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Valentina Cortese

Acting Born Jan 1, 1923 Milan, Lombardy, Italy 24 credits

Biography

Valentina Cortese (January 1, 1923 - July 10, 2019) was an Italian film actress.

The Milan-born actress starred in The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) directed by Robert Wise, and costarring Richard Basehart and William Lundigan. Cortese, aged 28, married Basehart in 1951, and had one son with him before they divorced in 1960.

She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1975 for her performance in François Truffaut's Day for Night.

Cortese appeared in Jules Dassin's Thieves' Highway (1949), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's The Barefoot Contessa (1954), Michelangelo Antonioni's Le Amiche (1955), Gérard Brach's The Boat on the Grass, Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), and in the Franco Zeffirelli projects such as the 1972 film Brother Sun, Sister Moon, his 1977 miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth and the 1993 film Sparrow.

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Known for

Jesus of Nazareth

as Herodias
Film

Undercover Brother

as Emilie Gallatin

I promessi sposi

as Donna Prassede
Film

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

as Queen Ariadne / Violet
Film

Halloween: Resurrection

as Dr. Bruni

Magical Project S

as Eleanora Torlato-Favrini
Film

Day for Night

as Séverine

Full filmography

  • Jesus of Nazareth (1977) as Herodias
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Emilie Gallatin
  • Appassionata (1974) as Elisa Rutelli
  • I promessi sposi (1989) as Donna Prassede
  • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) as Queen Ariadne / Violet
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Dr. Bruni
  • Barabbas (1961) as Julia
  • The Barefoot Contessa (1954) as Eleanora Torlato-Favrini
  • Day for Night (1973) as Séverine
  • The Visit (1964) as Mathilda Miller
  • The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1970) as Gabriella (uncredited)
  • When Time Ran Out... (1980) as Rose Valdez
  • Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) as Pica Di Bernardone
  • Juliet of the Spirits (1965) as Valentina
  • La Classe américaine (1993) as The Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • Thieves' Highway (1949) as Rica
  • The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) as Countess Bozo Bedoni
  • Black Magic (1949) as Zoraida
  • The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) as Victoria Kowelska
  • Le Amiche (1955) as Nene
  • The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) as Laura Craven-Torrani
  • Diva! (2017)
  • Blue Tango (1987) as Rachele Cigno
  • Kidnap Syndicate (1975) as Grazia Filippini