Argentina Brunetti

Argentina Brunetti
Born	Argentina Ferrau August 31, 1907(1907-08-31) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died	December 20, 2005(2005-12-20) (aged 98) Rome, Italy
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1946–2002
Spouse	Miro Brunetti (?-1997) (his death) 1 child

Argentina Brunetti (August 31, 1907 – December 20, 2005) was an actress and writer.

Biography

Brunetti was born Argentina Ferrau in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She began her show business career at the age of three with a walk on role in the opera, Cavalleria Rusticana and followed Mimi Aguglia, her famous mother's footsteps in the theater performing supporting roles on stages throughout Europe, and South America.

In 1937, she was placed under contract to MGM pictures and began dubbing the voices of Jeanette MacDonald and Norma Shearer in Italian. Next she became a narrator for the Voice of America, interviewing American movie stars for broadcast in Italy. At the same time she had her movie debut in the classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946), as Mrs. Martini.

Throughout her varied career she has also written and performed in daily radio shows, became a member of the 'Hollywood Foreign Press Association', writing numerous articles on Hollywood personalities, authored books, written music and acted in over 57 television programs and 68 movies in which she mainly played multi-ethnic roles. She hosted a weekly weblog on the Internet, called Argentina Brunetti's Hollywood Stories, which her son plans to continue running, and has written a biographical novel called In Sicilian Company.

She continued to act well into her 90s, most notably as a relative from the Old World who visits and stays with the (wrong) Barone family on Everybody Loves Raymond.

She moved to Rome in 2004 to be with her family. She died there from natural causes on December 20, 2005, at the age of 98. With her death, the only adult actor in It's a Wonderful Life known to still be alive as of 2009 is Virginia Patton (b. 1925), who played Ruth Bailey, the wife of George Bailey's younger brother, the war hero.

Filmography

• The 4th Tenor (2002) .... Neighbor Woman
• That's Life .... Aunt Rose (1 episode, 2000)
• Lookin' Italian (1998) .... Grandmother
• Everybody Loves Raymond .... Zia Sarina (1 episode, 1998)
• Adam 12 .... Old Woman on Bus (1 episode, 1991)
• Booker .... Grandma Petrelli (1 episode, 1990)
• General Hospital (1963) TV series .... Filomena Soltini (unknown episodes, 1985–1986)
• 1st & Ten (1 episode, 1985)
• Joanie Loves Chachi .... Aunt Gina (1 episode, 1983)
• The Quest (1 episode, 1982)
• Evita Peron (1981) (TV) .... Old woman
• Fatso (1980) .... Zi Jule
• Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1 episode, 1980)
• Fantasy Island .... Teresa (1 episode, 1978)
• Quincy M.E. .... Mrs. Maggiore (1 episode, 1978)
• Black Market Baby (1977) (TV) .... Aunt Imelda
• Wonder Woman .... Manageress (1 episode, 1977)
• Flight to Holocaust (1977) (TV) .... Woman in Elevator
• Kojak .... Christina (1 episode, 1976)
• Blue Sunshine (1976) .... Mrs. Rosella
• The Magician .... Landlady (1 episode, 1974)
• Temperatures Rising (1 episode, 1973)
• The Streets of San Francisco .... Consuela (1 episode, 1973)
• The Barefoot Executive (1971) (uncredited) .... Mrs. Bernaducci
• To Rome with Love .... Josie (1 episode, 1970)
• The High Chaparral .... Duena (1 episode, 1969)
• The Flying Nun .... Consuelo Gomez / ... (2 episodes, 1969)
• Ironside .... Rita's Aunt (1 episode, 1968)
• The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) (uncredited) .... Squaw
• I Spy .... Chica (1 episode, 1968)
• The Big Valley .... Maria (1 episode, 1968)
• Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. .... Cara (1 episode, 1967)
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E. .... Proprietor (1 episode, 1967)
• The Venetian Affair (1967) (uncredited) .... The Nun
• The Invaders .... Luz (1 episode, 1967)
• The Appaloosa (1966) (uncredited) .... Yaqui woman
• The Andy Griffith Show .... La Farona (1 episode, 1966)
• The F.B.I. .... Tia Rodriguez (1 episode, 1966)
• The Fugitive .... Mexican Woman (1 episode, 1966)
• Gunsmoke .... Louise Danby (1 episode, 1965)
• The Money Trap (1965) .... Aunt
• Ben Casey .... Mrs. Sanchez (1 episode, 1965)
• Stage to Thunder Rock (1964) .... Sarita
• 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) .... Sarah Benedict
• Going My Way .... Mrs. Molletti / ... (2 episodes, 1962–1963)
• The Gallant Men .... Mother Superior (1 episode, 1962)
• The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962) (uncredited) .... Relative at Easter Dinner
• The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) (uncredited) .... The Nun
• The Rifleman .... Mrs. Ramirez (1 episode, 1962)
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis .... Grandmother (1 episode, 1961)
• The George Raft Story (1961) .... Mrs. Raft
• Miami Undercover .... Mrs. Alemada (1 episode, 1961)
• The Lawless Years (1 episode, 1961)
• Route 66 .... Senora Maria Otero (1 episode, 1961)
• Wagon Train .... Lisa Canevari (1 episode, 1961)
• Checkmate .... Berta (1 episode, 1961)
• Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond .... Margarita Castera / ... (2 episodes, 1960–1961)
• Lock Up .... Mrs. Voltaire (1 episode, 1961)
• Tales of Wells Fargo (1 episode, 1961)
• COronado 9 .... Mrs. Dominguez (1 episode, 1960)
• The Roaring Twenties .... Mamma Zorich (1 episode, 1960)
• Wanted: Dead or Alive .... Juanita Domingo (1 episode, 1960)
• Thriller .... Mrs. Romano (1 episode, 1960)
• The Deputy .... Evita (1 episode, 1960)
• Rawhide .... Rosa Patines (1 episode, 1960)
• Bonanza .... Bruja's Helper (1 episode, 1960)
• General Electric Theater .... Saral (1 episode, 1960)
• The Untouchables .... Angelo Cestari / ... (2 episodes, 1959–1960)
• The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor .... Mrs. Moretti (1 episode, 1960)
• Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) .... Miss Hooten
• M Squad .... Mrs. Doris Michaels (1 episode, 1959)
• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse .... Elena (1 episode, 1959)
• Showdown at Boot Hill (1958) .... Mrs. Barabbas
• The Thin Man .... Shana Daupha (1 episode, 1958)
• The Veil .... Maria (1 episode, 1958)
• The Brothers Rico (1957) .... Mrs. Rico
• The Midnight Story (1957) .... Mama Malatesta
• The Unholy Wife (1957) .... Theresa
• Code 3 .... Mrs. Morales (1 episode, 1957)
• Panic! .... Tina D'Alessio (1 episode, 1957)
• The Adventures of Jim Bowie .... Tri Rosa (1 episode, 1957)
• Duel at Apache Wells (1957) .... Tia Maria
• Three Violent People (1956) .... Maria
• Navy Log .... Mme. Deschamps (1 episode, 1956)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents .... Mrs. Salvatori (1 episode, 1956)
• Telephone Time (1 episode, 1956)
• Anything Goes (1956) .... Suzanne
• Celebrity Playhouse (1 episode, 1956)
• Matinee Theatre (1 episode, 1956)
• The 20th Century-Fox Hour .... Mrs. Rosa Hernandez (1 episode, 1956)
• TV Reader's Digest .... Mrs. Barrett (1 episode, 1955)
• The Rains of Ranchipur (1955) (uncredited) .... Mrs. Adoani
• The Tall Men (1955) .... Maria the Dressmaker
• Letter to Loretta .... Mrs. Farenzi / ... (2 episodes, 1954–1955)
• Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre .... Mrs. Adams (1 episode, 1955)
• The Last Command (1955) (uncredited) .... Maria
• The Far Horizons (1955) .... Old Crone
• The Prodigal (1955) (uncredited) .... Woman
• Hell's Island (1955) (uncredited)
• The Lone Ranger .... Maria (1 episode, 1955)
• The Lone Wolf .... Mama Crocetti (1 episode)
• Lux Video Theatre (1 episode, 1954)
• The Public Defender .... Mrs. Derek (1 episode, 1954)
• Make Haste to Live (1954) .... Mrs. Gonzales
• Waterfront (1 episode)
• King of the Khyber Rifles (1953) .... Lali
• The Caddy (1953) .... Mama Anthony
• The Story of Three Loves (1953) (scenes deleted) .... Saleswoman (segment "Mademoiselle")
• San Antone (1953) .... Mexican Woman
• Tropic Zone (1953) .... Tia Feliciana
• My Cousin Rachel (1952) .... Signora
• Racket Squad .... Mrs. Scarpita (1 episode, 1952)
• Hopalong Cassidy .... Senora Soledad (1 episode, 1952)
• Woman in the Dark (1952) .... 'Mama' Morello
• Apache War Smoke (1952) .... Madre
• Bal Tabarin (1952) (uncredited) .... Teresa
• When in Rome (1952) .... Mrs. Lugacetti
• Rose of Cimarron (1952) .... Red Fawn
• The Fighter (1952) .... Maria
• Force of Arms (1951) (uncredited) .... Signora Maduvalli
• Sirocco (1951) (uncredited) .... Woman
• Ghost Chasers (1951) .... Mrs. Parelli
• The Great Caruso (1951) .... Mrs. Barretto
• Southside 1-1000 (1950) (uncredited) .... Storekeeper Babo's Wife
• Dial 1119 (1950) (uncredited) .... Bus Passenger
• Broken Arrow (1950) (uncredited) .... Nalikadeya, Cochise's Wife
• The Lawless (1950) .... Mrs. Rodriguez
• Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950) (uncredited) .... Villager
• The Blonde Bandit (1950) .... Mama Sapelli
• The Silver Theater .... Mama Romani (1 episode, 1950)
• Holiday in Havana (1949) (uncredited) .... Mrs. Estrada
• The Red Danube (1949) (uncredited) .... Italian Woman
• House of Strangers (1949) (uncredited) .... Applicant
• We Were Strangers (1949) (uncredited) .... Mother
• El Paso (1949) (uncredited) .... Don Nacho's Woman
• Knock on Any Door (1949) (uncredited) .... Ma Romano
• Shockproof (1949) (uncredited) .... Stella
• Mexican Hayride (1948) (uncredited) .... Indian Woman
• Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) (uncredited) .... Boy's Mother
• Man-Eater of Kumaon (1948) .... Sita
• Tycoon (1947) (uncredited) .... House Guest
• High Tide (1947) .... Mrs. Cresser
• California (1946) .... Elvira
• It's a Wonderful Life (1946) .... Mrs. Maria Martini
• The Return of Monte Cristo (1946) (uncredited)
• Gilda (1946) (uncredited) .... Woman

External links

• Argentina Brunetti at the Internet Movie Database