Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg (; 29 September 193111 January 2015) was a Swedish actress active in American and European films, known for her beauty and stunning figure. She became prominent in her iconic role as Sylvia in the

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

film ''

La Dolce Vita ''La Dolce Vita'' (; Italian for "the sweet life" or "the good life"Kezich, 203) is a 1960 satirical comedy-drama film directed and co-written (with Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli and Brunello Rondi) by Federico Fellini. The film stars Marcell ...

'' (1960). Ekberg worked primarily in Italy, where she became a

permanent resident Permanent residency is a person's legal resident status in a country or territory of which such person is not a citizen but where they have the right to reside on a permanent basis. This is usually for a permanent period; a person with such ...

in 1964.

Early life

Anita Ekberg was born on 29 September 1931, in

Malmö Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal populat ...

Skåne Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous with Skåne C ...

(

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

), the sixth of eight children. In her teens, Anita worked as a fashion model. Ekberg entered the Miss Malmö competition in 1950 at her mother's urging. This led to the

Miss Sweden Miss Sweden or Miss Universe Sweden (in Swedish: ''Fröken Sverige''), is the title of the Swedish beauty pageant, qualifying delegates to the Miss Universe competition. In 2009 the pageant renamed as Miss Universe Sweden and the first national ...

contest which she won. Despite speaking very little English, she went to the United States to compete for the 1951

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...

title (an unofficial pageant at that time, the pageant became official in 1952).

Career

Universal Studios

Although Ekberg did not win the Miss Universe pageant, as one of six finalists, she did earn a

starlet Starlet may refer to: Entertainment * ''Starlet'' (film), a 2012 independent dramatic film directed by Sean Baker * ''The Starlet'', reality TV show * The Starlets, a girl group Transport * Toyota Starlet, a car produced between 1973 and 1 ...

's contract with

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

. As a starlet at Universal, she received lessons in drama, elocution, dancing, horseback riding, and fencing. She appeared briefly in '' The Mississippi Gambler'' (1953), ''

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars ''Abbott and Costello Go to Mars'' is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film starring the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and directed by Charles Lamont. It was produced by Howard Christie and made by Universal-International. D ...

'' (1953) (playing a woman on Venus), ''

Take Me to Town ''Take Me To Town'' is a 1953 American Comedy film, Comedy Western (genre), Western film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Ann Sheridan and Sterling Hayden. Plot On the lam after a robbery and needing a place to hide out, Vermilion O'Toole ...

'' (1953), and ''

The Golden Blade ''The Golden Blade'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Rock Hudson as Harun Al-Rashid and Piper Laurie as Princess Khairuzan. It is set in ancient Bagdad and borrows from the Arabic fairy tales of ''One Thousa ...

'' (1953). Ekberg skipped many of her drama lessons, restricting herself to riding horses in the

Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Geography The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...

. Ekberg later admitted she was spoiled by the studio system and played instead of pursuing bigger film roles. Universal dropped her after six months.

Batjac and Paramount

The combination of Ekberg's voluptuous physique and colourful private life (such as her well-publicized romances with Hollywood's leading men like

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the ...

Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including ''The Time Machine'' (1960), ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961), '' The Birds'' (1963), and ''In ...

, and

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

) appealed to the gossip magazines, like ''

Confidential Confidentiality involves a set of rules or a promise usually executed through confidentiality agreements that limits the access or places restrictions on certain types of information. Legal confidentiality By law, lawyers are often required ...

'' and she soon became a major 1950s

pin-up A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...

, appearing in men's magazines like ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

''. Additionally, Ekberg participated in

publicity stunt In marketing, a publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized, or set up by amateurs. Such events are frequently utilize ...

s. She once admitted that an incident in which her dress burst open in the lobby of London's Berkeley Hotel was prearranged with a photographer. Ekberg toured Greenland with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...

, entertaining American servicemen. Hope spoke of her beauty and

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

signed her to a contract with his

Batjac Productions Batjac Productions is an independent film production company co-founded by John Wayne in 1952 as a vehicle for Wayne to both produce and star in movies. The first Batjac production was '' Big Jim McLain'' released by Warner Bros. in 1952, and its ...

at $75 a week. By the mid-1950s, after several modelling jobs, Ekberg finally broke into the film industry. She guest-starred in the short-lived TV series ''

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

'' (1955) and ''

Private Secretary A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family. The role exists in t ...

''. She had a small part in the film ''

Blood Alley ''Blood Alley'' is a 1955 American seafaring Cold War adventure film produced by John Wayne, directed by William A. Wellman, and starring Wayne and Lauren Bacall. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. and shot in CinemaScope and Warnercolor. ...

'' (1955) starring

and

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary Aw ...

, made for Wayne's

. It was her first real speaking role in a feature. She appeared alongside the

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

and

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

comedy act in ''

Artists and Models ''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...

'' (1955), directed by

Frank Tashlin Frank Tashlin (born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, February 19, 1913 – May 5, 1972), also known as Tish Tash and Frank Tash, was an American animator, cartoonist, children's writer, illustrator, screenwriter, and film director. He was best kn ...

for Paramount, playing "Anita". Ekberg's greatest opportunity was when Paramount cast her in ''

War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...

'' (1956) which was shot in Rome, alongside

Mel Ferrer Melchor Gastón Ferrer (August 25, 1917 – June 2, 2008) was an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He achieved prominence on Broadway before scoring notable film hits with ''Scaramouche'', ''Lili'' and ''Knights of the Round ...

and

Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, t ...

, directed by

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor (; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

. For a time, she was even publicised as "Paramount's

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

Ekberg was third billed in a thriller for Batjac, ''

Man in the Vault ''Man in the Vault'' is a 1956 film noir about a locksmith, played by William Campbell, who is forced to help gangsters commit a robbery. The screenplay by Burt Kennedy was based on the novel ''The Lock and the Key'' by Frank Gruber. The film wa ...

'' (1956). It was distributed by

RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...

who had given Ekberg an excellent part in ''

Back from Eternity ''Back from Eternity'' is a 1956 American drama film about a planeload of people stranded in the South American jungle and subsequently menaced by headhunters. The film stars Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger, Anita Ekberg and Gene Barry. The film is a ...

'' (1956), directed by

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

. Ekberg signed a deal with

Warwick Pictures Warwick Films was a film company founded by film producers Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli in London in 1951. The name was taken from the Warwick Hotel in London.Broccoli, Albert R., Zec Donald. ''When the Snow Melts''. Boxtree. 1998 Their f ...

, the company of producers

Albert Broccoli Albert Romolo Broccoli ( ; April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996), nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career. Most of the films were made in the United Kingdom and often filmed at ...

and

Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen, June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film gen ...

, who made films in England. She did ''

Zarak ''Zarak'' is a 1957 CinemaScope adventure film based on the 1949 book ''The Story of Zarak Khan'' by A.J. Bevan. It was directed by Terence Young with assistance from John Gilling and Yakima Canutt. Set in the Northwest Frontier (though filmed ...

'' (1956) with

Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include ''One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darlin ...

. Ekberg returned to Hollywood to make a second film with Martin and Lewis (and Tashlin), '' Hollywood or Bust'' (1956). Ekberg made a second film for Warwick with Mature, ''

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...

'' (1957). In 1956,

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

said her fee was $75,000 per picture. She was announced for ''Glare'' directed by

Budd Boetticher Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr. ( ; July 29, 1916 – November 29, 2001) was an American film director. He is best remembered for a series of low-budget Westerns he made in the late 1950s starring Randolph Scott. Early life Boetticher was born in ...

, but it was not made. When

split up with his producing partner Robert Fellows, Fellows took over Ekberg's contract.

Gerd Oswald

Ekberg returned to Hollywood to make ''

Valerie Valerie may refer to: People *Saint Valerie (disambiguation), a number of saints went by the name Valerie *Valerie (given name), a feminine given name Songs *"Valerie", a 1981 song by Quarterflash, from ''Quarterflash'' *"Valerie", a 1982 son ...

'' (1957) with

Sterling Hayden Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor, author, sailor and decorated Marine Corps officer and an Office of Strategic Services' agent during World War II. A leading man for mos ...

and her then-husband Anthony Steel for director

Gerd Oswald Gerd Oswald (June 9, 1919 – May 22, 1989) was a German director of American films and television. Biography Born in Berlin, Oswald was the son of German film director Richard Oswald and actress Käthe Oswald. He worked as a child actor b ...

. She co-starred with

and

Fernandel Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French actor and singer. Born near Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, an Occitan to ...

in '' Paris Holiday'' (1958). It was also directed by Oswald as was '' Screaming Mimi'' (1958). She did a third for Warwick, '' The Man Inside'' (1958) with Jack Palance. Another film was announced for her, entitled ''A Lot of Woman'', but it was not made.

Italy and ''La Dolce Vita''

Ekberg went to Italy to star in '' Sheba and the Gladiator'' (1959), playing

Zenobia Septimia Zenobia (Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city, ...

She stayed in Rome to make ''

'' (1960) for

, performing as Sylvia Rank, the unattainable "dream woman" of the character played by

Marcello Mastroianni Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni (28 September 1924 – 19 December 1996) was an Italian film actor, regarded as one of his country's most iconic male performers of the 20th century. He played leading roles for many of Italy's top di ...

. The film features a scene of her cavorting in Rome's

Trevi Fountain The Trevi Fountain ( it, Fontana di Trevi) is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini and several others. Standing high and wide, it is the larg ...

alongside Mastroianni, which has been called "one of cinema's most iconic scenes". The movie was an international sensation and Ekberg settled in Rome. She had the lead in an Italian-French co production, ''

Last Train to Shanghai ''The Dam on the Yellow River'' ( it, Apocalisse sul fiume giallo, french: Le dernier train de Shanghai, released in UK as ''Last Train to Shanghai'') is a 1960 Italian-French drama film written and directed by Renzo Merusi. Plot In China, durin ...

'' (1960) (aka ''The Dam on the Yellow River''), then was in '' Le tre eccetera del colonnello'' (1960), '' The Call Girl Business'' (1960), '' Behind Closed Doors'' (1961), and ''

The Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...

'' (1961), which had an American director (

André de Toth Endre Antal Miksa DeToth, better known as Andre de Toth (born Endre Antal Mihály Tóth; May 15, 1913 – October 27, 2002), was a Hungarian-American film director, born and raised in Makó, Austria-Hungary. He directed the 3D film ''House ...

) and co star (

Jack Palance Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...

). She later said "things became a little bit boring for me after ''La Dolce Vita'' because every producer or director in Italy, England and America wanted me to recreate the same role – the movie star from America who comes over to Italy." Ekberg then appeared in ''

Boccaccio '70 ''Boccaccio '70'' is a 1962 comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli and Luchino Visconti from an idea by Cesare Zavattini. It consists of four episodes, each by one of the directors, all about a diffe ...

'' (1962), a film that also featured

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...

and

Romy Schneider Romy Schneider (; born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach; 23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982) was a German-French actress. She began her career in the German genre in the early 1950s when she was 15. From 1955 to 1957, she played the central chara ...

. Soon thereafter, Ekberg was being considered by Broccoli to play the first

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

Honey Ryder Honeychile Rider is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel '' Dr. No''. In the 1962 Bond film of the same name, her name was shortened and changed to Honey Ryder. In the film, she is played by Swiss actress Ursula Andress and ...

in '' Dr. No'', but the role went to the then-unknown

Ursula Andress Ursula Andress (born 19 March 1936) is a Swiss-German actress, former model and sex symbol who has appeared in American, British and Italian films. Her breakthrough role was as Bond girl Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, '' Dr. No'' (1962 ...

. However Broccoli then cast her in ''

Call Me Bwana ''Call Me Bwana'' is a 1963 British Technicolor farce film starring Bob Hope and Anita Ekberg and directed by Gordon Douglas. Largely set in Africa, it was the only film made by Eon Productions not about the fictional MI6 agent James Bond un ...

'' (1963) with

. ''Call Me Bwana'' was featured in the second Bond film, '' From Russia with Love'', during a sequence where Ali Kerim Bey assassinates the Russian agent Krilencu with a sniper rifle. Krilencu attempts to escape through a window, which is situated in Anita Ekberg's mouth, on the wall-sized poster: "She should have kept her mouth shut", Bond quips. Ekberg co-starred with Andress,

, and Dean Martin in the western-comedy ''

4 for Texas ''4 for Texas'' is a 1963 American comedy Western film starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, and Ursula Andress, and featuring Charles Bronson and Mike Mazurki, with a cameo appearance by Arthur Godfrey and the Three Stooges (Larry ...

'' (1963). She returned to Europe to make '' Love Factory'' (1964) and ''

Who Wants to Sleep? ''Who Wants to Sleep?'' (german: Das Liebeskarussell) is a 1965 Austrian-West German comedy film directed by Rolf Thiele, Axel von Ambesser and Alfred Weidenmann and starring Curd Jürgens, Anita Ekberg, and Catherine Deneuve. It consists of a s ...

'' (1965). She went to England for an

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

adaptation, ''

The Alphabet Murders ''The Alphabet Murders'' is a 1965 British detective film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot. It is based on the 1936 novel ''The A.B.C. Murders'' by Agatha Christie. Plot Albert Aachen, a clown with a unique ...

'' (1965), directed by

who had directed her two Martin and Lewis films. Ekberg was in the Italian ''

How I Learned to Love Women ''How I Learned to Love Women'' ( it, Come imparai ad amare le donne, french: Comment j'ai appris à aimer les femmes, german: Das gewisse Etwas der Frauen, also known as ''Love Parade'') is a 1966 Italian-French-German comedy film directed by Lu ...

'' (1966) then had a small role in a

comedy, '' Way... Way Out'' (1966). She was in ''

Pardon, Are You For or Against? ''Pardon, Are You For or Against?'' ( it, Scusi, lei è favorevole o contrario?) is a 1966 Italian comedy film written, directed and starred by Alberto Sordi. The title refers to debates on the issue of divorce, still illegal in Italy at the time ...

'' (1966), an

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, director and screenwriter. Early life Born in Rome to a schoolteacher and a musician and the last of five children, Sordi was named in hon ...

comedy; '' The Cobra'' (1967), an Italian crime film with

Dana Andrews Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts ...

; '' The Glass Sphinx'' (1967) with Robert Taylor; ''

Woman Times Seven ''Woman Times Seven'' ( it, Sette volte donna) is a 1967 sex comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It consists of seven segments, all starring Shirley MacLaine, most of which deal with aspects of adultery. Plot ''Paulette/Funeral ...

'' (1967), an anthology directed by

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...

, in a segment with

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...

; and '' Crónica de un atraco'' (1968). She had a cameo in ''

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium ''If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium'' is a 1969 American DeLuxe Color romantic comedy film made by Wolper Pictures and released by United Artists. It was directed by Mel Stuart, was filmed on location throughout Europe, and features many came ...

'' (1969) and the lead in ''

Fangs of the Living Dead ''Malenka, the Vampire's Niece'' is a 1969 horror film that was written and directed by Spanish director Amando de Ossorio; it was his first horror film. One of the first vampire films from Spain, it was inspired by similarly themed Italian and ...

'' (1969), ''

Death Knocks Twice ''Death Knocks Twice'' ( it, La morte bussa due volte), german: Blonde Köder für den Mörder), is a 1969 Italian-German detective film directed by Harald Philipp and starring Dean Reed, Fabio Testi and Adolfo Celi. It also starred Anita Ekberg ...

'' (1969), and ''

A Candidate for a Killing ''A Candidate for a Killing'' is a 1969 Italian film. It starred John Richardson and Anita Ekberg. It was an early film credit for composer Bill Conti William Conti (born April 13, 1942) is an American composer and conductor, best known for ...

'' (1969).

Later career

Fellini called Ekberg back for a cameo in '' The Clowns ''(1970). She had bigger parts in ''

The Divorce The Divorce was a rock band from Seattle, Washington, originally composed of Shane Berry, lead vocals, keyboard, guitar and tambourine, (bass) and Kyle Risan, drums. History The band's first full-length release was ''There Will Be Blood Tonig ...

'' (1970) with

Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important productions ...

; '' The Conjugal Debt'' (1970); '' Quella chiara notte d'ottobre'' (1970); ''

The French Sex Murders ''The French Sex Murders'' (Italian: ''Casa d'appuntamento'' (Translation: ''House of Rendezvous'') is a 1972 giallo film directed by Ferdinando Merighi under the pseudonym "F. L. Morris", and edited by Bruno Mattei. It was released as ''The Fre ...

'' (1972), a

giallo In Italian cinema, ''Giallo'' (; plural ''gialli'', from ''giallo'', Italian for yellow) is a genre of mystery fiction and thrillers that often contains slasher, crime fiction, psychological thriller, psychological horror, sexploitation, and, ...

; and '' Deadly Trackers'' (1972). She went to Asia to make a Hollywood film, '' Northeast of Seoul'' (1972). In 1972, she sued an Italian magazine for publishing naked photographs of her. Ekberg was also in '' Gold of the Amazon Women'' (1979), ''

Killer Nun ''Killer Nun'' (Italian: ''Suor Omicidi'', ''Sister Murders'') is a 1979 Italian nunsploitation horror film directed and co-written by Giulio Berruti, co-written by Alberto Tarallo, and starring Anita Ekberg, Joe Dallesandro, Lou Castel, and Al ...

'' (1979), '' S.H.E: Security Hazards Expert'' (1980), '' Cicciabomba'' (1982), and '' The Seduction of Angela'' (1986). Fellini used her in ''

Intervista ''Intervista'' (English: ''Interview'') is a 1987 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Plot Interviewed by a Japanese TV crew for a news report on his latest film, Fellini takes the viewer behind the scenes at Cinecittà. A nighttime set ...

'' (1987), appearing as herself in a reunion scene with Mastroianni. Later performances included '' Count Max'' (1991), ''

Ambrogio Ambrogio is a given name, and may refer to: *Saint Ambrogio (Ambrose), patron saint of Milan *Ambrogio Lorenzetti ( – 1348), painter *Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, the birth name of Pope Pius XI *Ambrogio Bergognone, Renaissance painter *Ambr ...

'' (1992), '' Cattive ragazze'' (1992), ''

Witness Run In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

'' (1996), and '' Bámbola'' (1996), in a part turned down by

Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist, and politician. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, a period in which she was an international sex symbol. As o ...

. She had a good part in '' Le nain rouge'' (1998). She guest-starred in the Italian TV series ''

Il bello delle donne ''Il bello delle donne'' (Beauty of Women) is an Italian comedy-drama television series. The story is about the lives of different Italian women. Main cast *Stefania Sandrelli: Anna Borsi * Nancy Brilli: Vicky Melzi (1ª e 3ª Seasons) *Giulian ...

'' (2001). In 2021 actress

Monica Bellucci Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (; born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and model. She began her career as a fashion model, modelling for Dolce & Gabbana and Dior, before making a transition to Italian films and later American and French ...

co-produced and starred in a

mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...

dedicated to Ekberg, called “The girl in the fountain” presented as a special event at the 2021

Torino Film festival The Torino Film Festival (also called the Turin Film Festival, TFF) is an international film festival held annually in Turin, Italy. Held every November, it is the second largest film festival in Italy, following the Venice Film Festival. It was f ...

Personal life

Both of Ekberg's marriages were to actors, but neither of them succeeded. She was married to Anthony Steel from 22 May 1956 until their divorce on 14 May 1959 and to

Rik Van Nutter Frederick Allen Nutter (May 1, 1929 – October 15, 2005), known professionally as Rik Van Nutter, was an American actor who appeared in many minor films and the James Bond picture '' Thunderball''. Career He is best known for playing the thi ...

from 9 April 1963 until their divorce in 1975. In a 2006 interview she said she wished she had a child, but stated just the opposite six months later. Ekberg's great love was

Gianni Agnelli Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli (; 12 March 192124 January 2003), nicknamed ("The Lawyer"), was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce a ...

, the Italian industrialist and owner of Fiat. They were lovers for several years, although he was married. Ekberg was often outspoken in interviews, ''e.g.'', naming famous people she reportedly "couldn't bear". She was also frequently quoted as saying that it was Fellini who owed his success to ''her'', rather than ''vice versa'': "They would like to keep up the story that Fellini made me famous, that Fellini discovered me", she said in a 1999 interview with ''The New York Times''. Ekberg did not live in Sweden after the early 1950s, and rarely visited the country. However, she welcomed Swedish journalists into her home outside Rome and in 2005, appeared on the popular radio program '' Sommar'', talking about her life. She stated in an interview that she would not move back to Sweden but would be buried there. In 1963, she was sued by her publicist. In 1977, she was robbed in August and in December. Anitaekberg

On 19 July 2009, she was admitted to the San Giovanni Hospital in Rome after falling ill in her home in Genzano, according to a medical official in the hospital's neurosurgery department. Despite her condition not being serious, Ekberg was put under observation in the facility. In December 2011, it was reported that the 80-year-old Ekberg was "destitute" following three months in a Rimini hospital with a broken hip, during which time her home was robbed of jewelry and furniture, and her villa was badly damaged by fire. Ekberg applied for help from the Fellini Foundation, which also found itself in difficult financial straits.

Death

Ekberg died on 11 January 2015, at the age of 83, at the clinic San Raffaele in

Rocca di Papa Rocca di Papa (Roman Castles Romanesco: ) is a small town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Lazio, Italy. It is one of the Castelli Romani about southeast of Rome on the Alban Hills. It is close to the other communes of Velletri ...

Roman Castles The so-called Roman Castles (''Castelli Romani'' in Italian) are a group of ''comunes'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome. They are located a short distance south-east of the city of Rome, at the feet of the Alban Hills, in the territory corresp ...

, from complications of chronic illnesses. The actress had been in a wheelchair for several years after being knocked down by one of her pet Great Danes, which broke her hip. Ekberg's funeral service was held on 14 January 2015, at the Lutheran-Evangelical Christuskirche in Rome, after which her body was cremated and her remains were buried at the cemetery of

Skanör Church Skanör is a town in Vellinge Municipality and part of the conurbation Skanör med Falsterbo in southwestern Scania, Sweden. City facilities include hotels, restaurants, a harbour, a medieval church and an elementary school. A greenbelt cal ...

in Sweden, in accordance with her wishes to be buried in her land of birth.

Filmography

Film

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comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

film written and directed by

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The Dam on the Yellow River ''The Dam on the Yellow River'' ( it, Apocalisse sul fiume giallo, french: Le dernier train de Shanghai, released in UK as ''Last Train to Shanghai'') is a 1960 Italian-French drama film written and directed by Renzo Merusi. Plot In China, durin ...

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Luciano Salce Luciano Salce (25 September 1922 – 17 December 1989) was an Italian film director, comedian, tv host, producer, actor and lyricist. His 1962 film ''Le pillole di Ercole'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy at the 67th Ve ...

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Mario Sequi Mario Sequi (1913-1992) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.Bayman p.59 A Sardinian by birth, he was married to the actress Lia Franca. He began his career in the 1930s as a production manager in the 1930s before becoming a director af ...

. , , - , '' The Glass Sphinx'' , Paulette , * Italian-American 1967 adventure film directed by

Luigi Scattini Luigi Scattini (17 May 1927 – 12 July 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Scattini graduated in law, then he began his career as a journalist and a film critic for several weekly magazines such as '' Gente'' and '' Oggi''. ...

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Malenka ''Malenka, the Vampire's Niece'' is a 1969 horror film that was written and directed by Spanish director Amando de Ossorio; it was his first horror film. One of the first vampire films from Spain, it was inspired by similarly themed Italian and ...

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'' , Sophia Perretti , * it, La morte bussa due volte *

Detective film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...

directed by

Harald Philipp Harald Philipp (1921–1999) was a German film director, screenwriter and actor. Selected filmography * ''The Old Forester House'' (1956) * ''The Csardas King'' (1958) * ''A Thousand Stars Aglitter'' (1959) * ' (1960) * ''Brandenburg Division'' ...

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Romolo Guerrieri Romolo Guerrieri, aka ''Romolo Girolami'' (born 5 December 1931) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 17 films between 1961 and 1992. Selected filmography ;Director * '' Ten Thousand Dollars for a Massacre'' (1966) * '' ...

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about the human fascination with

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s and

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclist ...

es. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1972 , '' Casa d'appuntamento'' , Madame Colette , , , - , ''La lunga cavalcata della vendetta'' , Jane , , , - , '' Northeast of Seoul'' , Katherine , Film directed by

David Lowell Rich David Lowell Rich (August 31, 1920 – October 21, 2001) was an American film director and producer. He directed nearly 100 films and TV episodes between 1950 and 1987. He was born in New York City. He began directing on a regular basis in 1 ...

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S*H*E ''S*H*E*'' or ''S+H+E: Security Hazards Expert'' is a 1980 spy film concerning a sexy undercover female espionage agent. Starring Cornelia Sharpe and Omar Sharif, it was written by Richard Maibaum and is a Martin Bregman production. The main ti ...

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spy film The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many James Bond films) ...

directed by

Robert Michael Lewis The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

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Christian De Sica Christian De Sica (; born 5 January 1951) is an Italian actor and film director. Life De Sica was born in Rome the second son of Italian director Vittorio De Sica and Spanish actress María Mercader. His first cousin once removed was Ramón M ...

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Bambola ''Bambola'' (also spelled ''Bámbola'') is a 1996 erotic melodrama film written and directed by Bigas Luna. Cast * Valeria Marini as Mina, aka "Bambola" * Stefano Dionisi as Flavio * Jorge Perugorría as Furio * Manuel Bandera as Settimio * ...

'' , Mother Greta , French-Spanish-Italian

erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...

melodrama film A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

written and directed by

Bigas Luna José Juan Bigas Luna (19 March 1946 – 5 April 2013) was a Spanish film director, designer and artist. His films are typically characterised by a strong emphasis on the erotic, often related to food, something for which he admitted a strong ...

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Television

References

Inline citations

Bibliography

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External links

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Anita Ekberg
(Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ekberg, Anita 1931 births 2015 deaths 20th-century Swedish actresses 21st-century Swedish actresses Miss Sweden winners Swedish beauty pageant winners People from Malmö Spaghetti Western actresses Swedish female models Swedish film actresses Swedish television actresses Naturalised citizens of Italy New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners Swedish expatriates in Italy Expatriate actresses in Italy Swedish emigrants to Italy Swedish Lutherans 20th-century Lutherans