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Stunning Italian actress Virna Lisi, a brief but lovely Hollywood import in the 1960's, was merely one of a plethora of European movie beauties who proved over the course of their long careers, that they were capable of more than just visual performances.

Born Virna Lisa Pieralisi on November 8, 1936, she began her film career as a 17-year-old teen with a co-starring part with the musical drama ...e Napoli canta! (1953) (Naples Sings!). Cast initially for her photographic beauty, she gained more experience in such early pictures as Lettera napoletana (1954) and La corda d'acciaio (1954) before earning her first top-billed movie lead in Piccola santa (1954) opposite Rosario Borelli. Other late 50's/early 60's films that helped steam up her image included Luna nova (1955), Le diciottenni (1955), La rossa (1955), La donna del giorno (1957), Vite perdute (1959) opposite Jacques Sernas, Les bonnes causes (1963) (Don't Tempt the Devil), Sua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiare (1961) (His Excellency Stayed to Dinner], the Italian-made spectacle, Duel of the Titans (1961) and an innocent role in the French-made Eva (1962) starring the scheming Jeanne Moreau in the title role.

The pert and sexy star later made a decorative dent in late 1960's Hollywood as a tempting blue-eyed blonde opposite the likes of Jack Lemmon in How to Murder Your Wife (1965), Frank Sinatra in Assault on a Queen (1966) and Tony Curtis in Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966). Confined once again to the same type of glamour roles (she turned down the title role of "Barbarella"), she returned to Europe within a couple of years but hardly fared better with such nothing special movies as Le dolci signore (1967), Tenderly (1968), When Wolves Cry (1969), The Statue (1971), Bluebeard (1972) and Zanna Bianca (1973) and its sequel Challenge to White Fang (1974).

Come middle age, however, a career renaissance occurred for Virna. She began to be perceived as more than just a tasty dish and was given a wide variety of quality mature performances. As the stature of her films improved, she began winning foreign awards right and left for such European pictures as Al di là del bene e del male (1977), The Cricket (1980), Sapore di mare (1983), Buon Natale... Buon anno (1989) and Va' dove ti porta il cuore (1996) (Follow Your Heart). It all culminated in the lifetime role of the malevolent "Caterina de Medici" in Queen Margot (1994) for which she captured both the César and Cannes Film Festival awards, not to mention the Italian Silver Ribbon award.

Virna continued reigning supreme on TV as a character lead and support player into the millennium with parts in such TV movies as the title role in A casa di Anna (2004) and Donne sbagliate (2007) (Steel Women) as well as Italian TV series work. Starring as the matriarch in the excellent family film drama Il più bel giorno della mia vita (2002), Virna would find her last excellent movie role in the award-winning dramedy Latin Lover (2015). Having passed away on December 14, 2014, at age 78, of lung cancer, the actress received a couple of award nominations posthumously for her work here. Survived by her son Corrado, her longtime husband (from 1960), architect Franco Pesci (1934-2013), died a year earlier.

Lucia Mascino is a theater, cinema and television actress. She played the lead in the television series "Una mamma imperfetta," written and directed by Ivan Cotroneo, was the female protagonist in the Sky series "I delitti del Barlumem," written and directed by Roan Johnson. In 2015 she starred with Christian De Sica in "Fraulein, a winter fairy tale", the debut by Caterina Carone, and in 2016's "Love that cannot be in the world" by Francesca Comencini, for which she won the Anna Magnani award at Bifest di Bari, and for the Nastri d'Argento Award as best leading actress in 2018.

Ave Ninchi was born on 14 December 1915 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She was an actress, known for Purple Noon (1960), Vivere in pace (1947) and The Good Girls (1960). She died on 10 November 1997 in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Franco Corelli was born on 8 April 1921 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was an actor, known for Angel Heart (1987), The Immigrant (2013) and The Killing Fields (1984). He was married to Loretta Di Lelio. He died on 29 October 2003 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.

Umberto Spadaro was born on 8 November 1904 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was an actor, known for Seduced and Abandoned (1964), Il brigante Musolino (1950) and Anni difficili (1948). He died on 12 October 1981 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Petra Valentini was born in 1989 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She is an actress, known for Generation 56K (2021), Caro mondo crudele and Estranei (2020).

Lived with his fiancé Alessandra for 8 years before marrying her in a televised ceremony on April 15th, 2004. After his father's death, has done many jobs and he doesn't like to be bossed. He doesn't believe in a man to woman friendship. Before being cast as a contestant on "Big Brother", he used to work at a oil station.

Antonio Amurri was born on 28 June 1925 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was a writer, known for Nine (2009), Gli zitelloni (1958) and Big Guns (1973). He was married to Milvia Mostardi. He died on 18 December 1992 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Raffaele Curi was born on 13 April 1948 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is an actor and costume designer, known for Young Lucrezia (1974), Sergeant Klems (1971) and Prostituzione (1974).

Daniele Gaglianone was born in 1966 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for La mia classe (2013), Nemmeno il destino (2004) and I nostri anni (2000).

Magda Mercatali was born on 29 July 1941 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She is an actress, known for La stirpe di Caino (1971), Orfeo in Paradiso (1971) and Le inchieste del commissario Maigret (1964).

Guglielmo Barnabò was born on 11 May 1888 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was an actor, known for Figaro qua, Figaro là (1950), Miracle in Milan (1951) and Arrivederci, papà! (1948). He was married to Vittorina Benvenuti. He died on 31 May 1954 in Ancona, Marche, Italy.

Luca Violini was born in 1966 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is an actor, known for Il gobbo di Notre Dame (1998), Il corpo del duce (2011) and Perugia dalle origini alla fine del mondo antico (2015).

Alberto Albani Barbieri was born on 22 May 1907 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is a writer and assistant director, known for Gli amori di Manon Lescaut (1954), Amore a prima vista (1958) and M.A.S. (1942).

Gianni Barcelloni was born in 1942 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was a producer and director, known for Desideria (1980), O Rei dos Milagres (1971) and Capricci (1969). He died on 10 February 2016 in Pramaggiore, Italy.

Sergio Volpini was born on 20 June 1975 in Ancona, Marche, Italy.

Vinicio Marinucci was born on 26 June 1916 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for Agente S 03: Operazione Atlantide (1965), The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive (1972) and La ragazza in vetrina (1961). He died on 18 February 2001 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Roberto Marchetti was born on 6 August 1980 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is an actor and set decorator, known for The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), The Secret Life of Words (2005) and Imagining Argentina (2003).

Rosanna Vaudetti was born on 19 December 1937 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She is an actress, known for Le faremo tanto male (1998), Incantesimo (1998) and La domenica sportiva (1953). She has been married to Antonio Moretti since 1965.

Alessandro Wingfield is an ambitious filmmaker graduated from the prestigious London College of Communication BA (Hons), Film and Television course. He has worked between UK and Italy on various feature films, TV series, numerous short films, corporate and music videos. He has directed three short films and he has produced various award-winning projects. He excels at producing and assisting directing, and also has a passion for directing. Since 2016 Alessandro Wingfield and Norman Tamkivi have been running their own production company, Skyland Films.

Silvana Blasi was born on 29 September 1931 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She was an actress, known for Bed & Board (1970), Totò a colori (1952) and Bertoldo, Bertoldino e Cacasenno (1954). She was married to Francis Linel. She died on 13 May 2017 in Ancona, Marche, Italy.

Orlando Mezzabotta was born in 1944 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is an actor, known for La Castiglione (1975), Il gioco degli inganni (1980) and Manon (1976).

Paul Tana was born on 8 January 1947 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for La sarrasine (1992), Les grands enfants (1980) and Mr. Aiello (1998).

Laura Mercatali was born on 25 June 1958 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. She is an actress, known for The Crying Game (1992), I ragazzi di celluloide (1981) and Power of Art (2006).

Carlo Colombaioni was born on 30 November 1933 in Ancona, Marche, Italy. He was an actor, known for Pas si méchant que ça (1975), Le nain rouge (1998) and Carlo and Jango (2005). He died on 16 May 2008 in Saint-Chef, Isère, France.