
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
1974
as Elisa Rutelli

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
as Queen Ariadne / Violet

Barabbas
1961
as Julia

Day for Night
1973
as Séverine

The Visit
1964
as Mathilda Miller

The Barefoot Contessa
1954
as Eleanora Torlato-Favrini

Thieves' Highway
1949
as Rica

Black Magic
1949
as Zoraida

The Assassination of Trotsky
1972
as Natalia Trotsky

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1972
as Pica Di Bernardone

The Rocket from Calabuch
1956
as Eloísa, la maestra de escuela

When Time Ran Out...
1980
as Rose Valdez

Angels of Darkness
1954
as Vally

The Secret of Santa Vittoria
1970
as Gabriella (uncredited)

Le Amiche
1955
as Nene

Rome: Free City
1946
as La ragazza

The House on Telegraph Hill
1951
as Victoria Kowelska

Ring of Darkness
1979
as Elena Merrill

La Classe américaine
1993
as The Helicopter Man's Wife (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Legend of Lylah Clare
1968
as Countess Bozo Bedoni

Kidnap Syndicate
1975
as Grazia Filippini

Juliet of the Spirits
1965
as Valentina

Malaya
1949
as Luana

Love and Troubles
1958
as Marisa

Il matrimonio
1954

The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire
1971
as Madame Sobieski

The Girl Who Knew Too Much
1963
as Laura Craven-Torrani

Blue Tango
1987
as Rachele Cigno

Tender Dracula
1974

Buster's Bedroom
1991
as Serafina Tannenbaum

Sparrow
1994
as Madre Superiora

The Kiss
1974
as Elizabeth Blixen

Black Sun
1966
as Maria

Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco, ovvero Dracula in Brianza
1975
as Olghina Franchetti

Quarta pagina
1942
as Valentina

Lulù
1953

The Love Mates
1970
as Eva

Diva!
2017

Give Her the Moon
1970
as Madeleine de Lépine

The Possessed
1965
as Irma

Kean: Genius or Scoundrel
1957
as Fanny

Square of Violence
1961
as Erica Bernardi

Oh, Grandmother's Dead
1969
as Ornella

Federico Fellini's Autobiography
2000
as Self

Les Misérables
1948
as Fantine

Il corriere del re
1947

First Love
1970
as Mutter

The Big Operator
1976
as Witwe

The Jester's Supper
1942
as Lisabetta

Secret People
1952
as Maria Brentano / Brent / Lena Collins

Story of San Michele
1962
as Eleonora Duse

The Boat on the Grass
1971
as Catherine

La passeggiata
1953
as Lisa

Nick the Sting
1976
as Regina

Via Montenapoleone
1987
as madre di Guido
Jailbirds
1954
as Luprandi's wife

Son tornate a fiorire le rose
1975
as Sabina Foschini

Un americano in vacanza
1946
as Maria

Tanto va la gatta al lardo...
1978
as Wilma/Leonilde Bosco Casagrande

Les Misérables - Storm Over Paris
1948
as Cosetta
La regina di Navarra
1942

Listen, Let's Make Love
1968
as Lallo's Mother

The Glass Mountain
1949
as Alida Morrosini

Amore mio non farmi male
1974
as Sabina Foschini

Il passatore
1947
as Barbara

Adriana Lecouvreur
1955
as Adriana Lecouvreur

L'ebreo errante
1948
as Ester

Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials
1965
as Self

Shadow of the Eagle
1950
as Elizabeth, Princess Tarakanova

Widows' Nest
1977
as Dolores

Magic Fire
1955
as Mathilde Wesendonk
Le ragazze di Milano
2007
as Self

No One Comes Back
1945
as Valentina

Reporter’s Diary: 'Zoom on Fellini'
1965
as Self

Girl of the Golden West
1942
as Madge

Il Conte Aquila
1955
as Teresa Casati

L'attore scomparso
1941

Primo amore
1941
as Nerina Redi
Facciaffittasi
1988
as Gina Grandi

Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema
2001
as Self (archive footage)

Chronicle of a Homicide
1972
as Luisa Sola

Il bravo di Venezia
1941
as Alina

Giorni felici
1943
as Marianna

La Ferdinanda. Sonate für eine Medici-Villa
1981
as Caterina de Dominicis
Soltanto un bacio
1942
as Maria Renda / Luisa Renda
Chi l'ha visto?
1945
as Luisella
4 girls dream
1943

Crossroads of Passion
1948
as Maria Pilar
Orizzonte di sangue
1942
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.
Fans searching for Valentina Cortese movies, Valentina Cortese filmography, or the latest projects starring Valentina Cortese can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Valentina Cortese Movies
- Appassionata (1974) — as Elisa Rutelli
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) — as Queen Ariadne / Violet
- Barabbas (1961) — as Julia
- Day for Night (1973) — as Séverine
- The Visit (1964) — as Mathilda Miller
Where to Watch Valentina Cortese Films
Most Valentina Cortese movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Valentina Cortese, check our movies catalogue and browse page.


