ROME, Metropolitan Metropolis of Rome — Italian actor Gina Lollobrigida, who achieved worldwide movie stardom throughout the Nineteen Fifties and was dubbed “probably the most stunning girl on the planet” after the title of 1 her films, died in Rome on Monday, her agent mentioned. She was 95.
The agent, Paola Comin, did not present particulars. However Lollobrigida had surgical procedure in September to restore a thigh bone damaged in a fall. She returned dwelling and mentioned she had rapidly resumed strolling.
A drawn portrait of the diva graced a 1954 cowl of Time journal, which in an article about Italian movie-making likened her to a “goddess.” Greater than a half-century later, Lollobrigida nonetheless turned heads with a head filled with auburn curly hair and her statuesque determine.
“Lollo,” as she was lovingly nicknamed by Italians, started making films in Italy simply after the top of World Battle II, because the nation started to advertise on the large display a stereotypical idea of Mediterranean magnificence as buxom and brunette.
In addition to “The World’s Most Lovely Girl” in 1955, profession highlights included Golden Globe-winner “Come September,” with Rock Hudson; “Trapeze;” “Beat the Satan,” a 1953 John Huston movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones; and “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell,” which received Lollobrigida Italy’s prime film award, a David di Donatello, as greatest actress in 1969.
In Italy, she labored with a few of the nation’s prime administrators following the battle, together with Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Pietro Germi and Vittorio De Sica.
Two of her extra common movies at dwelling had been Comencini’s “Pane Amore Fantasia” (Bread Love Fantasy) in 1953, and the sequel a yr later, “Pane Amore Gelosia” (Bread Love Jealousy). In every of them, her male foil was Vittorio Gassman, considered one of Italy’s most main males on the display.
Lollobrigida started her profession in magnificence contests, posing for the covers of magazines and temporary appearances in minor movies. However her attractive picture rapidly propelled her to roles in main Italian and worldwide films.
Whereas Lollobrigida performed some dramatic roles, her characters had been hottest in lighthearted comedies, just like the “Bread Love” films.
Lollobrigida additionally was an completed sculptor, painter and photographer, and finally primarily dropped movie for the fantastic arts. Along with her digital camera, she roamed the world from what was then the Soviet Union to Australia.
In 1974, Fidel Castro hosted her as a visitor in Cuba for 12 days as she labored on a photograph reportage.
She was born on July 4, 1927 in Subiaco, a picturesque hill city close to Rome, the place her father was a furnishings maker,