Olga Villi | |
|---|---|
Villi inLetter at Dawn (1948) | |
| Born | Olga Villani (1922-01-20)20 January 1922 |
| Died | 12 August 1989(1989-08-12) (aged 67) Rapallo, Italy |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1943–1975 (film/television) |
Olga Villi (20 January 1922 – 12 August 1989), was an Italian model and actress.
Born inSuzzara,Mantua asOlga Villani, Villi began to work, only twelve years old, as a saleswoman and seamstress at theMilanese fashion houseBiki.[1]
A few years later her employer hired her as a model; noted byMacario, she was hired by him in 1942 for therivista-operettaIl grillo al castello, where she had toact, sing and dance.[1] Thanks to the success of the show Villi became one of the most quotedsoubrettes of the period, working withAnna Magnani,Nino Taranto andAlberto Sordi, and in mid-1940s she also starred in several drama plays, working among others withLuchino Visconti,Alessandro Blasetti andGiorgio Strehler.[1][2]
Also active in films and on television, in 1967 Villi won aNastro d'Argento forBest Supporting Actress thanks to her performance inPietro Germi'sThe Birds, the Bees and the Italians.[3] After having announced her retirement in 1972, she came back on stage in 1984.[2]
She was married to the noblemanRaimondo Lanza di Trabia until his death in 1954.[1][4] Villi died after a long illness inRapallo, where she lived for about thirty years.[2]