- Ricky & Barabba (1992) as Cristina Bonelli
- L'odissea (1991) as Minerva
- Cinderella '87 (1987) as Mafalda Gherardeschi
- Rimini Rimini (1987) as sorella dell'ingegnere
- Cinderella '80 (1984) as Mafalda Gherardeschi
- ...e la vita continua (1984) as Evelina
- Die Nacht der vier Monde (1984) as (special guest)
- This and That (1983) as Dora, madre di Daniela
- Magic Touch (1983) as Contessa Irene
- Ace (1981) as Enrichetta
- Sunday Lovers (1980) as Zaira (segment "Armando's Notebook")
- Casanova & Co. (1977) as The Prefect's Wife
- Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti (1977) as Self - Clorinda (archive footage)
- Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza (1975) as Mariù
- The House of Exorcism (1975) as Sophia Lehar (archive footage)
- Las correrías del Vizconde Arnau (1974) as Zoraida
- The Author's Crime (1974) as Milena Gottardi
- Witness to Murder (1974) as Sonja Dorigny
- Lisa and the Devil (1973) as Sophia Lehar
- My Pleasure Is Your Pleasure (1973) as La moglie del tintore
- So Sweet, So Dead (1972) as Barbara Capuana
- The Italian Connection (1972) as Lucia Canali
- The Crimes of the Black Cat (1972) as Françoise Ballais
- Nights of Boccaccio (1972) as Fiammetta
- Blessed Are the Rich (1972) as Contessa
- To Kill in Silence (1972) as Valeria's mother
- Mazzabubù... quante corna stanno quaggiù? (1971) as La moglie del presentatore
- Homo Eroticus (1971) as Carla
- The Great Swindle (1971) as Lola
- Sex of the Devil (1971) as Sylvia, the Assistant
- Les Jambes en l'air (1971) as Favouille Grandblaise
- You Shall Not Covet Your Neighbor's Wife (1971) as Susana
- African Story (1971) as Barbara Hayland (as Silva Koscina)
- Hornets' Nest (1970) as Bianca
- Ninì Tirabusciò: The Woman Who Invented the Move (1970) as La baronessa di Valdarno
- Vertigo for a Killer (1970) as Sylvie
- The Dove Must Not Fly (1970) as Anne
- The Modification (1970) as Cécile
- Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969) as Marquise de Bressac
- The Battle of Neretva (1969) as Danica
- He and She (1969) as She
- I See Naked (1969) as Self
- The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal (1969) as Theodora
- The Secret War of Harry Frigg (1968) as Countess Francesca De Montefiore
- A Lovely Way to Die (1968) as Rena Westabrook
- The Fight for Rome (1968) as Empress Theodora
- The Protagonists (1968) as Nancy
- Deadlier Than the Male (1967) as Penelope
- Three Bites of the Apple (1967) as Carla Moretti
- Johnny Banco (1967) as Laureen Moore
- Italy's in Season (1967) as Self
- Me, Me, Me... and the Others (1966) as The 'Star'
- Four Queens for an Ace (1966) as Dolores Arrabal, Fashion Designer
- Funny Money (1966) as Lucile
- Agent X-77 Orders to Kill (1966) as Mania
- Juliet of the Spirits (1965) as Sylva
- That Man in Istanbul (1965) as Kenny
- Thrilling (1965) as Paola (segment "L'autostrada del sole")
- Made in Italy (1965) as Diana (segment "3 'La Donna', episode 3") (as Silva Koscina)
- The Double Bed (1965) as Giulietta / Peggy
- The Dictator's Guns (1965) as Rae Osborne
- Il morbidone (1965) as Irene
- Money (1965) as Leda
- Let's Talk About Women (1964) as Reluctant Girl
- Cyrano and d'Artagnan (1964) as Ninon de Lenclos
- Hot Enough for June (1964) as Vlasta Simoneva
- Corpse for the Lady (1964) as Laura Guglielmetti
- Love and Marriage (1964) as (segment "Sabato 18 luglio")
- The Circular Triangle (1964) as Alexandra Fonseca
- Love in Four Dimensions (1964) as Irma, la moglie (segment "Amore e vita")
- Una storia di notte (1964) as Maddalena
- Judex (1963) as Daisy
- The Shortest Day (1963)
- Rampage (1963) as Stewardess
- The Scapegoat (1963) as Clemenza, Barbo's Wife
- The Little Nuns (1963) as Elena
- Girl's Apartment (1963) as Eléna
- Jessica (1962) as Nunzia Tuffi
- Copacabana Palace (1962) as Ines
- The Four Truths (1962) as Mia (segment "Le lièvre et le tortue")
- La salamandre d'or (1962) as (uncredited)
- The Iron Mask (1962) as Marion
- The Masseuses (1962) as Marisa
- The Swordsman of Siena (1962) as Orietta Arconti
- Blood Feud (1961) as Carla
- Destination Fury (1961)
- ...And Suddenly It's Murder! (1960) as Carolina
- Love, the Italian Way (1960) as Luciana
- The Traffic Policeman (1960) as Herself
- Siege of Syracuse (1960) as Clio
- Trapped by Fear (1960) as Arabelle
- Ravishing (1960) as Evelyne Cotteret
- I piaceri dello scapolo (1960) as Eby
- Le pillole di Ercole (1960) as Silvia Pasqui
- Genitori in blue-jeans (1960) as Elena
- Mariti in pericolo (1960) as Silvana
- Hercules Unchained (1959) as Iole, bride of Ercole
- Uncle Was a Vampire (1959) as Carla
- La cambiale (1959) as Odette Mercury
- Poor Millionaires (1959) as Alice
- The Woman's Confidant (1959) as Maria Bonifati
- The Surprises of Love (1959) as Marianna
- He Thief, She Thief (1958) as Cesira De Angelis
- Hercules (1958) as Iole, Daugher of Pelias
- Totò in the Moon (1958) as Lidia
- Love on the Riviera (1958) as Renata Morandi
- Toto in Paris (1958) as Juliette Marchand
- La nipote Sabella (1958) as Lucia
- Dangerous Women (1958) as Tosca
- Young Husbands (1958) as Mara
- Quando gli angeli piangono (1958) as Marta
- Guendalina (1957) as Francesca Redaelli, madre di Guendalina
- Engaged to Death (1957) as Lucia
- Oh! Sabella (1957) as Lucia
- Female Three Times (1957) as Sonia
- The Mighty Crusaders (1957) as Clorinda (as Silva Koscina)
- Non sono più guaglione (1957) as Carolina
- The Innocent with Forty Children (1957) as Gina Lantois
- Michael Strogoff (1956) as Sangarine
- The Railroad Man (1956) as Giulia Marcocci
- Are We Men or Corporals? (1955) as The aspiring actress
- Reflets de Cannes (1954) as Self
- Sanremo Music Festival (1951) as Self - Host
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Sylva Koscina best known for?
Sylva Koscina is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Rimini Rimini (1987), Cinderella '80 (1984), Ace (1981), Choujin Barom-1 (1972).
When and where was Sylva Koscina born?
Sylva Koscina was born on August 22, 1933 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia (now Zagreb, Croatia). They passed away on December 26, 1994.
How many credits does Sylva Koscina have?
Sylva Koscina has accumulated over 123 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 1992.
What is Sylva Koscina's background in cinema and television?
Sylva Koscina, born Silvija Košćina on 22 August 1933 in Zagreb, then part of Yugoslavia (now Croatia), was a Yugoslav‑born Italian actress. She achieved international recognition for portraying Iole, the bride of Hercules played by Steve Reeves, in the sword‑and‑sandals films Hercules (1958) and Hercules Unchained (19...
Sylva Koscina by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Sanremo Music Festival (1951) as Self - Host — aged about 17
- The Traffic Policeman (1960) as Herself — aged about 26
- Juliet of the Spirits (1965) as Sylva — aged about 31
- Cinderella '80 (1984) as Mafalda Gherardeschi — aged about 50
- The Italian Connection (1972) as Lucia Canali — aged about 38
- The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal (1969) as Theodora — aged about 35
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