Marisa Merlini (6 August 1923 – 27 July 2008) was an Italian character actress active in Italy's post-World War II cinema. Merlini appeared in over fifty films during her career, which spanned from World War II to 2005. In Luigi Comencini's 1953 film Pane, amore e fantasia, she portrayed Annarella, a village midwife, who marries the local police marshal, played by Vittorio De Sica.
Biography
A native of Rome, where she was born on 6 August 1923, Merlini was well known for playing the romana verace, or "born-and-bred Roman" characters. Merlini also appeared in several high-profile comedic films alongside Italian actor, Totò, as well as the 1960 film Il vigile with actor Alberto Sordi. Additionally, Merlini appeared in a number of films opposite her real life friend, Italian actress Anna Magnani.
Merlini's awards included the Nastro d'Argento (Silver Ribbon), a film critics' award in 1957 for portraying a tourist in the 1956 Antonio Racioppi directed film, Tempo di Villeggiatura.
Merlini's last appearance on screen came in the 2005 film, La seconda notte di nozze, which was directed by Pupi Avati.
Marisa Merlini died in Rome, on 27 July 2008, at the age of 83. Director Pupi Avati, who directed Merlini's final 2005 film, La seconda notte di nozze, paid tribute to Merlini saying, "Marisa brought to the set the experience of somebody who had taken part in the golden years of Italian cinema, but she was down-to-earth both in front of and behind the camera... Working with her was an honour and a fantastic experience."
Filmography
Stasera niente di nuovo (1942) - Un ospite dell'istituto
Roma, città libera (1946) - Mara
Toto Looks for a House (1949) - Patronessa
The Emperor of Capri (1949) - La baronesa von Krapfen
Marechiaro (1949) - Un' invitata al pranzo di nozze
Se fossi deputato (1949) - Olga Olghis
Vivere a sbafo (1949) Love and Poison (1950) - Orsola Toto Looks for a Wife (1950) - Luisa, la modella Lo Zappatore (1950) The Black Captain (1951) - Lucrezia Adinolfi Rome-Paris-Rome (1951) - Signora nel vagone letto Stasera sciopero (1951) - Gemma Napoleon (1951) - Giuseppina Beauharnais The Two Sergeants (1951) Viva il cinema! (1952) - Jacqueline I'm the Hero (1952) - Lucille The Passaguai Family Gets Rich (1952) - La contessa Ergastolo (1952) - Jeannette In Olden Days (1952) - La signora nell'auto scoperta The Angels of the District (1952) - Gianna Sunday Heroes (1952) - Lucy - Cerchio's wife I, Hamlet (1952) - Regina Gertrud Il tallone d'Achille (1952) - Zizì Er fattaccio (1952) - Lulù Cats and Dogs (1952) - Donna Filomena Infame accusa (1953) - Amante di Giovannino I Always Loved You (1953) - Lucia Bread, Love and Dreams (1953) - Anna Mirziato Viva il cinema! (1953) Tormento d'anime (1953) Sua Altezza ha detto: no! (1953) - Liubitza Finalmente libero! (1953) - Woman in the Court Anna perdonami (1953) La prigioniera di Amalfi (1954) Bread, Love and Jealousy (1954) - La levatrice The Lovers of Manon Lescaut (1954) - Elisa Due lacrime (1954) - Valeria Di qua, di là del Piave (1954) Le signorine dello 04 (1955) - Vera Colasanti The Song of the Heart (1955) - Silvia Destination Piovarolo (1955) - Sara Cortile (1955) Il bigamo (1956) - Enza Masetti Tempo di villeggiatura (1956) - Margherita Pozzi Porta un bacione a Firenze (1956) - Sig.ra Rosa Padri e figli (1957) - Ines Santarelli The Most Wonderful Moment (1957) - Margherita Rosati (1957) - Schwester Doctor and the Healer (1957) - Mafalda Husbands in the City (1957) - Aida Vacanze a Ischia (1957) Dinanzi a noi il cielo (1957) - Madre di Tom Ladro lui, ladra lei (1958) - Marialele Io, mammeta e tu (1958) - Donna Amalia, la madre Resurrection (1958) - Bockowa Il bacio del sole (Don Vesuvio) (1958) - Carmela Spada Everyone's in Love (1959) - Jolanda World of Miracles (1959) - Franca La cento chilometri (1959) - Angela Juke box urli d'amore (1959) - Marisa Loreto Roulotte e roulotte (1959) - Anna I piaceri dello scapolo (1960) - Evelina Il carro armato dell'8 settembre (1960) - Palmira La garçonnière (1960) - Pupa Il vigile (1960) - Amalia Celletti Ferragosto in bikini (1960) - Marta Le ambiziose (1961) - La signora Letizia Proietti World in My Pocket (1961) - Frau Mandini Gli incensurati (1961) - Olimpia Akiko (1961) - Ottavia Colasanto Il giudizio universale (1961) - Mother of tomato-throwing child