Pier Angeli — Biography
Born Anna Maria Pierangeli on June 19, 1932, in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, she and her twin sister, Marisa Pavan, both aspired to be movie stars, a common Italian ambition. Anna modified her first name, split her surname in half, and emerged as Pier Angeli, the name under which she would achieve renown. Her debut was an uncredited appearance in the 1948 Italian film The Million Dollar Nickel, released in 1952. At sixteen, this marked the beginning of her acting career, despite the film itself being largely unremarkable. The following year, she appeared in another Italian production, Tomorrow Is Too Late. Her roles remained small, and she was absent from the screen again until 1951. In the interim, between 1949 and 1951, she engaged in stage work and held various odd jobs. Her return to film came with The Light Touch, playing Anna Vasarri, followed by a leading role in Teresa that same year. However, her career experienced another lull, with only one film in 1952 and two in 1953.
The year 1954 brought an upswing, with Hollywood taking notice. After the Italian film Miss Nitouche, she caught the attention of American producers, leading to roles in Flame and the Flesh and The Silver Chalice. She began dividing her time between Italy and the United States for her film work. In 1954, she married Vic Damone, a union that lasted four years and produced one son. Although no films were released in 1955, Pier secured a significant role in 1956 as Norma Graziano, the wife of boxer Rocky Graziano, in Somebody Up There Likes Me, starring opposite Paul Newman. The film's box office success fueled her hopes for a career resurgence. Later that year, she played Ynez in Port Afrique, after which another period of inactivity followed. Following The Vintage, Merry Andrew, and SOS Pacific, she completed three more films in 1960. The year 1961 saw no new appearances.
In 1962, Pier took on the role of Ildith in Sodom and Gomorrah, and later that year, she appeared in the French production White Slave Ship. After the Italian film Shadow of Evil, she was featured in the successful European-American co-production Battle of the Bulge. After a few more films between 1966 and 1970, Pier acknowledged that her aspirations for superstardom were unlikely to be fulfilled. She had divorced her second husband, Armando Trovajoli, in 1969, and her final screen appearance was in the low-budget science fiction film Octaman in 1971. On September 10, 19
The year 1954 brought an upswing, with Hollywood taking notice. After the Italian film Miss Nitouche, she caught the attention of American producers, leading to roles in Flame and the Flesh and The Silver Chalice. She began dividing her time between Italy and the United States for her film work. In 1954, she married Vic Damone, a union that lasted four years and produced one son. Although no films were released in 1955, Pier secured a significant role in 1956 as Norma Graziano, the wife of boxer Rocky Graziano, in Somebody Up There Likes Me, starring opposite Paul Newman. The film's box office success fueled her hopes for a career resurgence. Later that year, she played Ynez in Port Afrique, after which another period of inactivity followed. Following The Vintage, Merry Andrew, and SOS Pacific, she completed three more films in 1960. The year 1961 saw no new appearances.
In 1962, Pier took on the role of Ildith in Sodom and Gomorrah, and later that year, she appeared in the French production White Slave Ship. After the Italian film Shadow of Evil, she was featured in the successful European-American co-production Battle of the Bulge. After a few more films between 1966 and 1970, Pier acknowledged that her aspirations for superstardom were unlikely to be fulfilled. She had divorced her second husband, Armando Trovajoli, in 1969, and her final screen appearance was in the low-budget science fiction film Octaman in 1971. On September 10, 19
