Italian film actress whose career spanned nine decades of cinema. She also made a substantial contribution to theatre. She entered film in 1916 in the silent picture Jacobo Ortis directed by Giuseppe Sterni, and made over 80 film appearances between then and 1990. Appearing in several silent films before 1921 she was absent from cinema for some 14 years during which time she made numerous stage appearances. She gained notoriety in 1925 when she appeared in a show as a mermaid exposing her breasts which she saw as natural in the role but caused considerable outrage at the time. She returned t…