Pier Angeli

Active - 1950 - 2005  |   Born - Jun 19, 1932 in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy  |   Died - Sep 10, 1971   |   Genres - Drama, Adventure, Action

Share on

Biography by AllMovie

Discovered as a teenager by Russian director Leonide Moguy, Sardinian-born actress Pier Angeli made her film bow in 1949's Tomorrow is Too Late. The waif-like actress was signed by MGM in 1951, where she was seen in such films as Teresa (1951) and Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956). For several years, MGM made public announcements that Pier would star in a film adaptation of W.H. Hudson's mystical novel Green Mansions; the studio went to the extreme of sending out photographs of Ms. Angeli dressed as the novel's Rima the Bird Girl. But when time came to film Green Mansions in 1959 Pier had long since left the MGM fold, and the role went to Audrey Hepburn. Pier was briefly married to singer Vic Damone. She died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 39. Pier Angeli was the twin sister of actress Marisa Pavan.

Movie Highlights

See Full Filmography

Factsheet

  • Was discovered by director Leonide Moguy when she was 16 years old.
  • Made her film debut in the 1950 Italian movie Tomorrow Is Too Late.
  • Signed with MGM Studios in 1951.
  • Had her U.S. film debut in Teresa (1951).
  • In 1954, she starred in The Silver Chalice, which marked the film debut of Paul Newman.
  • While working on the set of The Silver Chalice, she met James Dean; the two had an ongoing relationship but never married.