Historical records matching Marcella Mariani
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About Marcella Mariani
Marcella Mariani (Rome, Italy, 8 February 1936 – Monte Terminillo, Italy, 15 February 1955) was an Italian actress and Miss Italy contest winner. Though she appeared in several popular movies and was garnering acclaim as an actress, her career was cut short by her death in a 1955 airliner crash.
Biography
Having previously worked as a cashier at a cinema in Rome, 17-year-old Mariani was crowned Miss Italy of 1953 in the Tyrolean resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo. After winning the pageant she began her career as a film actress, playing herself in the opening segment of producer/director Alfredo Guarini's portmanteau film We, the Women (1953). Although in demand due to her beauty, she was eager to improve her acting skills, and attended both the Experimental Center of Cinematography and acting school. She began taking on challenging roles and working with artistically adventurous directors.
Her most significant role was in director Luchino Visconti's 1954 film Senso, in which she worked alongside Alida Valli and Farley Granger, playing the small but important part of Clara, a young prostitute.
Her promising career was prematurely ended by her death in a plane crash, which occurred on the slopes of Monte Terminillo, in the province of Rieti, Italy, as she returned from hosting a film festival in Belgium. Traveling from Brussels to Rome, the DC-6 passenger liner crashed due to errors made by the crew in poor weather conditions. Heavy wind and snow prevented searchers from reaching the crash site for over a week. All 29 passengers and crew were believed to have died on impact. Mariani, who had turned 19 a few days earlier, was taken to Rome, where she was buried.
Visconti
Luchino Visconti adored her and gave her a role in the film "Senso" as the antagonist of Alida Valli, a well-known actress of the time. Visconti was convinced that she will become a great actress.
Filmography
- Cavalcade of Song (1953)
- We, the Women (a/k/a Of Life and Love), directed by Alfredo Guarini (1953)
- If You Won a Hundred Million, directed by Carlo Campogalliani and Carlo Moscovini (1953)
- The Mysterious Singer, directed by Marino Girolami (1954)
- Women and Soldiers, directed by Luigi Malerba and Antonio Marchi (1954)
- Senso, directed by Luchino Visconti (1954)
- The Girls of San Frediano, directed by Valerio Zurlini (1954)
- I'll Never Forget, directed by Giuseppe Guarino (1956)
Sources
About Marcella Mariani (italiano)
Marcella Mariani (Roma, 8 febbraio 1936 – Rieti, 13 febbraio 1955) è stata un'attrice italiana, Miss Italia 1953; morì a 19 anni per un incidente aereo sul monte Terminillo.
Biografia
Nata e cresciuta al Valco San Paolo, nel quartiere romano dell'Ostiense, vinse il concorso Miss Italia 1953 a Cortina d'Ampezzo e interpretò se stessa nel film Siamo donne. Iscrittasi al Centro sperimentale di cinematografia, ottenne ruoli impegnativi sotto la direzione di registi di vaglia: in Senso di Luchino Visconti (1954) ebbe la sua parte più significativa: a fianco di Alida Valli e Farley Granger interpretò una giovane prostituta. Nonostante l'esiguità della parte dimostrò il proprio talento, approfondendo gli aspetti psicologici del personaggio.
La sua promettente carriera fu prematuramente interrotta a 19 anni appena compiuti a causa di un incidente aereo nei pressi di Rieti, mentre faceva ritorno da Bruxelles a bordo di un DC-6 della Sabena schiantatosi sul monte Terminillo per un errore dei piloti dovuto al maltempo; il corpo fu rinvenuto 9 giorni dopo l'incidente.
Visconti
Luchino Visconti la adora e le assegna un ruolo nel film "Senso" come antagonista di Alida Valli, nota attrice dell'epoca e con una carriera in ascesa. Il regista ne è convinto diventerà una grande attrice.
Filmografia
- Canzoni, canzoni, canzoni, regia di Domenico Paolella (1953)
- Siamo donne, regia di Alfredo Guarini (1953)
- Villa Borghese, regia di Gianni Franciolini (1953)
- Se vincessi cento milioni, regia di Carlo Campogalliani e Carlo Moscolini (1953)
- Il cantante misterioso, regia di Marino Girolami (1954)
- Donne e soldati, regia di Luigi Malerba e Antonio Macchi (1954)
- Senso, regia di Luchino Visconti (1954)
- Le ragazze di San Frediano, regia di Valerio Zurlini (1954)
- Mai ti scorderò, regia di Giuseppe Guarino (1954)
Sources
Marcella Mariani's Timeline
1936 |
February 8, 1936
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Rome, Italy
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1955 |
February 15, 1955
Age 19
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Monte Terminillo, Micigliano, Province of Rieti, Lazio, Italy
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???? |
Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano, Rome, Italy
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