Liana Orfei
Liana Orfei (San Giovanni in Persiceto, June 6, 1937). Belonging to the famous Orfei circus dynasty, Liana is a multifaceted figure in Italian entertainment, capable of successfully ranging between circus, cinema, theater, and television.
Active on the big screen primarily between the 1950s and 70s, she acted in approximately forty films, working with masters of the caliber of Federico Fellini (in the documentary The Clowns), Orson Welles, Mario Monicelli, and Dino Risi. Her versatility led her to perform in highly diverse genres, from commedia all'italiana to Westerns, and even horror and science fiction. In television, her participation in the musical television drama Scaramouche (1965) is well-remembered.
She made her debut in the ring at just two years old as a clown (under the name Lacrima). In 1960, together with her brothers Nando and Rinaldo, she founded her own circus characterized by colossal and innovative productions, such as "Circorama" and the "Circus of the Thousand and One Nights"—the latter born from an idea by Fellini with costumes by Oscar winner Danilo Donati. In 1984, to respond to the industry's crisis, she founded the Golden Circus, an international festival that remains a reference point for circus arts today.
In the theatrical field, she collaborated with distinguished names such as Eduardo De Filippo and Emma Gramatica, returning to the stage even in more recent years (in 2005 with the musical Se il tempo fosse un gambero). She was also a singer and entrepreneur: in the 1980s, she founded the theme park Divertimondo in Rimini, inspired by the emerging major amusement parks.
Acting
Movie
La Dolce Vita
as (uncredited)
1960
Movie
The Clowns
as Circus Performer
1970
Movie
Signori si nasce
1960
Movie
Mill of the Stone Women
as Annelore
1960
Movie
Casanova '70
as Lion Tamer
1965
Movie
Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile
as Merith
1961
Movie
The Prophet
as Albertina
1968
Movie
The Avenger
as Camilla, Queen of the Vulga
1962
Movie
Our Husbands
as Attilia
1966
Movie
The Giant of Metropolis
as Queen Taxen
1961
Movie
The Devil in Love
as Olimpia
1966
Movie
Hercules, Samson & Ulysses
as Dalila - Philistine Queen
1963
Movie
The Tartars
as Helga
1961
Movie
Le motorizzate
as Cacace's Defence Counsel (segment "Il Vigile Ignoto")
1963
Movie
Pirates of the Coast
as Anna del Peru
1960
Movie
Django Kills Softly
as Linda
1967
Movie
Damon and Pythias
as Adriana
1962
Movie
Rage of the Buccaneers
as Luana
1961
Movie
Adventure at the Motel
1963
Movie
Hercules in the Valley of Woe
as Dejanira
1961
Movie
Tipi da spiaggia
as Magalì
1959
Movie
M.M.M. 83
1966
Movie
Les Combinards
as Liliana
1966
Movie
Duel of Fire
as Maruzza
1962