Acting
Valentina Cortese
Born 1923-01-01
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Department: Acting
Biography
Valentina Cortese (January 1, 1923 - July 10, 2019) was an Italian film actress. The Milan-born actress starred in The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) directed by Robert Wise, and costarring Richard Basehart and William Lundigan. Cortese, aged 28, married Basehart in 1951, and had one son with him before they divorced in 1960. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1975 for her performance in François Truffaut's Day for Night. Cortese appeared in Jules Dassin's Thieves' Highway (1949), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's The Barefoot Contessa (1954), Michelangelo Antonioni's Le Amiche (1955), Gérard Brach's The Boat on the Grass, Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), and in the Franco Zeffirelli projects such as the 1972 film Brother Sun, Sister Moon, his 1977 miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth and the 1993 film Sparrow.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Valentina Cortese
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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
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Day for Night
1973
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TV
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Jesus of Nazareth
1977
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Juliet of the Spirits
1965
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The Barefoot Contessa
1954
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La Classe américaine
1993
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Barabbas
1961
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The Girl Who Knew Too Much
1963
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Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1972
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Thieves' Highway
1949
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (97 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Diva! | Self / Appearance | Movie | 2017 |
| Le ragazze di Milano | Self | Movie | 2007 | |
 | Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2001 |
 | Federico Fellini's Autobiography | Self | Movie | 2000 |
 | Sparrow | Madre Superiora | Movie | 1994 |
 | La Classe américaine | The Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited) | Movie | 1993 |
 | Buster's Bedroom | Serafina Tannenbaum | Movie | 1991 |
 | I promessi sposi | Donna Prassede | TV Series | 1989 |
 | The Adventures of Baron Munchausen | Queen Ariadne / Violet | Movie | 1988 |
 | Young Toscanini | Comparsa (uncredited) | Movie | 1988 |
| Facciaffittasi | Gina Grandi | Movie | 1988 | |
| Facciaffittasi | Gina Grandi | TV Series | 1988 | |
 | Via Montenapoleone | madre di Guido | Movie | 1987 |
 | Blue Tango | Rachele Cigno | Movie | 1987 |
 | La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa | Caterina de Dominicis | Movie | 1981 |
 | When Time Ran Out... | Rose Valdez | Movie | 1980 |
 | Ring of Darkness | Elena Merrill | Movie | 1979 |
 | Tanto va la gatta al lardo... | Wilma/Leonilde Bosco Casagrande | Movie | 1978 |
 | Widows' Nest | Dolores | Movie | 1977 |
 | Jesus of Nazareth | Herodias | TV Series | 1977 |
 | The Big Operator | Witwe | Movie | 1976 |
 | Nick the Sting | Regina | Movie | 1976 |
 | Son tornate a fiorire le rose | Sabina Foschini | Movie | 1975 |
 | Kidnap Syndicate | Grazia Filippini | Movie | 1975 |
 | Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza | Olghina Franchetti | Movie | 1975 |
 | The Kiss | Elizabeth Blixen | Movie | 1974 |
 | Tender Dracula | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1974 |
 | Amore mio non farmi male | Sabina Foschini | Movie | 1974 |
 | Appassionata | Elisa Rutelli | Movie | 1974 |
 | Day for Night | Séverine | Movie | 1973 |
 | The Assassination of Trotsky | Natalia Trotsky | Movie | 1972 |
 | Brother Sun, Sister Moon | Pica Di Bernardone | Movie | 1972 |
 | Chronicle of a Homicide | Luisa Sola | Movie | 1972 |
 | The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire | Madame Sobieski | Movie | 1971 |
 | The Boat on the Grass | Catherine | Movie | 1971 |
 | The Love Mates | Eva | Movie | 1970 |
 | First Love | Mutter | Movie | 1970 |
 | Give Her the Moon | Madeleine de Lépine | Movie | 1970 |
 | The Secret of Santa Vittoria | Gabriella (uncredited) | Movie | 1970 |
 | Oh, Grandmother's Dead | Ornella | Movie | 1969 |
| Il killer | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1969 | |
 | Listen, Let's Make Love | Lallo's Mother | Movie | 1968 |
 | The Legend of Lylah Clare | Countess Bozo Bedoni | Movie | 1968 |
 | Black Sun | Maria | Movie | 1966 |
 | Juliet of the Spirits | Valentina | Movie | 1965 |
 | Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials | Self | Movie | 1965 |
 | The Possessed | Irma | Movie | 1965 |
 | Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini' | Self | Movie | 1965 |
 | I grandi camaleonti | Giuseppina Bonaparte | TV Series | 1964 |
 | The Visit | Mathilda Miller | Movie | 1964 |
 | The Girl Who Knew Too Much | Laura Craven-Torrani | Movie | 1963 |
 | Story of San Michele | Eleonora Duse | Movie | 1962 |
 | Barabbas | Julia | Movie | 1961 |
 | Square of Violence | Erica Bernardi | Movie | 1961 |
 | Love and Troubles | Marisa | Movie | 1958 |
 | Kean: Genius or Scoundrel | Fanny | Movie | 1957 |
 | The Rocket from Calabuch | Eloísa, la maestra de escuela | Movie | 1956 |
 | Le Amiche | Nene | Movie | 1955 |
 | Il Conte Aquila | Teresa Casati | Movie | 1955 |
 | Adriana Lecouvreur | Adriana Lecouvreur | Movie | 1955 |
 | Magic Fire | Mathilde Wesendonk | Movie | 1955 |
 | The Barefoot Contessa | Eleanora Torlato-Favrini | Movie | 1954 |
 | Jailbirds | Luprandi's wife | Movie | 1954 |
 | Il matrimonio | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1954 |
 | Angels of Darkness | Vally | Movie | 1954 |
 | Lulù | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1953 |
 | La passeggiata | Lisa | Movie | 1953 |
 | Secret People | Maria Brentano / Brent / Lena Collins | Movie | 1952 |
 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Dr. Bruni | TV Series | 1951 |
 | The House on Telegraph Hill | Victoria Kowelska | Movie | 1951 |
| Lux Video Theatre | Emilie Gallatin | TV Series | 1950 | |
 | Shadow of the Eagle | Elizabeth, Princess Tarakanova | Movie | 1950 |
 | Malaya | Luana | Movie | 1949 |
 | Thieves' Highway | Rica | Movie | 1949 |
 | Black Magic | Zoraida | Movie | 1949 |
 | The Glass Mountain | Alida Morrosini | Movie | 1949 |
 | Crossroads of Passion | Maria Pilar | Movie | 1948 |
 | L'ebreo errante | Ester | Movie | 1948 |
 | Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris | Cosetta | Movie | 1948 |
 | Les Misérables | Fantine | Movie | 1948 |
 | Il corriere del re | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1947 |
 | Il passatore | Barbara | Movie | 1947 |
 | Rome: Free City | La ragazza | Movie | 1946 |
 | Un americano in vacanza | Maria | Movie | 1946 |
| Chi l'ha visto? | Luisella | Movie | 1945 | |
 | No One Comes Back | Valentina | Movie | 1945 |
| 4 girls dream | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1943 | |
 | Giorni felici | Marianna | Movie | 1943 |
 | Quarta pagina | Valentina | Movie | 1942 |
| Soltanto un bacio | Maria Renda / Luisa Renda | Movie | 1942 | |
| La regina di Navarra | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1942 | |
 | The Jester's Supper | Lisabetta | Movie | 1942 |
 | Girl of the Golden West | Madge | Movie | 1942 |
| Orizzonte di sangue | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1942 | |
 | Primo amore | Nerina Redi | Movie | 1941 |
 | Il bravo di Venezia | Alina | Movie | 1941 |
 | L'attore scomparso | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1941 |