Anna Maria Alberghetti

Anna Maria Alberghetti (born May 15, 1936) is an Italian-American actress and soprano. She became a U.S. citizen in 1961.[3]

Anna Maria Alberghetti
Anna Maria Alberghetti in 1958
Born (1936-05-15) May 15, 1936
OccupationActress, singer
Years active1942–present
Spouse(s)
(m. 1964; div. 1974)
ChildrenAlexandra (b. 1966)
Pilar (b. 1970)[1][2]
RelativesCarla Alberghetti

Biography

Born in Pesaro, Marche, in central Italy, she starred on Broadway and won a Tony Award in 1962 as Best Actress (Musical) for Carnival![4] (she tied with Diahann Carroll for the musical No Strings).

Alberghetti was a child prodigy. Her father was an opera singer and concert master of the Rome Opera Company. Her mother was a pianist. At age six, Anna Maria sang in a concert on the Isle of Rhodes with a 100-piece orchestra. She performed at Carnegie Hall in New York at the age of 13.[4] At 15, she was introduced to American film audiences in Frank Capra's 1951 musical Here Comes the Groom, which starred Bing Crosby. At 16, she was Red Skelton's opening act during his Sahara Hotel engagement in Las Vegas.

Alberghetti appeared twice on the cover of Life magazine.[5] [6] She appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show more than 50 times.[7] She guest-starred in 1957 on NBC's The Gisele MacKenzie Show.[8] That same year, she performed in the premiere episode of The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom on ABC.

She co-starred with Dean Martin in 1957's Ten Thousand Bedrooms and with Jerry Lewis in The Jazz Singer in 1959, and Cinderfella 1960, not long after the Martin and Lewis comedy team parted ways.

Alberghetti also appeared in 1955's The Last Command, which starred Sterling Hayden, and had the leading role in the Western Duel at Apache Wells in 1957.

In 1959, the 22-year-old Alberghetti played the lead in "The Conchita Vasquez Story" of NBC's Wagon Train. She was cast as part of a gang of Comancheros who intend to attack the wagon train to steal rifles headed to the United States Army. Instead, she decides to leave the Comancheros and move west after she falls in love with scout Flint McCullough, played by Robert Horton. Tragically, as the episode ends, Conchita is killed by a bullet from her own people when they ambush the wagon train.[9]

On March 1, 1961, she appeared as a guest contestant on the television series I've Got A Secret. She guest-starred on The Andy Williams Show on March 28, 1963, and performed on The Hollywood Palace variety program's episode of May 2, 1964.

Alberghetti has toured in many theatrical productions and continues with her popular one-woman cabaret act. She had roles in a pair of 2001 films, The Whole Shebang and Friends & Family.

Her sister, Carla, also became a musical artist, who appeared in many stage productions. She eventually became Anna Maria's replacement in her Tony Award-winning role on Broadway. She has a brother, Paul Alberghetti, who is an entertainment attorney and film producer. He is married to filmmaker Michele Noble.

Alberghetti appeared in television commercials for Good Seasons salad dressing during the 1970s and early 1980s, where she was cast as "The Good Seasons Lady".

She was married to television producer-director Claudio Guzmán from 1964 to 1974.

In 1965, Alberghetti went on tour and performed on stage with Bob Hope in Okinawa for U.S. servicemen.

She appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line on November 23, 1958. She appeared for a second mystery-guest appearance on April 30, 1961.


Partial filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1951The MediumMonica
1951Here Comes the GroomTheresa
1953The Stars Are SingingKatri Walenska
1955The Last CommandConsuelo de Quesada
1957Duel at Apache WellsAnita Valdez
1957Ten Thousand BedroomsNina Martelli
1960CinderfellaPrincess Charming
1967KismetMarsinahTV movie
2001Friends & FamilyStella Patrizzi
2001The Whole ShebangLady Zito(final film role)

Stage work

Alberghetti in Carnival!

References

Further reading

  • Jackson, Ursula. "Anna Maria Alberghetti". In Italian Americans on the Twentieth Century, ed. George Carpetto and Diane M. Evanac. Tampa, FL: Loggia Press, 1999, pp. 6–7
  • Dye, David. Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, p. 4.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.