Catherine Spaak, Lover of 60s Italian Cinema, Dies at 77

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Catherine Spaak, a French-born actress who made her name in Italian, French and occasionally American films by acting with stars such as Jane Fonda and Rod Taylor, died in Rome on April 17. She was 77 years old.

His son, Gabriele Guidi, confirmed his death.

Born outside of Paris, Ms. Spaak went to Italy at a young age and began a long film career there. His first major role in a feature film was as a 17-year-old student having an affair with a middle-aged man. “Sweet Deceptions”, from 1960 (originally “Dolci Inganni”).

Four years later, she appeared as a Parisian shop girl in “La Ronde,” a French drama about marital infidelity directed by Roger Vadim, where she co-starred with Miss Fonda (she continued by marrying Mr. Vadim). A remake of the 1950 version based on Max Ophuls’ 1897 Arthur Schnitzler play, the film was released in the United States and “Circle of Love.”

As a young actress, Ms. Spaak became a sex symbol on the screen and caught the attention of many international magazines, including Playboy. With her long, straight hair and blunt-cut bangs, she became a style setter in the 1960s.

First movie role in the United States arrived “Hotel” (1967), an adaptation of the Arthur Hailey novel, starring Mr. Taylor. She played the mistress of an investor (Kevin McCarthy) looking to buy a major hotel in New Orleans. Variety described her performance as “charming and sexy.”

In 1968, she was featured in “The Libertine” (originally “La Matriarca”) with Jean-Louis Trintignant for the role of “an irritable young widow” who, as Howard Thompson wrote, “is in and out of various sexual relationships”. heartless review in the New York Times.

In 1971, she had another lead role in Dario Argento’s murder mystery thriller. “Cat O’Nine Tails” He performs with Karl Malden and television star James Franciscus. In 1975, she took on a different genre by playing a prostitute in “Take a Hard Ride,” an Italian-American “spaghetti western” starring Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef.

Ms. Spaak pursued a parallel singing career in the 1960s and 70s, recording a handful of songs. albums. She has often been compared to the French singer Françoise Hardy, some of whose songs were covered by Miss Spaak.

Later in her career, she hosted a popular Italian talk show called “Harem”.

Catherine Spaak was born on April 3, 1945 in Boulogne-Billancourt in the Paris region. to screenwriter Charles Spaak and actress Claudie Clèves. After moving to Italy as a teenager, he spent the rest of his life there and was naturalized.

He was married four times. Her first husband was an Italian actor and producer. Fabrizio Capucci; secondly, Johnny Dorelli was also an actor, and he and Mrs. Spaak recorded music together, including the album. “Promesse… Promesse…” (1970). She later married Daniel Rey, an architect, and Vladimiro Tuselli in 2013, she.

In addition to Mr. Guidi, he is survived by his daughter Sabrina Capucci and sister Agnes Spaak.

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