Argentina Brunetti
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Argentina Brunetti | |
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File:Argentina Brunetti.jpg | |
Born | Argentina Ferrau August 31, 1907 |
Died | December 20, 2005 | (aged 98)
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1910–2002 |
Spouse(s) | Miro Brunetti (m. 19??; died 1966) |
Children | 1 |
Argentina Brunetti (August 31, 1907 – December 20, 2005)[1] was an Argentine stage and film actress and writer.
Biography
Brunetti was born Argentina Ferrau in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Italian parents; her mother was the Sicilian actress Mimi Aguglia.[2] She began her show-business career at the age of three with a walk-on role in the opera Cavalleria Rusticana and followed in the footsteps of her mother, performing supporting roles on stage throughout Europe and South America.[1]
In 1937, she was placed under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and began dubbing the voices of Jeanette MacDonald and Norma Shearer into Italian. She became a narrator for the Voice of America, interviewing American movie stars for broadcast in Italy. At the same time, she made her movie debut in the classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Mrs. Maria Martini.[3]
Brunetti wrote and performed in daily radio shows; she became a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, writing numerous articles on Hollywood personalities; she authored books, wrote music, and appeared in nearly 60 television programmes and almost 70 films.[3] She hosted a weekly weblog on the Internet called Argentina Brunetti's Hollywood Stories, which her son plans to continue running, and wrote a biographical novel called In Sicilian Company. She continued to act into her nineties, most notably as a relative from the Old World who visits and stays with the (wrong) Barone family in a 1999 episode of Everybody Loves Raymond; her last role was in 2002.
Marriage
She wed Miro Brunetti, a foreign correspondent in Hollywood. The two helped to co-found the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The couple had one son, Mario. Miro Brunetti died in 1966. Argentina Brunetti never remarried.
Last years/death
She moved to Rome in 2004 to be with her family and died there from natural causes on December 20, 2005, aged 98.
Filmography
- Gilda (1946) .... Woman (uncredited)
- The Return of Monte Cristo (1946) .... (uncredited)
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) .... Mrs. Maria Martini
- California (1946) .... Elvira
- High Tide (1947) .... Mrs. Cresser
- Tycoon (1947) .... Señora Ayora - House Guest (uncredited)
- Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) .... Boy's Mother (uncredited)
- Man-Eater of Kumaon (1948) .... Sita
- Mexican Hayride (1948) .... Indian Woman (uncredited)
- Shockproof (1949) .... Stella (uncredited)
- Knock on Any Door (1949) .... Ma Romano (uncredited)
- El Paso (1949) .... Don Nacho's Woman (uncredited)
- We Were Strangers (1949) .... Mother (uncredited)
- House of Strangers (1949) .... Applicant (uncredited)
- The Red Danube (1949) .... Italian Woman (uncredited)
- Holiday in Havana (1949) .... Mrs. Estrada (uncredited)
- The Silver Theater (1950, TV Series) .... Mama Romani
- The Blonde Bandit (1950) .... Mama Sapelli
- Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950) .... Villager (uncredited)
- The Lawless (1950) .... Mrs. Rodriguez
- Broken Arrow (1950) .... Nalikadeya, Cochise's Wife (uncredited)
- Dial 1119 (1950) .... Bus Passenger (uncredited)
- Southside 1-1000 (1950) .... Storekeeper Babo's Wife (uncredited)
- Ghost Chasers (1951) .... Mrs. Parelli
- The Great Caruso (1951) .... Mrs. Barretto
- Sirocco (1951) .... Woman (uncredited)
- Force of Arms (1951) .... Signora Maduvalli (uncredited)
- Rose of Cimarron (1952) .... Red Fawn
- The Fighter (1952) .... Maria
- When in Rome (1952) .... Mrs. Lugacetti
- Bal Tabarin (1952) .... Teresa (uncredited)
- Apache War Smoke (1952) .... Madre
- Woman in the Dark (1952) .... 'Mama' Morello
- The Iron Mistress (1952) .... Duenna (uncredited)
- Hopalong Cassidy (1952, TV Series) .... Senora Soledad
- Racket Squad (1952, TV Series) .... Mrs. Scarpita
- My Cousin Rachel (1952) .... Signora (uncredited)
- Tropic Zone (1953) .... Tia Feliciana
- San Antone (1953) .... Mexican Woman
- The Story of Three Loves (1953) .... Saleswoman (segment "Mademoiselle") (scenes deleted)
- The Caddy (1953) .... Mama Anthony
- King of the Khyber Rifles (1953) .... Lali
- Waterfront (1954, TV Series) .... Mama Ferrera
- Make Haste to Live (1954) .... Mrs. Gonzales
- The Lone Wolf (1954, TV Series) .... Mama Crocetti
- The Public Defender (1954, TV Series) .... Mrs. Derek
- Lux Video Theatre (1954, TV Series)
- The Lone Ranger (1955, TV Series) .... Maria
- The Prodigal (1955) .... Townswoman (uncredited)
- Hell's Island (1955) .... Pottery Maker (uncredited)
- The Far Horizons (1955) .... Old Crone
- The Last Command (1955) .... Maria (uncredited)
- Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (1955, TV Series) .... Mrs. Adams
- The Tall Men (1955) .... Maria the Dressmaker (uncredited)
- Letter to Loretta (1954–1955, TV Series) .... Mrs. Nardo / Mrs. Ferenzi
- The Rains of Ranchipur (1955) .... Mrs. Adoani (uncredited)
- TV Reader's Digest (1955, TV Series) .... Mrs. Barrett
- The 20th Century-Fox Hour (1956, TV Series) .... Mrs. Rosa Hernandez
- Matinee Theatre (1956, TV Series)
- Celebrity Playhouse (1956, TV Series)
- Anything Goes (1956) .... Suzanne
- Telephone Time (1956, TV Series) .... Senora Valdes
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956, TV Series) .... Mrs. Salvatori
- Navy Log (1956, TV Series) .... Mme. Deschamps
- Three Violent People (1956) .... Maria
- Duel at Apache Wells (1957) .... Tia Maria
- The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1957, TV Series) .... Tri Rosa
- Panic! (1957, TV Series) .... Tina D'Alessio
- Code 3 (1957, TV Series) .... Mrs. Morales
- The Unholy Wife (1957) .... Theresa
- The Midnight Story (1957) .... Mama Malatesta
- The Brothers Rico (1957) .... Mrs. Rico
- The Veil (1958, TV Mini-Series) .... Maria
- The Thin Man (1958, TV Series) .... Shana Daupha
- Showdown at Boot Hill (1958) .... Mrs. Barabbas
- M Squad (1959, TV Series) .... Mrs. Doris Michaels
- Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) .... Miss Hooten
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1959, TV Series) .... Elena
- The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (1960, TV Series) .... Mrs. Moretti
- The Untouchables (1959–1960, TV Series) .... Mrs. Swoboda / Sophia Cestari
- General Electric Theater (1960, TV Series) .... Saral
- Bonanza (1960, TV Series) .... Bruja's Helper
- Rawhide (1960, TV Series) .... Rosa Patines
- The Deputy (1960, TV Series) .... Evita
- Thriller (1960, TV Series) .... Mrs. Romano
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (1960, TV Series) .... Juanita Domingo
- The Roaring Twenties (1960, TV Series) .... Mamma Zorich
- Coronado 9 (1960, TV Series) .... Mrs. Dominguez
- Tales of Wells Fargo (1961, TV Series) .... Maria
- Lock Up (1961, TV Series) .... Mrs. Voltaire
- Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond (1960–1961, TV Series) .... Maria Gonzalez / Margarita Castera
- Checkmate (1961, TV Series) .... Berta
- Wagon Train (1961, TV Series) .... Lisa Canevari
- Route 66 (1961, TV Series) .... Senora Maria Otero
- The Lawless Years (1961, TV Series) .... Mama Matteo
- Miami Undercover (1961, TV Series) .... Mrs. Alemada
- The George Raft Story (1961) .... Mrs. Raft
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1961, TV Series) .... Grandmother
- The Rifleman (1962, TV Series) .... Mrs. Ramirez
- The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) .... The Nun (uncredited)
- The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962) .... Relative at Easter Dinner (uncredited)
- The Gallant Men (1962, TV Series) .... Mother Superior
- Going My Way (1962-1963, TV Series) .... Mrs. Molletti / Mrs. Severino
- General Hospital (1963, TV Series) .... Filomena Soltini (1985-1986)
- 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) .... Sarah Benedict
- Stage to Thunder Rock (1964) .... Sarita
- Ben Casey (1965, TV Series) .... Mrs. Sanchez
- The Money Trap (1965) .... Aunt
- Gunsmoke (1965, TV Series) .... Louise Danby
- The F.B.I. (1966, TV Series) .... Tia Rodriguez
- The Fugitive (1966, TV Series) .... Mexican Woman
- The Andy Griffith Show .... La Farona (1966, TV Series)
- The Appaloosa (1966) .... Yaqui woman (uncredited)
- The Venetian Affair (1967) .... The Nun (uncredited)
- The Invaders (1967, TV Series) .... Luz
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1967, TV Series) .... Proprietor
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1967, TV Series) .... Cara
- The Big Valley (1968, TV Series) .... Maria
- I Spy (1968, TV Series) .... Chica
- The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) .... Squaw (uncredited)
- Ironside (1968, TV Series) .... Rita's Aunt
- The Flying Nun (1969, TV Series) .... Consuelo Gomez / Woman #2
- The High Chaparral (1969, TV Series) .... Duena Lopez
- To Rome with Love (1970, TV Series) .... Josie
- The Barefoot Executive (1971) .... Mrs. Bernaducci (uncredited)
- The Streets of San Francisco (1973, TV Series) .... Consuela
- Temperatures Rising (1973, TV Series)
- The Magician (1974, TV Series) .... Landlady
- Kojak (1976, TV Series) .... Christina
- Flight to Holocaust (1977, TV Movie) .... Woman in Elevator
- Wonder Woman (1977, TV Series) .... Manageress
- Black Market Baby (1977, TV Movie) .... Aunt Imelda
- Blue Sunshine (1977) .... Mrs. Rosella
- Quincy, M.E. (1978, TV Series) .... Mrs. Maggiore
- Fantasy Island (1978, TV Series) .... Teresa
- Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980, TV Series) .... Celeste Diagusta
- Fatso (1980) .... Zi Jule
- Evita Peron (1981, TV Movie) .... Old woman
- The Quest (1982, TV Series)
- Joanie Loves Chachi (1983, TV Series) .... Aunt Gina
- 1st & Ten (1985, TV Series) .... Mama Arcola
- Booker (1990, TV Series) .... Grandma Petrelli
- The New Adam-12 (1991, TV Series) .... Old Woman on Bus
- Lookin' Italian (1998) .... Grandmother
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1998, TV Series) .... Zia Sarina
- That's Life (2000, TV Series) .... Aunt Rose
- The 4th Tenor (2002) .... Neighbor Woman (final film role)
References
- ^ a b "Argentina Brunetti". Independent. January 2, 2006. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ Estavan, Lawrence (1991). The Italian Theatre in San Francisco. Wildside Press LLC. p. 99. ISBN 9780893704643. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ a b Martone, Eric (2016). Italian Americans: The History and Culture of a People. ABC-CLIO. p. 288. ISBN 9781610699952. Retrieved 1 November 2017.