Franca Valeri

Franca Valeri is a celebrated Italian comedienne and actress. She is also a noted playwright and monologist. As a youth, Valeri (her stage name) performed regularly on radio, delighting listeners with a series of characters such as Miss Snob and Mrs. Cecioni, characters designed to mock the pretentions of the middle class. After World War II, Valeri worked on stage, but she also began working in motion pictures as well. She co-starred in Federico Fellini's first directorial effort, "Variety Lights," playing a dance choreographer. Throughout the 1950s, she co-starred alongside legendary comedic actors Alberto Sordi and Totò in a number of movies, including "Toto in Color," "A Hero of Our Times," and "You're on Your Own." It was around this time that Valeri started writing for the movies as well, co-scripting and starring in "Il segno di Venere," "Parigi o cara," and "Listen, Let's Make Love." Starting in the 1960s, Valeri was a fixture on Italian television and trail-blazed new ground for women working in the medium. Whether it was appearing on kooky variety shows, sitcoms, or even in more dramatic work, she made it easier for other women in the field to break in. Even as her career slowed down in front of the camera in the 1980s and beyond, Valeri remained active writing and occasionally performing on stage.