Edwige Fenech (, ;"Edvige" and born 24 December 1948) is a French-Italian actress and film producer. She is known as the star of a series of commedia sexy all'italiana and giallo films released predominantly through her 20-year career in the 1970s and 80s, which turned her into a sex symbol.

Early life Fenech was born in Bône, Constantine, French Algeria (now Annaba, Annaba Province, Algeria) to an Algerian-Maltese father and an Italian mother from Ragusa, Sicily. Her parents divorced when she was a child, and Fenech was raised in Nice with her mother.

Career Fenech moved from Nice to Rome in 1967 for her first Italian film Samoa, Queen of the Jungle by Guido Malatesta. In 1968, she came under contract with Austrian director Franz Antel and from the late 1960s to early 1970s, she acted in various films of Antel (including his Frau Wirtin series) as well as that of Franz Marischka.

Fenech starred in many genres of cinema but her greatest commercial success came with commedia sexy all'italiana films, particularly including earlier works Ubalda, All Naked and Warm (1972) and Giovannona Long-Thigh (1973), as well as the following l'insegnante (school teacher), la soldatessa (soldier), la poliziotta (policewoman) series and other films that featured Fenech in stereotypical professions, which further bolstered Fenech's position as the most popular actress of the genre. She often paired with Carlo Giuffrè and later with Renzo Montagnani in commedia sexy films.

Fenech was also a regular in giallo films. Her works in this genre include The Seducers (1969), Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970), The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971), Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), All the Colors of the Dark (1972), The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972), Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975), and Phantom of Death (1987).

Later career

In the 1980s, she became a television personality, typically appearing with Barbara Bouchet on a chat show on Italian television. After many years of work in movie production, she co-produced The Merchant of Venice (2004) with Al Pacino, and later accepted Eli Roth's offer to appear in another movie, Hostel: Part II (2007). Quentin Tarantino named the character of General Ed Fenech in Inglourious Basterds (2009) in her honour, and invited Fenech to the Italian premiere of his film.

Personal life

Fenech was married to Italian film producer Luciano Martino from 1971 to 1979.

In the mid-1990s, she was engaged to the Italian industrialist Luca di Montezemolo. Her son Edwin (born 1971) has worked at her production company and was the former CEO of Ferrari Asia-Pacific, Ferrari Greater China and Ferrari North America.

She considers herself Roman Catholic.

In popular culture The English metal band Cathedral wrote the song "Edwige's Eyes" on their album The Guessing Game as a tribute to the actress.

Filmography

Year Title Role Director Notes1967All Mad About HimGinaNorbert Carbonnaux1968Samoa, Queen of the JungleSamoaGuido MalatestaThe Son of Black EagleNastaciaGuido MalatestaSexy Susan Sins AgainCélineFranz Antel1969The SeducersUllaOttavio AlessiHouse of PleasureRosalie BobinetFranz AntelFelicitasGiuseppe ZaccarielloMadame and Her NieceYvetteEberhard SchröderHeads or TailsManuelaPiero PierottiHong-KongFranz MarischkaBlandeGiuseppe ZaccarielloMadame BovaryEmma BovaryHans Schott-Schöbinger1970SatiricosissimoPoppaea SabinaMariano LaurentiFive Dolls for an August MoonMarie ChaneyMario BavaDon Franco e Don Ciccio nell'anno della contestazioneAnna BellinzoniMarino GirolamiLe Mans, Shortcut to HellCoraOsvaldo Civirani1971The Strange Vice of Mrs. WardhJulie WardhSergio MartinoNights and Loves of Don JuanAishaAlfonso BresciaDesert of FireJuanaRenzo Merusi1972All the Colors of the DarkJane HarrisonSergio MartinoThe Case of the Bloody IrisJennifer OstermanGiuliano CarnimeoYour Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the KeyFlorianaSergio MartinoWhen Women Were Called VirginsGiulia VarroneAldo GrimaldiNaughty NunAntoniaMariano LaurentiUbalda, All Naked and WarmUbaldaMariano Laurenti1973Holy God, Here Comes the Passatore!MoraGiuliano CarnimeoGiovannona Long-ThighGiovannona CoscialungaSergio Martino The Inconsolable Widow Thanks All Those Who Consoled Her Catarina Prevosti Mariano LaurentiMean Frank and Crazy TonyOrchideaMichele LupoAnna, quel particolare piacereAnna LovisiGiuliano Carnimeo1974Innocence and DesireCarmela PaternòMassimo DallamanoPoker in BedEvaGiuliano Carnimeo1975Lover BoyMarianna PersiquettiMarino GirolamiThe School TeacherGiovanna PagausNando CiceroStrip Nude for Your KillerMagdaAndrea Bianchi The Family Vice SuzieMariano LaurentiLa moglie vergineValentinaMarino Girolami1976Sex with a SmileEmilia ChiapponiSergio Martino(segment "La cavallona")Confessions of a Lady CopGianna AmicucciMichele Massimo TarantiniEvil ThoughtsFrancesca MaraniUgo TognazziMy Sister in LawViola Orlando / Rosa OrlandoLucio FulciThe Lady MedicDr. Elena DogliottiNando Cicero1977The Virgo, the Taurus and the CapricornGioia FerrettiLuciano MartinoTaxi GirlMarcellaMichele Massimo TarantiniThe Nurse on a Military TourEva MariniNando Cicero1978The Greatest BattleDanielleUmberto LenziThe Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' HighMonica SebastianiMariano LaurentiThe School Teacher in the HouseLuisa De DominicisMichele Massimo TarantiniThe Soldier with Great ManeuversDottoressa Eva MariniNando CiceroAmori mieiDeborahSteno1979A Policewoman on the Porno SquadGianna D'AmicoMichele Massimo TarantiniDr. Jekyll Likes Them HotBarbara WimplyStenoSaturday, Sunday and FridayEng. TokimotoSergio Martino(segment "Sabato")Hot PotatoMariaSteno1980Il ladroneDeborahPasquale Festa CampanileI'm PhotogenicCinzia PancaldiDino RisiLa moglie in vacanza... l'amante in cittàGiuliaSergio MartinoSugar, Honey and PepperAmalia PassalacquaSergio MartinoCatherine and IElisabettaAlberto SordiIl ficcanasoSusanna LuisettiBruno Corbucci1981AssoSilviaCastellano & PipoloTais-toi quand tu parles!BéatrixPhilippe ClairCornetti alla cremaMarianna TribalziSergio MartinoA Policewoman in New YorkGianna Amicucci / La PupaMichele Massimo Tarantini1982Don't Play with TigersFrancesca Del PràSergio MartinoIl paramedicoNina MiglioSergio NascaAn Ideal AdventurePatrizia RedaSteno1984Vacanze in AmericaMiss De RomanisCarlo Vanzina1988Phantom of DeathHélène MartellRuggero Deodato1993Private CrimesNicole VenturiSergio Martino4 episodes2000Il fratello minoreStefano Gigli2007Hostel: Part IIArt Class ProfessorEli Roth2023La quattordicesima domenica del tempo ordinarioSandra RubinPupi Avati

References

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