Actress. Born in Milan, Italy, she played ingenues in a series of Italian films from 1941 to 1947. In 1948 she was cast in the dual roles of Fantine and Cosette in the Italian version of “Les Misérables” with Gino Cervi and Marcello Mastroianni. She appeared in the British film “The Glass Mountain” in 1949 which led to a number of American roles, but she primarily continued to film in Europe. She signed a contract with 20th Century Fox in 1948 and made “Malaya” (1949) with Spencer Tracy and Jimmy Stewart; “Thieves’ Highway” (1949) with Richard Conte, “The House on Telegraph Hill” (1951) with future husband Richard Basehart, and “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954) with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner. She continued to make films in Europe, starring in “Le Amiche,” (1955), “The Boat on the Grass,” (1971), “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,” (1988) and other films. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 1974 Golden Globes and the 1975 Oscars for her role of Séverine in “Day for Night” originally filmed as “La nuit américaine.” When Ingrid Bergman won the Oscar for her portrayal of Greta in “Murder on the Orient Express,” she apologized in her acceptance speech, indicating that Cortese deserved it more. She was also nominated and won a BAFTA Film Award, a National Society of Film Critics Awards, and a New York Film Critics Award, all for Best Actress for her portrayal of Séverine. She was awarded the 1956 Golden Goblets in Italy for Best Actress and the 1956 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Awards for the film “Le amiche,” and the 2013 Order of Arts and Letters in France. She was also nominated three other times for Best Supporting Actress in 1957 and 1987. She married actor Richard Basehart in 1951 and they had one son, actor Jackie Basehart. They divorced in 1960 and she never remarried.
Actress. Born in Milan, Italy, she played ingenues in a series of Italian films from 1941 to 1947. In 1948 she was cast in the dual roles of Fantine and Cosette in the Italian version of “Les Misérables” with Gino Cervi and Marcello Mastroianni. She appeared in the British film “The Glass Mountain” in 1949 which led to a number of American roles, but she primarily continued to film in Europe. She signed a contract with 20th Century Fox in 1948 and made “Malaya” (1949) with Spencer Tracy and Jimmy Stewart; “Thieves’ Highway” (1949) with Richard Conte, “The House on Telegraph Hill” (1951) with future husband Richard Basehart, and “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954) with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner. She continued to make films in Europe, starring in “Le Amiche,” (1955), “The Boat on the Grass,” (1971), “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,” (1988) and other films. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 1974 Golden Globes and the 1975 Oscars for her role of Séverine in “Day for Night” originally filmed as “La nuit américaine.” When Ingrid Bergman won the Oscar for her portrayal of Greta in “Murder on the Orient Express,” she apologized in her acceptance speech, indicating that Cortese deserved it more. She was also nominated and won a BAFTA Film Award, a National Society of Film Critics Awards, and a New York Film Critics Award, all for Best Actress for her portrayal of Séverine. She was awarded the 1956 Golden Goblets in Italy for Best Actress and the 1956 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Awards for the film “Le amiche,” and the 2013 Order of Arts and Letters in France. She was also nominated three other times for Best Supporting Actress in 1957 and 1987. She married actor Richard Basehart in 1951 and they had one son, actor Jackie Basehart. They divorced in 1960 and she never remarried.
Bio by: Apollymi
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