Gina Lollobrigida

One of several earthy Italian beauties to set the film world on fire during the 1950s and 1960s, Gina Lollobrigida was an actress and director who was equally skilled at both drama and light comedy. She worked steadily in Hollywood and international features for nearly three decades, appearing opposite Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster in the circus-themed "Trapeze" (1956) and Victor Hugo's remake of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1956). In 1959, she made quite an impression as the queen in the biblical epic "Solomon and Sheba," and earned a Golden Globe for her starring role opposite Rock Hudson in the romantic comedy "Come September" (1961). Lollobrigida went on to enjoy further success with the Italian-made "Venere Imperiale" (1962), "Strange Bedfellows" (1965) and "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell" (1968), only to see her career wind down in the early 1970s. Though she earned praise for a 1984 guest spot on "Falcon Crest" (CBS, 1981-1990), Lollobrigida focused her attention on other artistic endeavors like photojournalism and sculpting, while also being active in promoting Italian-American heritage and even dabbling in politics with a run for Italian office. Lollobrigida remained one of Italy's premiere exports.