Marisa Mell
Encyclopedia
Marisa Mell was an Austria
n actress who became a cult figure of 1960s Italian
B-movies. She was born as Marlies Theres Moitzi in Graz
, Austria
.
. For six hours, she lay unconscious, unaware that she nearly lost her right eye. The disfigurement
extended to her lip as well. She spent the next two years undergoing plastic surgery
, and no damage remained in her face, except for a distinctive curl of her upper lip.
She turned down a seven-year Hollywood contract, saying that while the payment would have been great, "the contract was a whole book. I think that even to go to the toilet I would have needed a permission."
In 1967, she performed the title role in the "utterly calamitous" musical Mata Hari alongside Pernell Roberts
. After a preview performance in Washington, D.C.
that became infamous for its numerous technical problems, producer David Merrick
decided to close the production before its scheduled Broadway
run.
She is best known for the role of Eva Kant
in Danger: Diabolik
(1968). In the late 1990s, the television show MST3K brought the actress to a new generation of B-movie
viewers when the film was featured on an episode. The show also spoofed another of her starring roles in the film Secret Agent Super Dragon
. She died in Vienna
from throat cancer
in 1992, aged 53.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n actress who became a cult figure of 1960s 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...
B-movies. She was born as Marlies Theres Moitzi in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Biography
In 1963, she was involved in a violent automobile accident in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. For six hours, she lay unconscious, unaware that she nearly lost her right eye. The disfigurement
Disfigurement
Disfigurement is the state of having one's appearance deeply and persistently harmed medically, as from a disease, birth defect, or wound.Disfigurement, whether caused by a benign or malignant condition, often leads to severe psychosocial problems such as negative body image; depression;...
extended to her lip as well. She spent the next two years undergoing plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
, and no damage remained in her face, except for a distinctive curl of her upper lip.
She turned down a seven-year Hollywood contract, saying that while the payment would have been great, "the contract was a whole book. I think that even to go to the toilet I would have needed a permission."
In 1967, she performed the title role in the "utterly calamitous" musical Mata Hari alongside Pernell Roberts
Pernell Roberts
Pernell Elvin Roberts, Jr. was an American stage, movie and television actor, as well as a singer. In addition to guest starring in over 60 television series, he was widely known for his roles as Ben Cartwright's eldest son, Adam Cartwright, on the western series Bonanza, a role he played from...
. After a preview performance in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
that became infamous for its numerous technical problems, producer David Merrick
David Merrick
David Merrick was a prolific Tony Award-winning American theatrical producer.-Life and career:Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick graduated from Washington University, then studied law at the Jesuit-run Saint Louis University School of Law...
decided to close the production before its scheduled Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
run.
She is best known for the role of Eva Kant
Eva Kant
Eva Kant is a fictional character in the Italian comics series starring the anti-hero Diabolik. She first appeared in Diabolik #3 .-Fictional character biography:Eva is the girlfriend and sidekick of criminal mastermind Diabolik...
in Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik is a 1968 feature film from Italian filmmaker Mario Bava based on the Italian comic character Diabolik.- About the film :...
(1968). In the late 1990s, the television show MST3K brought the actress to a new generation of B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
viewers when the film was featured on an episode. The show also spoofed another of her starring roles in the film Secret Agent Super Dragon
Secret Agent Super Dragon
Secret Agent Super Dragon is a 1966 Italian Eurospy spy film, directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Ray Danton as the titular secret agent...
. She died in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
from throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
in 1992, aged 53.
Selected filmography
- French DressingFrench Dressing (film)French Dressing is a 1964 British comedy film directed by Ken Russell and starring James Booth, Roy Kinnear and Marisa Mell. A deckchair attendant in the run-down seaside resort of Gormleigh-on-Sea is promoted to publicity officer. In an effort to drum up interest in the town he organises a film...
(1964) - Casanova '70 (1965)
- MartaMarta (film)Marta is a 1971 Spanish thriller film directed by José Antonio Nieves Conde. The film was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-Cast:* Marisa Mell as Marta & Pilar...
(1971) - Es muss nicht immer Kaviar seinEs muss nicht immer Kaviar sein (TV series)Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein is a TV adaption of a novel of the same name by Austrian author Johannes Mario Simmel. Directed by Thomas Engel Siegfried Rauch walks in the footsteps of O. W. Fischer who played the protagonist "Thomas Lieven" already in 1961, just one year after the bestseller ...
(1977)
External links
- Marisa Mell at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...