Acting · Milan, Lombardy, Italy · Born January 1, 1923
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.
MovieDiva!
2017
Le ragazze di Milano
2007
as Self
MovieMichelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema
2001
as Self (archive footage)
MovieFederico Fellini's Autobiography
2000
as Self
MovieSparrow
1994
as Madre Superiora
MovieLa Classe américaine
1993
as The Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieBuster's Bedroom
1991
as Serafina Tannenbaum
TVI promessi sposi
1989
as Donna Prassede
MovieThe Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
as Queen Ariadne / Violet
Facciaffittasi
1988
as Gina Grandi
Facciaffittasi
1988
as Gina Grandi
MovieVia Montenapoleone
1987
as madre di Guido
MovieBlue Tango
1987
as Rachele Cigno
MovieLa Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa
1981
as Caterina de Dominicis
MovieWhen Time Ran Out...
1980
as Rose Valdez
MovieRing of Darkness
1979
as Elena Merrill
MovieTanto va la gatta al lardo...
1978
as Wilma/Leonilde Bosco Casagrande
MovieWidows' Nest
1977
as Dolores
TVJesus of Nazareth
1977
as Herodias
MovieThe Big Operator
1976
as Witwe
MovieNick the Sting
1976
as Regina
MovieSon tornate a fiorire le rose
1975
as Sabina Foschini
MovieKidnap Syndicate
1975
as Grazia Filippini
MovieIl cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza
1975
as Olghina Franchetti
MovieThe Kiss
1974
as Elizabeth Blixen
MovieTender Dracula
1974
MovieAmore mio non farmi male
1974
as Sabina Foschini
MovieAppassionata
1974
as Elisa Rutelli
MovieDay for Night
1973
as Séverine
MovieThe Assassination of Trotsky
1972
as Natalia Trotsky
MovieBrother Sun, Sister Moon
1972
as Pica Di Bernardone
MovieChronicle of a Homicide
1972
as Luisa Sola
MovieThe Iguana with the Tongue of Fire
1971
as Madame Sobieski
MovieThe Boat on the Grass
1971
as Catherine
MovieThe Love Mates
1970
as Eva
MovieFirst Love
1970
as Mutter
MovieGive Her the Moon
1970
as Madeleine de Lépine
MovieThe Secret of Santa Vittoria
1970
as Gabriella (uncredited)
MovieOh, Grandmother's Dead
1969
as Ornella
Il killer
1969
MovieListen, Let's Make Love
1968
as Lallo's Mother
MovieThe Legend of Lylah Clare
1968
as Countess Bozo Bedoni
MovieBlack Sun
1966
as Maria
MovieJuliet of the Spirits
1965
as Valentina
MovieAntonioni: Documents and Testimonials
1965
as Self
MovieThe Possessed
1965
as Irma
MovieReporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'
1965
as Self
TVI grandi camaleonti
1964
as Giuseppina Bonaparte
MovieThe Visit
1964
as Mathilda Miller
MovieThe Girl Who Knew Too Much
1963
as Laura Craven-Torrani
MovieStory of San Michele
1962
as Eleonora Duse
MovieBarabbas
1961
as Julia
MovieSquare of Violence
1961
as Erica Bernardi
MovieLove and Troubles
1958
as Marisa
MovieKean: Genius or Scoundrel
1957
as Fanny
MovieThe Rocket from Calabuch
1956
as Eloísa, la maestra de escuela
MovieLe Amiche
1955
as Nene
MovieIl Conte Aquila
1955
as Teresa Casati
MovieAdriana Lecouvreur
1955
as Adriana Lecouvreur
MovieMagic Fire
1955
as Mathilde Wesendonk
MovieThe Barefoot Contessa
1954
as Eleanora Torlato-Favrini
Jailbirds
1954
as Luprandi's wife
MovieIl matrimonio
1954
MovieAngels of Darkness
1954
as Vally
MovieLulù
1953
MovieLa passeggiata
1953
as Lisa
MovieSecret People
1952
as Maria Brentano / Brent / Lena Collins
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Dr. Bruni
MovieThe House on Telegraph Hill
1951
as Victoria Kowelska
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Emilie Gallatin
MovieShadow of the Eagle
1950
as Elizabeth, Princess Tarakanova
MovieMalaya
1949
as Luana
MovieThieves' Highway
1949
as Rica
MovieBlack Magic
1949
as Zoraida
MovieThe Glass Mountain
1949
as Alida Morrosini
MovieCrossroads of Passion
1948
as Maria Pilar
MovieL'ebreo errante
1948
as Ester
MovieLes Misérables - Storm Over Paris
1948
as Cosetta
MovieLes Misérables
1948
as Fantine
MovieIl corriere del re
1947
MovieIl passatore
1947
as Barbara
MovieRome: Free City
1946
as La ragazza
MovieUn americano in vacanza
1946
as Maria
Chi l'ha visto?
1945
as Luisella
MovieNo One Comes Back
1945
as Valentina
4 girls dream
1943
MovieGiorni felici
1943
as Marianna
MovieQuarta pagina
1942
as Valentina
Soltanto un bacio
1942
as Maria Renda / Luisa Renda
La regina di Navarra
1942
MovieThe Jester's Supper
1942
as Lisabetta
MovieGirl of the Golden West
1942
as Madge
Orizzonte di sangue
1942
MoviePrimo amore
1941
as Nerina Redi
MovieIl bravo di Venezia
1941
as Alina
MovieL'attore scomparso
1941
