Delia Boccardo

Stunning leading actress 'Delia Boccardo' (qv) was an eye-catching beauty who graced Italian and international films for over four decades. Born in Genoa, Italy on January 29, 1948, but raised in a small fishing village called Nerv,i she studied at colleges in both Switzerland and London before returning to Italy and enrolling at a film school in Rome.Briefly appearing on the stage, Delia made her debut at age 18 with a prime role in the "spaghetti western" _Death Walks in Laredo (1967)_ (qv) (Death Walks in Laredo). She then co-starred with French actor 'Philippe Leroy' (qv) in the action adventure drama _Das wilde Auge (1967)_ (qv) (The Wild Eye) before making her third film, and first English-speaking appearance, as the leading lady to 'Alan Arkin' (qv) in the misguided comedy _Inspector Clouseau (1968)_ (qv) with Arkin an unsuccessful 'Peter Sellers' (qv) replacement as the klutzy title French detective.The lovely actress would go on to become a seductive foil and/or love interest in numerous late 60's and 70's films. Additional European-filmed appearances by Boccardo had her co-starring opposite some of Europe's most handsome and virile actors: 'Franco Nero' (qv) in the crime dramas _Die Klette (1969)_ (qv); and _Tote Zeugen singen nicht (1973)_ (qv); 'Bekim Fehmiu' (qv) in the US-produced epic _The Adventurers (1970)_ (qv); suave 'Giancarlo Giannini' (qv) in _Rose Spot (1970)_ (qv); 'Pierre Clémenti' (qv) in _The Year of the Cannibals (1970)_ (qv); actor/director/co-writer 'Nino Manfredi' (qv) in the comedy _Between Miracles (1971)_ (qv); U.S. import 'Scott Holden' (qv) in the Italian western _Panhandle 38 (1972)_ (qv); and 'Luc Merenda' (qv) in the action thrillers _Shoot First, Die Later (1974)_ (qv) and _Silent Action (1975)_ (qv). She even found herself a co-star to good-looking famed skier 'Jean-Claude Killy' (qv) in Snow 'Job' (qv) (1972). She was also among the English-speaking star ensemble of _Tentacles (1977)_ (qv), with 'John Huston' (qv), 'Shelley Winters' (qv) 'Henry Fonda' (qv) and 'Bo Hopkins' (qv).Continuing into the early 1980s, Delia proved an entrancing Athena in the Italian-made _Hercules (1983)_ (qv), starring Lou Ferrigno; portrayed Mary Magdalene in the TV-movie _The Day Christ Died (1980)_ (qv); graced the mini-series _Martin Eden (1979)_ (qv); was part of the multi-star cast of the WWII historical drama _The Assisi Underground (1985)_ (qv) starring 'James Mason' (qv), 'Irene Papas' (qv) and 'Maximilian Schell' (qv).Delia has remained primarily in Italian films since then including _Aphrodite (1982)_ (qv) starring 'Horst Buchholz' (qv); _Bride and Groom (1988)_ (qv); _Casanovas Rückkehr (1992)_ (qv) starring 'Alain Delon' (qv); _Dichiarazioni d'amore (1994)_ (qv) (Declarations of Love); _Questo è il giardino (1999)_ (qv) and _Empty Eyes (2001)_ (qv). She finished her career on TV as the star of the Italian romantic drama series _Incantesimo (1998)_ (qv).::Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]