Francesca Romana Coluzzi

Francesca Romana Coluzzi
Coluzzi in Serafino (1968)
Born(1943-05-20)20 May 1943
Tirana, Albania
Died15 July 2009(2009-07-15) (aged 66)
Rome, Italy
OccupationActress
Years active1965–2005

Francesca Romana Coluzzi (20 May 1943 – 15 July 2009) was an Italian actress. A respected dramatic actress on stage, she is probably best known for her roles in the commedia sexy all'italiana.

Life and career

Born in Tirana, Albania, of Italian parents, Coluzzi soon moved to Italy with her family to Perugia.[1][2]

As a teenager, during a student twist dancing contest, Federico Fellini noticed her and offered her a role in 8½. Coluzzi declined the offer to continue her studies, but however the encounter with Fellini marked her life, and she eventually decided to leave the university to pursue a career in the cinema.[2]

She started her career as a body double, first of Mylène Demongeot in Fantômas and later of Marisa Mell in Danger: Diabolik. In 1965, at 22, Coluzzi made her acting debut in the Lucio Fulci's comedy film 002 Operazione Luna.[2]

Her breakout role came in 1969, with the role of Asmara, the Adriano Celentano's lover in Pietro Germi's Serafino.[2] One year later she played Tarsilla Tettamanzi in Alberto Lattuada's Come Have Coffee with Us, and for this role she won a Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress[3] and a Globo d'oro in the same category.[4] In the following years Coluzzi was mainly active in comedy films, especially in the commedia sexy all'italiana genre, often playing roles of unbearable and jealous wives.[2][5] In 1985, she founded in Rome a theater workshop for children, Associazione Culturale Minestrone d'Arte.[6] She died at 66 of lung cancer.[6]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Fabio Melelli (2005). L'Umbria nel cinema: tra demonio e santità. Gramma, 2005. ISBN 8889941022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Irene Hdez (18 July 2009). "La reina del cine del destape italiano". El Mundo. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  3. ^ Enrico Lancia (1998). I premi del cinema. Gremese Editore, 1998. ISBN 8877422211.
  4. ^ "Monica Vitti la migliore per la stampa straniera". La Stampa. 13 July 1971. p. 6.
  5. ^ Massimo Giraldi; Enrico Lancia; Fabio Melelli (2006). 100 caratteristi del cinema italiano. Gremese Editore, 2006. ISBN 8884403839.
  6. ^ a b Redazione (17 July 2009). "Morta Francesca Romana Coluzzi attrice delle commedie anni 70". Il Giornale. Retrieved 14 November 2013.