Loading
Actor
Valentina Cortese
- Born January 1, 1923 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy
- Died July 10, 2019
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.
Read the full biography
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.
Known for
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen1988
Day for Night1973
Jesus of Nazareth1977
Juliet of the Spirits1965
The Barefoot Contessa1954
La Classe américaine1993
The Girl Who Knew Too Much1963
Barabbas1961
Filmography
- 2017Diva!FilmSelf
- 2007Le ragazze di MilanoFilmSelf
- 2001Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed CinemaFilmSelf (archive footage)
- 2000Federico Fellini's AutobiographyFilmSelf
- 1994SparrowFilmMadre Superiora
- 1993La Classe américaineFilmThe Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1991Buster's BedroomFilmSerafina Tannenbaum
- 1989I promessi sposiSeriesDonna Prassede
- 1988The Adventures of Baron MunchausenFilmQueen Ariadne / Violet
- 1988Young ToscaniniFilmComparsa (uncredited)
- 1988FacciaffittasiFilmGina Grandi
- 1988FacciaffittasiSeriesGina Grandi
- 1987Via MontenapoleoneFilmmadre di Guido
- 1987Blue TangoFilmRachele Cigno
- 1981La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-VillaFilmCaterina de Dominicis
- 1980When Time Ran Out...FilmRose Valdez
- 1979Ring of DarknessFilmElena Merrill
- 1978Tanto va la gatta al lardo...FilmWilma/Leonilde Bosco Casagrande
- 1977Jesus of NazarethSeriesHerodias
- 1977Widows' NestFilmDolores
- 1976The Big OperatorFilmWitwe
- 1976Nick the StingFilmRegina
- 1975Kidnap SyndicateFilmGrazia Filippini
- 1975Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in BrianzaFilmOlghina Franchetti
- 1975Son tornate a fiorire le roseFilmSabina Foschini
- 1974AppassionataFilmElisa Rutelli
- 1974Tender DraculaFilm
- 1974Amore mio non farmi maleFilmSabina Foschini
- 1974The KissFilmElizabeth Blixen
- 1973Day for NightFilmSéverine
- 1972Brother Sun, Sister MoonFilmPica Di Bernardone
- 1972The Assassination of TrotskyFilmNatalia Trotsky
- 1972Chronicle of a HomicideFilmLuisa Sola
- 1971The Iguana with the Tongue of FireFilmMadame Sobieski
- 1971The Boat on the GrassFilmCatherine
- 1970The Secret of Santa VittoriaFilmGabriella (uncredited)
- 1970Give Her the MoonFilmMadeleine de Lépine
- 1970The Love MatesFilmEva
- 1970First LoveFilmMutter
- 1969Oh, Grandmother's DeadFilmOrnella
- 1969Il killerSeries
- 1968The Legend of Lylah ClareFilmCountess Bozo Bedoni
- 1968Listen, Let's Make LoveFilmLallo's Mother
- 1966Black SunFilmMaria
- 1965Juliet of the SpiritsFilmValentina
- 1965The PossessedFilmIrma
- 1965Antonioni: Documents and TestimonialsFilmSelf
- 1965Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'FilmSelf
- 1964The VisitFilmMathilda Miller
- 1964I grandi camaleontiSeriesGiuseppina Bonaparte
- 1963The Girl Who Knew Too MuchFilmLaura Craven-Torrani
- 1962Story of San MicheleFilmEleonora Duse
- 1961BarabbasFilmJulia
- 1961Square of ViolenceFilmErica Bernardi
- 1958Love and TroublesFilmMarisa
- 1957Kean: Genius or ScoundrelFilmFanny
- 1956The Rocket from CalabuchFilmEloísa, la maestra de escuela
- 1955Le AmicheFilmNene
- 1955Magic FireFilmMathilde Wesendonk
- 1955Adriana LecouvreurFilmAdriana Lecouvreur
- 1955Il conte AquilaFilmTeresa Casati
- 1954The Barefoot ContessaFilmEleanora Torlato-Favrini
- 1954Il matrimonioFilm
- 1954Angels of DarknessFilmVally
- 1954JailbirdsFilmLuprandi's wife
- 1953La passeggiataFilmLisa
- 1953LulùFilm
- 1952Secret PeopleFilmMaria Brentano / Brent / Lena Collins
- 1951The House on Telegraph HillFilmVictoria Kowelska
- 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeriesDr. Bruni
- 1950Lux Video TheatreSeriesEmilie Gallatin
- 1950Shadow of the EagleFilmElizabeth, Princess Tarakanova
- 1950Women Without NamesFilm
- 1949Thieves' HighwayFilmRica
- 1949Black MagicFilmZoraida
- 1949MalayaFilmLuana
- 1949The Glass MountainFilmAlida Morrosini
- 1948Les MisérablesFilmFantine
- 1948Les Misérables - Storm Over ParisFilmCosetta
- 1948L'ebreo erranteFilmEster