Mariangela Melato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mariangela Melato
Melato in Lo chiameremo Andrea (1972)
Born	(1941-09-19)19 September 1941 Milan, Italy
Died	11 January 2013(2013-01-11) (aged 71) Rome, Italy
Other names	Maria Angela Melato
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1969–2012

Mariangela Melato (born September 19, 1941 – died January 11, 2013) was a famous Italian actress. She starred in both movies and plays. Mariangela began her acting career on stage in the 1960s.

Her first movie role was in Thomas e gli indemoniati (1969). This film was directed by Pupi Avati. The 1970s were her most successful years. She earned a lot of praise for her roles in many films. Some of these include The ... of Mimi (1972) and Swept Away (1974). Mariangela also acted in movies made in English. A well-known one is Flash Gordon (1980). She passed away at 71 years old from pancreatic cancer.

About Mariangela Melato's Life and Career

Her Early Life and Training

Mariangela Melato was born in Milan, Italy. Her father was a traffic policeman from Trieste. Her mother was a seamstress from Milan. From a young age, Mariangela loved art. She studied painting at the Brera Academy. To pay for her acting lessons, she drew posters. She also worked as a window dresser at La Rinascente, a department store.

Mariangela was a striking blonde actress. She started her stage career in 1960. She joined the acting group of Fantasio Piccoli. Her first play was Binario cieco. From 1963 to 1965, she worked with Dario Fo. She performed in his plays Settimo: ruba un po' meno and La colpa è sempre del diavolo. In 1967, she worked with famous director Luchino Visconti. This was for the play The Nun of Monza. In 1968, she became very well known in theater. This happened with her role in Orlando furioso by Luca Ronconi. She made her first movie appearance in 1969. It was in Pupi Avati's film Thomas e gli indemoniati.

Success in the 1970s

The 1970s were Mariangela Melato's most successful time. She played many memorable movie roles. She was a school teacher in Nino Manfredi's comedy Between Miracles (1971). She also played the main female roles in The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1971). This film was directed by Elio Petri. Another important role was in Vittorio De Sica's Lo chiameremo Andrea (We'll Call Him Andrew, 1972).

One of her most famous roles was in Swept Away. In this film, she played a rich, spoiled lady. Her funny performance was highly praised around the world.

During the rest of the 1970s, Mariangela worked with top European directors. She worked with Claude Chabrol in Nada (1974). She also worked with Elio Petri again in Todo modo (1976). Another director she worked with was Luigi Comencini in Il gatto (1978). She also acted on television. She played Princess Bithiah in the miniseries Moses the Lawgiver (1974). This series was also shown as a movie.

Later Career and International Roles

After becoming famous worldwide, Mariangela Melato acted in American movies. One of her most well-known parts was as the villain General Kala. This was in the movie Flash Gordon (1980). She also acted with Ryan O'Neal in the comedy So Fine (1981).

She did not find huge success in Hollywood. So, she returned to Italy. There, she appeared in many comedies and dramas. She worked again with director Lina Wertmüller for the film Summer Night (1986). Over time, she acted in fewer movies. She focused more on stage plays. A notable role was the lead in The Miracle Worker.

Her Passing

Mariangela Melato passed away on January 11, 2013. She was 71 years old. She died in Rome, Italy, from pancreatic cancer.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Mariangela Melato para niños

• Anna Melato, actress and sister of Mariangela