Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthdate
1937-01-07 (Age: 89)
Place of Birth
San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy
Liana Orfei
Biography
Liana Orfei (San Giovanni in Persiceto, June 6, 1937). Belonging to the famous Orfei circus dynasty, Liana is a multifaceted figure in Italian entertainment, capable of successfully ranging between circus, cinema, theater, and television. Active on the big screen primarily between the 1950s and 70s, she acted in approximately forty films, working with masters of the caliber of Federico Fellini (in the documentary The Clowns), Orson Welles, Mario Monicelli, and Dino Risi. Her versatility led her to perform in highly diverse genres, from commedia all'italiana to Westerns, and even horror and science fiction. In television, her participation in the musical television drama Scaramouche (1965) is well-remembered. She made her debut in the ring at just two years old as a clown (under the name Lacrima). In 1960, together with her brothers Nando and Rinaldo, she founded her own circus characterized by colossal and innovative productions, such as "Circorama" and the "Circus of the Thousand and One Nights"—the latter born from an idea by Fellini with costumes by Oscar winner Danilo Donati. In 1984, to respond to the industry's crisis, she founded the Golden Circus, an international festival that remains a reference point for circus arts today. In the theatrical field, she collaborated with distinguished names such as Eduardo De Filippo and Emma Gramatica, returning to the stage even in more recent years (in 2005 with the musical Se il tempo fosse un gambero). She was also a singer and entrepreneur: in the 1980s, she founded the theme park Divertimondo in Rimini, inspired by the emerging major amusement parks.
Filmography (37)
Mario Verdone: Il critico viaggiatore
2024Les femmes de pierre
2019
Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti
1977
The Clowns
1970
Fortunata y Jacinta
1970
How, When, and with Whom
1969
¡Cómo sois las mujeres!
1968
The Prophet
1968
Django Kills Softly
1967
The Devil in Love
1966
Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend
1966
Our Husbands
1966
M.M.M. 83
1966
Les Combinards
1966
