Franca Valeri
Encyclopedia
Franca Valeri is an Italian
actress.
Valeri was born in Milan
as Alma Franca Maria Norsa. She adopted her surname in the 1950s as an homage to the French critic and poet, Paul Valéry.
Despite the old age and suffering Parkinson's disease, she's still very active on the Italian theatrical stage. Across the season 2005-2006 she performed her own monologue La Vedova Socrate ("Socrate's Widow") and Les Bonnes, by Jean Genet.
Valeri started her career on the radio, where she created the character of "Signorina Cesira" and "Signora Cecioni", exhilarating sketches centering on the idiosyncrasies of the Italy of 1950s. She co-starred important films hits, such as The Sign of Venus
or Il vedovo
, although most of her characters are supporting role.
In the 1960s Valeri also frequently worked for Italian TV. Directed by Antonello Falqui, she starred in Studio Uno, Le divine and Sabato Sera.
In the eighties and early nineties she starred in a series of successful commercials for Pandoro
Melegatti, which were well-received and stretched over a number of years (Pandoro being a seasonal product tied to the Christmas
holidays).
In January 2008, she played the role of "Solange" in Jean Genet's "Le bonnes" at Milan's Piccolo Teatro.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
actress.
Valeri was born in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
as Alma Franca Maria Norsa. She adopted her surname in the 1950s as an homage to the French critic and poet, Paul Valéry.
Despite the old age and suffering Parkinson's disease, she's still very active on the Italian theatrical stage. Across the season 2005-2006 she performed her own monologue La Vedova Socrate ("Socrate's Widow") and Les Bonnes, by Jean Genet.
Valeri started her career on the radio, where she created the character of "Signorina Cesira" and "Signora Cecioni", exhilarating sketches centering on the idiosyncrasies of the Italy of 1950s. She co-starred important films hits, such as The Sign of Venus
The Sign of Venus
The Sign of Venus is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi and starring Sophia Loren. It was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Franca Valeri - Cesira* Sophia Loren - Agnese Tirabassi* Vittorio De Sica - Alessio Spano...
or Il vedovo
Il vedovo
Il Vedovo is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi.-Plot:Alberto Nardi is a Roman businessman who fancies himself a man of great capabilities, but whose factory tethers perennially on the brink of catastrophe.Alberto is married to a rich and successful businesswoman from Milan,...
, although most of her characters are supporting role.
In the 1960s Valeri also frequently worked for Italian TV. Directed by Antonello Falqui, she starred in Studio Uno, Le divine and Sabato Sera.
In the eighties and early nineties she starred in a series of successful commercials for Pandoro
Pandoro
Pandoro is a traditional Italian sweet yeast bread, most popular around Christmas and New Year. Typically a Veronese product, pandoro is traditionally shaped like a frustum with an 8 pointed-star section....
Melegatti, which were well-received and stretched over a number of years (Pandoro being a seasonal product tied to the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
holidays).
In January 2008, she played the role of "Solange" in Jean Genet's "Le bonnes" at Milan's Piccolo Teatro.
Filmography
- Luci del varietà (1950)
- Totò a coloriTotò a coloriTotò a colori is a 1952 Italian film, and was the first Italian color film shot with the Ferraniacolor system. The film was directed by Steno and starred the comic actor Totò . Totò a colori is widely regarded as Totò's masterpiece...
(1952) - Villa BorgheseVilla Borghese (film)It Happened in the Park is a 1953 film directed by Vittorio de Sica and Gianni Franciolini. The film consists of six vignettes set in the Villa Borghese gardens in Rome.-Cast:* Maurizio Arena - Gemma* Eloisa Cianni - Elviara...
(1953) - Questi fantasmi (1954)
- Piccola posta (1955)
- Il segno di Venere (1955)
- Le signorine dello 04 (1955)
- Un eroe dei nostri tempi (1955)
- Il bigamo (1955)
- La ragazza del palio (1957)
- Mariti in città (1957)
- Il vedovoIl vedovoIl Vedovo is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi.-Plot:Alberto Nardi is a Roman businessman who fancies himself a man of great capabilities, but whose factory tethers perennially on the brink of catastrophe.Alberto is married to a rich and successful businesswoman from Milan,...
(1959) - Arrangiatevi! (1959)
- Non perdiamo la testaNon perdiamo la testaNon perdiamo la testa is a 1959 comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Ugo Tognazzi.-Cast:* Ugo Tognazzi - Tony Cuccar* Franca Valeri - Beatrice* Carlo Campanini - Walter* Xenia Valderi - Erminia* Aroldo Tieri - Ispettore di Scotland Yard...
(1959) - Il moralista (1959)
- Mariti in pericolo (1960)
- Rocco e i suoi fratelliRocco e i suoi fratelliRocco e i suoi fratelli is a 1960 Italian and French film directed by Luchino Visconti. Set in Milan, it tells the story of an immigrant family from the South and its disintegration in the society of the industrial North. The film stars Alain Delon, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot, and Claudia...
(1960) - Crimen (1960)
- Leoni al sole (1961)
- Parigi o cara (1962)
- I motorizzati (1962)
- I cuori infrantiI cuori infrantiI cuori infranti is a 1963 Italian comedy film directed by Vittorio Caprioli and Gianni Puccini. It was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy at the 67th Venice International Film Festival.-Cast:...
(1963) - Il giorno più cortoIl giorno più cortoIl giorno più corto is a 1962 Italian Comedy film. It is a parody of the war movie The Longest Day and stars the popular duo Ciccio Ingrassia and Franco Franchi in the leading roles...
(1963) - Gli onorevoli (1963)
- Le motorizzate (1963)
- I maniaci (1963)
- Io, io, io... e gli altri (1965)
- La ragazza del bersagliere (1967)
- Scusi, facciamo l'amore? (1968)
- Nel giorno del Signore (1970)
- Basta guardarla (1970)
- Ettore lo fusto (1971)
- Ultimo tango a Zagarolo (1973)
- La signora gioca bene a scopa? (1974)
- L'Italia s'è rotta (1976)
- Come ti rapisco il pupo (1976)
- Tanto va la gatta al lardo... (1978)
- Non ti riconosco più amore (1979)
- Un amore in prima classe (1980)
- Paulo Roberto Cotechiño centravanti di sfondamento (1983)
- Tosca e le altre due (2003)