Paolina Pezzaglia Greco (13 September 1886 – 17 December 1925) was an Italian theatre and film actress.
Early life Pezzaglia was the only daughter of the VIP hair-stylist Gerolamo Pezzaglia (1854–1899) and Adelinda Monti (1854–1940).Alessandro Gandini, Luigi Francesco Valdrighi Giorgio Ferrari Moreni, Cronistoria dei teatri di Moderna dal 1539 al 1871, Modena, Tipografia Sociale, 1873. The family name was Pezzaglia, however, the variant spelling Pazzaglia is also found in some documents and sources.
Her uncle was the actor and "capocomico" Angelo Pezzaglia,Francesco Possenti, I teatri del primo '900, Roma, Orsa Maggiore, 1984. who encouraged her to start acting on stage.Archivio Pezzaglia-Greco, chapters 8 - 9 - 10 - 11. At the age of 6 she already enchanted the public in theatre, and she grew to be a popular actress, acting in more than 120 theatrical pieces throughout Italy, Switzerland, Tunisia, Spain and Egypt.
Career She was first actress in Ermete Zacconi's "Compagnia", which was highly successful.L'Argante - Giornale Teatrale, Milano, June 8th, 1911.
In 1914 Pezzaglia played the character of Sofia in the film Il fornaretto di Venezia, directed by Luigi Maggi.IMDb Internet Movie Database. In 1918 she was cast as Biribì in the four-film serial movie Il mistero dei Montfleury. In 1918 she performed in La capanna dello zio Tom, directed by Riccardo Tolentino, and Le peripezie dell'emulo di Fortunello e compagni, directed by Cesare Zocchi Collani, playing the character of Madama Girasole.IMDb Internet Movie Database.
She was a nonconformist artist, playing also male or grotesque characters.Gazzetta del Popolo, daily newspaper, September 29th, 1913.
In 1921 she was in the cast of La vendetta dello scemo, directed by Umberto Mucci.IMDb Internet Movie Database.
Death Pezzaglia continued acting on stage till the end of her life, when, during a successful theatrical season, she died of pneumonia in Florence at the age of 39.Il Risveglio, monthly, Firenze, January 15th, 1926. She is buried at Trespiano Cemetery in Florence, Italy.
Personal life In 1908 she married the actor Antonio Greco and they had a son, Ruggero. Antonio died in 1913, at 29.Il Cittadino, daily newspaper, Savona, April 13th, 1909. In 1920 she had a daughter, Anna, with the actor and producer Luigi Mottura, who was 16 years younger. The two never married.Archivio Pezzaglia-Greco, chapters 19 - 21 - 22.
In popular culture The story of her life is told in the website "Archivio Pezzaglia-Greco" ("Pezzaglia-Greco Archive") by her grandson Gianni Greco, an Italian writer and radio-TV anchorman, with a lot of unpublished documents and photos. And in 2013 the Pezzaglia-Greco Archive was declared "of historical interest particularly important" by the Italian Ministry of Heritage and Culture and Tourism.Pezzaglia-Greco Archive.
In Amber Tamblyn's book, Dark Sparkler (2015), Pezzaglia is mentioned in a poem.
Filmography Il fornaretto di Venezia (1914) Muoio per lei! (1918) La capanna dello zio Tom (1918) Le peripezie dell'emulo di Fortunello e compagni (1918) L'emulo di Fortunello direttore d'orchestra (1918) Il mistero dei Montfleury (1918), serial movie in four full-length films: Il campo maledetto I bimbi di nessuno La sagra dei martiri Il giardino del silenzio La vendetta dello scemo (1921) Lo scemo Salvatore (1921)
References
External links Pezzaglia-Greco Archive