Isa Barzizza (22 November 1929 – 28 May 2023) was an Italian actress whose career spanned over 60 years.
Isa Barzizza | |
|---|---|
_Isa_Barzizza.jpg) Barzizza in the movie Era lui... sì! sì! (1951) | |
| Born | 22 November 1929 Sanremo, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 28 May 2023 (aged 93) Palau, Sardinia, Italy |
| Occupation | Actress |
Life and career
editEarly life
editBorn in Sanremo, Barzizza was the daughter of the conductor and composer Pippo Barzizza.[1] She started working in amateur dramatics at very young age, and she made her professional debut while still being a high school student, notably working with the stage companies led by Ruggero Ruggeri, Elsa Merlini and by the brothers Eduardo, Peppino and Titina De Filippo.[1]
Breakout and success
editBarzizza had her breakout in 1946, when during a visit to her father she was noted by Erminio Macario who chose her for the revue Follie d'Amleto.[1] In a few years she established herself as a star in the revue genre, working several times with Macario, Totò and Wanda Osiris.[1] Following her stage success, Barzizza also started a busy film career in the comedic genre, often teaming with Totò.[1] In 1955, she starred in Valentina, which is considered the first genuine stage musical comedy produced in Italy.[1]
Marriage and semi-retirement
editIn 1953 Barzizza married the screenwriter and director Carlo Alberto Chiesa, and following the birth of their daughter Carlotta she retired from showbusiness.[1] In 1960 the couple were involved in a car accident and Chiesa died shortly after under the knife.[1][2] Widowed, Barzizza ran a company of dubbing and production of television series.[1] Starting from the mid-1970s she made sporadic appearances in films and on television.[3]
Death
editBarzizza died on 28 May 2023, at the age of 93.[4]
Selected filmography
edit
- The Two Orphans (1947) - Matilde
- Dove sta Zaza? (1947) - Zazà
- Fear and Sand (1948) - Patricia Cotten
- Toto Tours Italy (1948) - Doriana
- The Firemen of Viggiù (1949) - Toto's conquest
- Adam and Eve (1949) - Eva Bianchi
- I'm in the Revue (1950) - Cleo - la kleptomane
- The Merry Widower (1950) - Lucy
- The Elusive Twelve (1950) - Teresa
- Figaro Here, Figaro There (1950) - Rosina
- Bluebeard's Six Wives (1950) - Lana Ross
- Milano miliardaria (1951) - Vittorio Pizzigoni
- Seven Hours of Trouble (1951) - Amelia
- The Reluctant Magician (1951) - Perla
- Era lui... sì! sì! (1951) - Grazia
- Porca miseria (1951) - Jenny Soleri
- Toto in Color (1952) - La signora del vagone-letto
- Five Paupers in an Automobile (1952) - Cicci
- We're Dancing on the Rainbow (1952) - Jeannette
- Primo premio: Mariarosa (1952)
- Beauties on Motor Scooters (1952) - Laura
- Gioventù alla sbarra (1953) - Florence, la canzonettista
- Siamo tutti inquilini (1953) - Collega di Anna
- It's Never Too Late (1953) - Rosanna Gennari
- The Daughter of the Regiment (1953) - Kiki
- Neapolitan Turk (1953) - Giulietta
- Viva la rivista! (1953)
- Canzoni a due voci (1953) - La fidanzata del baritono
- Gran Varietà (1954)
- Appassionatamente (1954) - Ortensia Dupré
- Toto Seeks Peace (1954) - Cousin Nella Caporali
- Cartouche (1955) - Lucilla
- Un palco all'opera (1955)
- I pinguini ci guardano (1956)
- We All Loved Each Other So Much (1974) - Elena
- Garofano rosso (1976)
- Il momento dell'avventura (1983) - Antonia Belli
- Fiori di zucca (1989) - Clelia
- Grazie al cielo c'è Totò (1991)
- 80 mq - Ottantametriquadri (1993) - Mamma di Raffaele (segment "No mamma no")
- Ardena (1997) - Lea
- Asini (1999) - Italo's mother
- Seven Kilometers from Jerusalem (2007) - Elvira Marenghi
- Una sconfinata giovinezza (2010)
- Maledimiele (2011) - Nonna
- Viva l'Italia (2012) - Marisa
- Mia (2012)
- Studio illegale (2013) - Zia Emma
- Indovina chi viene a Natale? (2013) - Emma
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gianfranco Baldazzi. "Isa Barzizza". Gino Castaldo (edited by). Dizionario della canzone italiana. Curcio Editore, 1990.
- ^ a. n. (4 June 1960). "Il regista C. A. Chiesa marito di Isa Barzizza muore per l'incidente d'auto mentre viene operato". La Stampa. No. 134.
- ^ Adele Gallotti (13 February 1989). "Isa è sempre Barzizza e dice: «Mai dire mai»". La Stampa. No. 42.
- ^ "Morta Isa Barzizza, affascinante e ironica musa e spalla di Totò". La Repubblica. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
External links
edit
Media related to Isa Barzizza at Wikimedia Commons
- Isa Barzizza at IMDb
- Isa Barzizza at AllMovie