Valentina Cortese

Valentina Cortese

Known for Acting · 95 credits

Born
1923-01-01
Died
2019-07-10
Place of birth
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Also known as
Valentina Cortesa

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

TV Shows (6)

Movies (89)

Appassionata
Movie

Appassionata

1974

as Elisa Rutelli

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Movie

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

1988

as Queen Ariadne / Violet

Barabbas
Movie

Barabbas

1961

as Julia

The Barefoot Contessa
Movie

The Barefoot Contessa

1954

as Eleanora Torlato-Favrini

The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Movie

The Secret of Santa Vittoria

1970

as Gabriella (uncredited)

The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Movie

The Girl Who Knew Too Much

1963

as Laura Craven-Torrani

Kidnap Syndicate
Movie

Kidnap Syndicate

1975

as Grazia Filippini

Day for Night
Movie

Day for Night

1973

as Séverine

Juliet of the Spirits
Movie

Juliet of the Spirits

1965

as Valentina

The Visit
Movie

The Visit

1964

as Mathilda Miller

La Classe américaine
Movie

La Classe américaine

1993

as The Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited)

Thieves' Highway
Movie

Thieves' Highway

1949

as Rica

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Movie

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

1972

as Pica Di Bernardone

When Time Ran Out...
Movie

When Time Ran Out...

1980

as Rose Valdez

The Assassination of Trotsky
Movie

The Assassination of Trotsky

1972

as Natalia Trotsky

Le Amiche
Movie

Le Amiche

1955

as Nene

Federico Fellini's Autobiography
Movie

Federico Fellini's Autobiography

2000

as Self

Sparrow
Movie

Sparrow

1994

as Madre Superiora

The House on Telegraph Hill
Movie

The House on Telegraph Hill

1951

as Victoria Kowelska

Black Magic
Movie

Black Magic

1949

as Zoraida

Malaya
Movie

Malaya

1949

as Luana

The Legend of Lylah Clare
Movie

The Legend of Lylah Clare

1968

as Countess Bozo Bedoni

The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire
Movie

The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire

1971

as Madame Sobieski

Oh, Grandmother's Dead
Movie

Oh, Grandmother's Dead

1969

as Ornella

Via Montenapoleone
Movie

Via Montenapoleone

1987

as madre di Guido

Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza
Movie

Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza

1975

as Olghina Franchetti

The Big Operator
Movie

The Big Operator

1976

as Witwe

Story of San Michele
Movie

Story of San Michele

1962

as Eleonora Duse

Il matrimonio
Movie

Il matrimonio

1954

Ring of Darkness
Movie

Ring of Darkness

1979

as Elena Merrill

Listen, Let's Make Love
Movie

Listen, Let's Make Love

1968

as Lallo's Mother

The Boat on the Grass
Movie

The Boat on the Grass

1971

as Catherine

Angels of Darkness
Movie

Angels of Darkness

1954

as Vally

Blue Tango
Movie

Blue Tango

1987

as Rachele Cigno

La passeggiata
Movie

La passeggiata

1953

as Lisa

The Rocket from Calabuch
Movie

The Rocket from Calabuch

1956

as Eloísa, la maestra de escuela

Secret People
Movie

Secret People

1952

as Maria Brentano / Brent / Lena Collins

Les Misérables
Movie

Les Misérables

1948

as Fantine

Nick the Sting
Movie

Nick the Sting

1976

as Regina

Kean: Genius or Scoundrel
Movie

Kean: Genius or Scoundrel

1957

as Fanny

Magic Fire
Movie

Magic Fire

1955

as Mathilde Wesendonk

The Love Mates
Movie

The Love Mates

1970

as Eva

The Possessed
Movie

The Possessed

1965

as Irma

Shadow of the Eagle
Movie

Shadow of the Eagle

1950

as Elizabeth, Princess Tarakanova

Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris
Movie

Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris

1948

as Cosetta

Black Sun
Movie

Black Sun

1966

as Maria

Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials
Movie

Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials

1965

as Self

The Kiss
Movie

The Kiss

1974

as Elizabeth Blixen

Amore mio non farmi male
Movie

Amore mio non farmi male

1974

as Sabina Foschini

Tanto va la gatta al lardo...
Movie

Tanto va la gatta al lardo...

1978

as Wilma/Leonilde Bosco Casagrande

First Love
Movie

First Love

1970

as Mutter

Square of Violence
Movie

Square of Violence

1961

as Erica Bernardi

Give Her the Moon
Movie

Give Her the Moon

1970

as Madeleine de Lépine

Diva!
Movie

Diva!

2017

Tender Dracula
Movie

Tender Dracula

1974

Widows' Nest
Movie

Widows' Nest

1977

as Dolores

Lulù
Movie

Lulù

1953

Quarta pagina
Movie

Quarta pagina

1942

as Valentina

Facciaffittasi
Movie

Facciaffittasi

1988

as Gina Grandi

Chronicle of a Homicide
Movie

Chronicle of a Homicide

1972

as Luisa Sola

The Glass Mountain
Movie

The Glass Mountain

1949

as Alida Morrosini

Son tornate a fiorire le rose
Movie

Son tornate a fiorire le rose

1975

as Sabina Foschini

Buster's Bedroom
Movie

Buster's Bedroom

1991

as Serafina Tannenbaum

Rome: Free City
Movie

Rome: Free City

1946

as La ragazza

Il bravo di Venezia
Movie

Il bravo di Venezia

1941

as Alina

Il passatore
Movie

Il passatore

1947

as Barbara

Un americano in vacanza
Movie

Un americano in vacanza

1946

as Maria

No One Comes Back
Movie

No One Comes Back

1945

as Valentina

Il Conte Aquila
Movie

Il Conte Aquila

1955

as Teresa Casati

Jailbirds
Movie

Jailbirds

1954

as Luprandi's wife

Love and Troubles
Movie

Love and Troubles

1958

as Marisa

The Jester's Supper
Movie

The Jester's Supper

1942

as Lisabetta

Crossroads of Passion
Movie

Crossroads of Passion

1948

as Maria Pilar

Le ragazze di Milano
Movie

Le ragazze di Milano

2007

as Self

Il corriere del re
Movie

Il corriere del re

1947

Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema
Movie

Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema

2001

as Self (archive footage)

L'ebreo errante
Movie

L'ebreo errante

1948

as Ester

L'attore scomparso
Movie

L'attore scomparso

1941

La regina di Navarra
Movie

La regina di Navarra

1942

Primo amore
Movie

Primo amore

1941

as Nerina Redi

Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'
Movie

Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'

1965

as Self

Adriana Lecouvreur
Movie

Adriana Lecouvreur

1955

as Adriana Lecouvreur

Soltanto un bacio
Movie

Soltanto un bacio

1942

as Maria Renda / Luisa Renda

Girl of the Golden West
Movie

Girl of the Golden West

1942

as Madge

La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa
Movie

La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa

1981

as Caterina de Dominicis

Giorni felici
Movie

Giorni felici

1943

as Marianna

Orizzonte di sangue
Movie

Orizzonte di sangue

1942

Chi l'ha visto?
Movie

Chi l'ha visto?

1945

as Luisella

4 girls dream
Movie

4 girls dream

1943

About Valentina Cortese

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… With 95 credits spanning from 1941 to 2017, Valentina Cortese has appeared in 89 films and 6 TV shows.

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