Claudia Cardinale, Legendary Italian Movie Star, Dies at 87 – Entertainment News
By Karen Beishuizen
Claudia Cardinale, the 1960s cinema icon, died on Tuesday, 23 September, aged 87.
She worked with some of Italy’s greatest filmmakers, including Luchino Visconti and Federico Fellini, and starred opposite most of the leading men of her time.
With her fierce beauty and husky voice, she played opposite most of the leading men of the time, from Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon to Henry Fonda.
Born in La Goulette, near Tunis, on 15 April 1938, to Sicilian parents, she was picked out of a crowd at age 16 to win a beauty contest.
She was raped in her teens by a film producer and became pregnant and made the tough decision to bring up her son Patrick and to make a living from cinema.
Her son would officially be her younger brother until she revealed the truth seven years later.
She starred in Fellini’s Oscar-winning “8 1/2” and in Visconti’s period drama “The Leopard” at the same time in 1963, when she was only 25.
In Hollywood she had a huge hit with Blake Edwards’ “The Pink Panther” with Peter Sellers, and Henry Hathaway’s “Circus World” with Rita Hayworth and John Wayne.
Actor David Niven gave her the best compliment ever:
“Claudia, along with spaghetti, you’re Italy’s greatest invention.”
A staunch defender of women’s rights, she was named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2000 in recognition of her commitment to the cause of women and girls.
She is survived by her son Patrick and daughter Claudia.
Ringside Report sends their condolences to The Cardinale Family in their time of grief.
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