Laura Gemser
Encyclopedia
Laurette Marcia "Laura" Gemser (born October 5, 1950, Java, Indonesia
) is a Dutch-based actress of Indo descent, now Italian
citizen. She is known for her work with director Joe D'Amato
and Bruno Mattei
, in particular, for doing a set of exploitation-style and Black Emanuelle
films.
Gemser has also been credited as Moira Chen, most notably in Love Is Forever (1983).
Gemser left Indonesia
in 1955, at the age of four, and moved with her parents to the Netherlands
. She grew up in the Dutch city of Utrecht
, where she attended the MULO Regentesseschool high school. After that, she attended the Artibus Art School in Utrecht, where she specialized in fashion design. In 1975 she moved to Italy.
After modelling
in various magazine
s in the Netherlands
and Belgium
, Gemser began to take part in some soft erotic films. She became internationally recognised after starring in a number of Black Emanuelle
films in the 1970s.
Her most mainstream and well-received role was as Laotian
refugee Keo Sirisomphone
in Michael Landon
's 1983 American
television movie, Love Is Forever, in which she was credited as Moira Chen.
Gemser continued to do films: at times, she worked with her actor husband, Gabriele Tinti. In the 1990s, she left the movies to do costume designing for film. In addition, she lost her husband, who died of cancer in 1991. Today she lives in retirement and low profile in Rome.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) is a Dutch-based actress of Indo descent, now Italian
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...
citizen. She is known for her work with director Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato, was a prolific Italian filmmaker who directed roughly 200 films, usually at the same time acting as producer and cinematographer, and sometimes providing the script as well...
and Bruno Mattei
Bruno Mattei
Bruno Mattei was an Italian film director, screenwriter and editor who gained a cult following for a wide variety of exploitation films that covered many genres, ranging from women in prison to zombie films...
, in particular, for doing a set of exploitation-style and Black Emanuelle
Black Emanuelle
Black Emanuelle is an Italian softcore sexploitation film from 1975, the first in a series made to cash in on the success of the French film Emmanuelle, which was released the year before...
films.
Gemser has also been credited as Moira Chen, most notably in Love Is Forever (1983).
Gemser left Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in 1955, at the age of four, and moved with her parents to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. She grew up in the Dutch city of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, where she attended the MULO Regentesseschool high school. After that, she attended the Artibus Art School in Utrecht, where she specialized in fashion design. In 1975 she moved to Italy.
After modelling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
in various magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Gemser began to take part in some soft erotic films. She became internationally recognised after starring in a number of Black Emanuelle
Black Emanuelle
Black Emanuelle is an Italian softcore sexploitation film from 1975, the first in a series made to cash in on the success of the French film Emmanuelle, which was released the year before...
films in the 1970s.
Her most mainstream and well-received role was as Laotian
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
refugee Keo Sirisomphone
John Everingham
John Everingham is an Australian journalist residing in Thailand.Born in Australia in 1949, Everingham was in high school in 1966 when the urge to travel overcame the desire to study. He dropped out of school and left home at 16 years old, and left Australia on the traditional journey to London,...
in Michael Landon
Michael Landon
Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza , Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie , and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven...
's 1983 American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television movie, Love Is Forever, in which she was credited as Moira Chen.
Gemser continued to do films: at times, she worked with her actor husband, Gabriele Tinti. In the 1990s, she left the movies to do costume designing for film. In addition, she lost her husband, who died of cancer in 1991. Today she lives in retirement and low profile in Rome.
Filmography
- Amore libero - Free Love (1974) ... as Janine
- Black EmanuelleBlack EmanuelleBlack Emanuelle is an Italian softcore sexploitation film from 1975, the first in a series made to cash in on the success of the French film Emmanuelle, which was released the year before...
(1975) - Emmanuelle 2 (1975) ... as Masseuse
- Emmanuelle in Bangkok
- Voto di castità (1976) ... as Maid
- Emanuelle nera orient reportage (1976) ... as Emanuelle
- Eva nera (1976) ... as Eva
- Emanuelle in AmericaEmanuelle in AmericaEmanuelle in America is an Italian sexploitation film from 1977, the fourth in a series starring Laura Gemser, made to cash in on the success of the French film Emmanuelle and its sequels...
(1977) ... as Emanuelle - Suor EmanuelleSuor EmanuelleSuor Emanuelle is a 1977 Exploitation film. It can be classified under both the nunsploitation and sexploitation exploitation film sub genres...
(1977) ... as Emanuelle - Emanuelle Around the WorldEmanuelle around the worldEmanuelle Around the World , also known as The Degradation of Emanuelle and Emanuelle Versus Violence to Women, is a 1977 sexploitation film by Italian director Joe D'Amato, starring Laura Gemser and George Eastman. The film was one of the most expensive films ever made in Italy at that time, not...
(1977) ... as Emanuelle - Emanuelle and the Last CannibalsEmanuelle and the Last CannibalsEmanuelle and the Last Cannibals is a 1977 Italian sexploitation film by Joe D'Amato....
(1977) ... as Emanuelle - La Via della prostituzione (1978) ... Emanuelle
- Mavri Emmanouella (1979) ... as Black Emmanouella/Emanuelle Brindisi/Victor's wife/Livia's stepmother
- Periscopio, El (1979) aka Malizia erotica (Italy)
- Erotic Nights of the Living DeadErotic Nights of the Living DeadErotic Nights of the Living Dead is an Italian erotic-horror film directed by Joe D'Amato and released in 1980.-Plot:...
(1980) - Love Camp (1981)
- The Bushido BladeBushido Blade (film)The Bushido Blade is a 1981 film, directed by Tsugunobu Kotani, about a samurai sword being entrusted to Commodore Matthew Perry for the President of the United States by the Emperor of Japan that was stolen by a band of thieves who oppose the treaty about to be signed...
(1981) ... as Tomoe - Caligola: la Storia mai raccontata (1982) ... as Miriam
- La Belva dalla calda pelle (1982) ... as Emanuelle
- Violence in a Women's PrisonViolence in a Women's PrisonViolence in a Women's Prison is a French-Italian women in prison film directed by Bruno Mattei and released in 1982....
(1982) ... as Emanuelle/Laura Kendall - Horror Safari (1982) ... as Maria
- Endgame - Bronx lotta finale (1983) ... as Lilith
- Déchaînement pervers de Manuela (1983) ... as Manuela/Emanuelle
- Emanuelle Escapes from HellEmanuelle Escapes from HellEmanuelle Escapes from Hell , also known as Women's Prison Massacre, Blade Violent, and Emanuelle in Prison is a 1983 Italian women in prison film directed by Bruno Mattei and starring Laura Gemser, Gabriele Tinti, Carlo De Mejo, Lorraine De Selle, and Franca Stoppi...
(1983) ... as Emanuelle - Love Is Forever (1983) ... as Keo Sirisomphone (credited as Moira Chen)
- L'Alcova (1984) ... as Zerbal
- Il Piacere (1985) ... as Haunani
- Voglia di guardare (1986)
- Riflessi di luce (1988) ... as Diana
- Top Model (1988) ... as Dorothy/Eve
- Undici giorni, undici notti 2 (1990) ... as Jackie Forrest
- Quest for the Mighty SwordQuest for the Mighty SwordQuest for the Mighty Sword is the fourth and final film in the Ator film series, although it is regarded as the third film to the series creator, Joe D'Amato, who disowns Iron Warrior which was the only film in the series not to be directed by D'Amato...
... as Grimilde - Metamorphosis (1990) ... prostitute
- Una Tenera storia (1992)
Costume designer credits
- Top Model (1988 film)
- Amore sporco (1988)
- La Stanza della parole (1990)
- Troll 3Troll 3Troll 3 is a 1990 Italian horror film directed by Joe D'Amato and Fabrizio Laurenti....
(Contamination .7) (1990) - La Casa (1990)
- Metamorphosis (1990)
- Troll 2Troll 2Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
(1990) - Hot steps - passi caldi (1990)
- Ritorno dalla morte (1991)
- La Donna di una sera (1991)
- Door to SilenceDoor to SilenceDoor into Silence / Door to silence / The Door to Silence is a 1991 Italian horror movie directed by Lucio Fulci and produced by Joe D'Amato.- Cast :* John Savage * Sandi Schultz...
(1991)