Toth Database - Cinema 

Sofia Villani Scicolone in art Sophia Loren

(Rome, September 20, 1934)

Daughter of Romilda Villani, teacher of piano and Riccardo Scicolone real estate businessman (son of the Marquis Agrigento Scicolone Murillo), Romilda had won in 1932 a competition to go to Hollywood as impersonated Greta Garbo, but for the strong opposition Of his parents gave up, Riccardo Scicolone recognized the paternity of the girl who named his mother, Sofia, of Venetian origin;However, he always refused to marry Romilda, who, due to the consequent economic hardship, moved with the little Sofia from Rome to Pozzuoli to his family. Here Sofia spent her childhood and the first years of adolescence, during the Second World War, in precarious economic conditions, while Sofia ran in the anti-aircraft shelter, was hit by a splinter that wounded her to the chin. After This incident the family moved to Naples, where it was hosted by relatives. After the war, Sophia and her family returned to Pozzuoli. Grandma Luisa opened a piano in the living room-bar, selling homemade cherry liqueurs, Romilda played the piano, her sister Maria sang and Sofia looked out at the tables and washed the crockery.

At The age of 15 Sofia won her first beauty contest and with that money she returned to Rome with her mother in search of success but both were denounced by her father, who did not accept her daughter's career in the entertainment world, for an alleged activity of Prostitution in the Roman house; Everything was resolved with a clarification in front of the law enforcement. In the capital Sofia participates in various beauty contests including Miss Italy of 1950 that rewarded her as Miss Elegance. Also posed for several soap operas and participates in several films as an extra, in a single year were about fifteen movies in which was signed. In 1951, Sofia meets the producer Carlo Ponti, he spotted her in a beauty contest, where she had been staying and the day after he received in his Office for an interview. Carlo Ponti was impressed by his potential and offered her a seven-year contract, launching pad of its success. He was the producer Goffredo Lombardo to give her last name Loren, inspired by the Swedish actress Märta Torèn. One of the first major roles with the name Sophia Loren was alongside Alberto Sordi in the film Two nights with Cleopatra, by Mario Mattoli in 1953, the following year will shoot two more films in supporting roles as Neapolitan carousel, by Ettore Giannini, A Day in Pretura, in the episode Don Michele, Anna and the pool table with Walter Chiari of Steno, Our Times, by Alessandro Blasetti with toto. Important of all was the role of tomato in the movie the gold of Naples that Vittorio De Sica le wanted to entrust only after a brief interview. In the same year it turns the movie Too bad it's a rogue, directed by Alessandro Blasetti, film based on the novel by Alberto Moravia, where he first met his partner for Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia in the film she plays a young thief who tries with its exuberant beauty to frame the honest taxi driver Paul, who will defend by all means both the young Lina that her father, Professor Stroppiani played by Vittorio De Sica. In 1955 Vittorio de Sica, Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren, will be the protagonists of the film The beautiful miller, Mario Comencini comedy set during the Spanish occupation in southern Italy. In the same year turns the sign of Venus, directed by maestro Dino Risi, where plays the role of Agnes, who because of her beauty, outshines his cousin Cesira, woman of minute appearance, played by Franca Valeri. From 1956 Sophia reads in English in several u.s. productions, accompanied by the biggest stars in Hollywood.

He Lands in America where he finds the golden years of American cinema, with actresses such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman.

An authentic American success is also Black orchid, Of 1958, directed by Martin Ritt, one of his best American films, which Obtains many cheers even in Italy, Making them win his first David of Donatello and The Coppa Volpi at The Venice Film Festival. It Is directed by Delbert Mann in the dramatic film Desiderio under the Elms, here Loren plays the Role Of The Italian Anna Cabot. Loren will split between Italy and Hollywood, interpreting countless successful films with the World's greatest stars, directed by directors such as Vittorio De Sica, Mario Monicelli, Ettore Scola, Dino Risi, Charlie Chaplin, Sidney Lumet.

His consecration as an actress takes place with the film The Ciociara, Directed by Vittorio De Sica and Produced By his husband Carlo Ponti. The part of Cesira was offered, at first, to Anna Magnani, while Loren should have interpreted the daughter Rosetta and the directing of the film was initially assigned to George Cukor. The Ciociara set in the years of the Second World War, is based on the novel by Alberto Moravia. At the time, Sophia Loren had only 25 years, when Vittorio De Sica offered him the role of Delia. A simple character and populate but a large dramatic grain, which she managed to emerge with extraordinary ease and naturalness. After two women, Sophia flies to Spain to film the Colossal El Cid, where she plays the beautiful Jimena, betrothed to the legendary leader El Cid, starring Charlton Heston, the film follows the raffle where he plays the role of a busty Zoe, directed by Vittorio De Sica, in Boccaccio 70. In the years immediately following will star with Peter Sellers, in The Millionairess, with Clark Gable, in The Bay of Naples, with Paul Newman, in Lady L and with Marlon Brando and Charlie Chaplin A Countess from Hong Kong. The latest film, starring the famous couple Mastroianni-Loren, directed by Vittorio De Sica, Sunflowers. A passionate love story between Giovanna and Antonio, which makes them happy and in love in the first part until the war will divide them forever. Another intense and dramatic role in which, this time, lends his energy into finding her husband up in Russia, where he was reported missing. The professional success you add the joy of motherhood, they had two sons, Charles Jr. and Edward. From 1960 to 1977 she lived with her husband in San Marino in the eighteenth-century villa Villa Sara, former residence of the Marquis G, with 50 rooms, guest quarters, pinacoteca, hunting, cinema, private chapel, art gallery, horse-riding, aviary, pool, and a park 20 acres, villa bought and restored by bridges in the 1950s. The villa after years of neglect, has been sold to the trader Antonio Angelucci.In 1977 the Loren because of financial problems of her husband, she moved with her family to California. In 2007 the couple sold the villa in California and moved to Geneva.

Filmography  

1950/ Hearts on the Sea, directed by Giorgio Bianchi, As Sofia scicolone

1950/ Tòtotarzan, Directed by Mario Mattoli, as Sofia Lazzaro

1950/ The six Wives of Bluebeard, Directed By Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia, as Sofia Lazzaro

1950/ Lights of the variety, directed By Federico Fellini and Alberto Lattuada, as Sofia Lazzaro

1951/ White Leprosy, directed by Enzo Trapani, As Sofia scicolone

1951/ I Am Capataz, Directed by Giorgio Simonelli

1951/ Milan Millionaria, directed By Vittorio Metz, Marcello Marchesi and Marino Girolami, as Sofia Lazzaro

1951/ Quo Vadis, Directed By Mervyn Le Roy, uncredited

1951/ The master of Steam, Directed by Mario Mattoli, as Sophia Lazzaro

1951/ The Magician by Force, directed By Vittorio Metz, Marcello Marchesi, as Sofia Lazzaro

1951/ Anna, Directed by Alberto Lattuada, as Sofia Lazzaro

1952/ The tuner, directed by Duilio Coletti, has arrived, as Sofia Lazzaro

1952/ The Dream of Zorro, directed by Mario Soldati, as Sofia Lazarus

1952/ The favorite, Directed By Cesare Barlacchi, as Sofia Lazzaro

1952/ The white route, Directed By Luigi Comencini, as Sofia Lazzaro

1953/ Africa under the Seas, Directed by Giovanni Roccardi

1953/ Aida, Directed by Clemente Fracassi

1953/ We are in the gallery, Directed by Mauro Bolognini

1953/ The Sunday of the good People, Directed By Anton Giulio Majano

1953/ One day in court, directed by Steno

1954/ Carosello Napoletano, directed by Ettore Giannini

1954/ The country of the Bells, directed by Jean Boyer

1954/ Two Nights with Cleopatra, Directed by Mario Mattoli

1954/ Time, Zibaldone N. 2, Directed by Alessandro Blasetti

1954/ Misery and nobility, Directed by Mario Mattoli

1954/ Pilgrims of love, Directed by Andrea Forzano

1954/ Attila, Directed by Pietro Francisci

1954/ The gold of Naples, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1954/ Pity that it is a rogue, Directed by Alessandro Blasetti

1954/ The woman of the River, directed by Mario Soldati

1955/ The Sign of Venus, directed by Dino Risi

1955/ The Beautiful Miller, Directed by Mario Camerini

1955/ Bread love and... directed by Dino Risi

1955/ The fortune of being a woman, Directed by Alessandro Blasetti

1957/ The boy on the Dauphin, Directed By Jean Negulesco

1951/ Pride and Passion, directed by Stanley Kramer

1957/ Timbuctù, Directed by Henry Hathaway

1958/ Desire under the Elms, Directed by Delbert Mann

1958/ The key, directed by Carol Reed

1958/ Black Orchid, directed by Martin Ritt

1958/ A Husband for Cinzia, Directed by Melville Shavelson

1959/ That type of woman, Directed by Sidney Lumet

1960/ The Devil in Pink shorts, Directed by George Cukor

1960/ Olympia, Directed By Michael Curtiz

1960/ The Bay of Naples, Directed by Melville Shavelson

1960/ The billionaire, Directed By Anthony Asquith

1960/ La Ciociara, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1961/ El Cid, directed by Anthony Mann

1961/ Madame Sans-Gène, Directed By Christian – Jaque

1962/ Boccaccio ' 70, episode La Raffle, directed by Vittorio De Sica

1962/ The knife in the plague, Directed By Anatole Litvak

1962/ I Sequestered By Altona, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1963/ Yesterday, today, tomorrow, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1964/ Marriage, Italian, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1964/ The fall Of the Roman Empire, directed by Anthony Mann

1965/ Operation Crossbow, directed by Michael Anderson

1965/ Lady L., Directed By Peter Ustinov

1966/ Judith, Directed By Daniel Mann

1966/ Arabesque, Directed by Stanley Donen

1967/ The Countess Of Hong Kong, directed by Charlie Chaplin

1967/ Once Upon a time, directed by Francesco Rosi

1967/ These ghosts, Directed by Renato Castellani

1970/ Sunflowers, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1970/ The priest's wife, directed by Dino Risi

1971/ The mortadella, Directed by Mario Monicelli

1972/ White, red, and...., Directed by Alberto Lattuada

1972/ The Man of Mancha, Directed by Arthur Hiller

1974/ The Voyage, Directed by Vittorio De Sica

1974/ Short meeting, Directed By Alan Bridges

1974/ The prosecution is: rape and murder, Directed By andrè Cayatte

1975/ The  gangster pupa, directed by Giorgio Capitani

1976/ Cassandra Crossing, Directed By George Pan Cosmatos

1977/ A special day, directed by Ettore Scola

1978/ Angela, Directed by Boris Sagal

1978/ Made of blood between two men because of a widow. Political movements Are suspected,directed By Lina Wertmǜller

1978/ Lens Brass, Directed by John Hough

1979/ Mouth of Fire, Directed by Michael Wiinner

1984/ Something blond, Directed by Maurizio Ponzi

1986/ Mother Courage, Tv movie

1988/ Mom Lucia, directed by Stuart Cooper

1989/ The Ciociara, directed by Dino Risi

1990/ Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, directed by Lina Wertmǜller

1994/ Prèt – à Porter, Directed by Robert Altman

1995/ That's Amore, two unlikely seducers, Directed by Howard Deutch

1977/ Soleil, Directed by Roger Hanin

2001/ Francesca and Nunciata, directed by Lina Wertmǜller

2002/ Foreign Hearts, directed by Edoardo Ponti

2004/ The Land of The Return, Directed By Jerry Ciccoritti

2004/ Stuffed peppers, and fish in the face, directed by Lina Wertmǜller

2009/ Nine, directed by Rob Marshall

2010/ My house is full of mirrors, Directed by Vittorio Sindoni

2011/ Cars 2, directed by Brad Lewis, animated film

2013/ Human voice (medium footage), directed by Edoardo Ponti