Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Actress Argentina Brunetti dead at 98

|
|
 
  
Published: Dec. 24, 2005 at 1:09 PM

ROME, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Actress Argentina Brunetti, who played the Italian immigrant Mrs. Martini in "It's a Wonderful Life," has died in Rome at at 98.

Brunetti died in her sleep Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Brunetti appeared in more than 90 movies and 60 TV shows during a 50 year career. "It's a Wonderful Life" was Brunetti's first credited role, in which James Stewart's character helps her large family buy a house.

Dean Martin sang "That's Amore" to her character, his mom, in 1953's "The Caddy" with Jerry Lewis. She also played mothers in "The George Raft Story" starring Ray Danton, "Holiday in Havana" with Desi Arnaz, "Knock on Any Door" with John Derek and "Apache War Smoke" with Robert Blake, the Times said.

Her TV credits include "Hopalong Cassidy," "The Untouchables," "The Flying Nun" and "Everybody Loves Raymond."

The actress was a founding member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and penned a weekly column for Italian-language publications in Canada and Italy.

Her late husband, Miro, was also a foreign correspondent in Hollywood.

Topics: Dean Martin, Desi Arnaz, George Raft, Jerry Lewis, John Derek, Robert Blake
© 2005 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Entertainment News Stories
1 of 29
Members of the Army's Old Guard place flags at Arlington National Ceremtery
View Caption
U.S. flags are seen in the rucksack of a soldier with the Army's 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, as he places flags at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Flags-In Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. American flags were placed at each of the more than 220,000 grave markers in honor of those who served and Memorial Day. UPI/Kevin Dietshc
fark
Photoshop this frog jumping coach
China criticizes the U.S. on its "dismal" human rights record, citing police brutality, arresting...
Hey, why don't we have a gardening thread? BRING ON THE ORGANIC TROLLS
What happens when a precious little snowflake get his JD and goes to work on Wall Street? He sues...
Alcohol was definitely involved
Ink is pink