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Scilla Gabel

Actor

Scilla Gabel

Born January 4, 1938 in Rimini, Italy45 films

She was born Scilla Gabellini, one of five siblings, in Rimini on the Adriatic coast. Scilla initially studied law at Oxford University, graduating with a doctorate. Her interest in pursuing a legal career waned quickly, however, since her next move was a return to Italy for acting classes at Rome's Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica. At the age of seventeen, the voluptuous, blue-eyed Scilla became a body double for Sophia Loren (to whom she bore more than a passing resemblance), notably in the classic Boy on a Dolphin (1957). Two years later, she underwent cosmetic surgery to look less like Sophia in order to forge her own screen image.

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In 1963, Scilla featured on the cover of several magazines, including Playboy, the Milanese publication Le Ore and Parade (at the time, the most widely read weekly in the U.S.). Though she went on to command leads in a number of films during the 60s, Scilla tended to be typecast in roles which emphasized her physical attributes, rather than her acting ability. She appeared most often in genre films, anything from innocuous sex comedies (Genitori in blue-jeans (1960), Bel Ami 2000 oder Wie verführt man einen Playboy? (1966)) to swashbuckling costume dramas (La Venere dei pirati (1960)), and from spaghetti westerns (Johnny Golden Poker (1966)) to peplum spectacles (Death on the Arena (1962), The Revenge of Spartacus (1964)). After 1971, she was afforded more challenging and critically acclaimed roles as a star in Italian TV miniseries.

Eleven years after leaving the screen, Scilla attracted media attention as a result of the murder of her 87-year old landlord father Giuseppe, by a crazed tenant at his villa on the via Campi di Torre Flavia in Ladispoli.

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The best way into Scilla Gabel's work
Two Colonels posterFirst watchTwo Colonels19637.5as IrideIn WWII Greece, two enemy Colonels, one Italian and the other English, develop a grudging friendship which the war will test.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Mill of the Stone Women poster6.1Mill of the Stone Women1960Modesty Blaise poster5.3Modesty Blaise1966

Filmography

45 films as actor
  1. 1971Bastard, Go and KillSusanna
  2. 1969The OdysseyHelen
  3. 1969Johnny BelindaBelinda
  4. 1969Le avventure di UlisseElena
  5. 1967Tender SharksZeezee
  6. 1966How to Seduce a Playboy?Anita Bionda
  7. 1966Target for KillingLa Tigra
  8. 1966DjuradoBarbara Donovan
  9. 1966Modesty BlaiseMelina
  10. 1965Con rispetto parlandoVittoria Oriani, in arte Patricia D'Altamura
  11. 1964Son of CleopatraLivia
  12. 1964The Revenge of the GladiatorsCinzia
  13. 1964Seven Slaves Against the WorldClaudia
  14. 1964Corpse for the LadyRenata
  15. 1964Una storia di notteTurista tedesca
  16. 1963Outlaws of LoveWilma
  17. 1963Arms of the AvengerIsabella - duchessina di Collinalto
  18. 1963Il terrore dei mantelli rossiCristina
  19. 1963The Shortest DayL'amante di un soldato (uncredited)
  20. 1963Two ColonelsIride
  21. 1962La salamandre d'orBéatrice
  22. 1962Sodom and GomorrahTamar
  23. 1962Colossus of the ArenaThalima
  24. 1962Village of DaughtersAngelina Vimereati
  25. 1962No Man's LandSignora De Rossi
  26. 1961Romulus and the SabinesDusia
  27. 1961Three Faces of SinRossana
  28. 1961MaraMara
  29. 1961The Festival GirlsNadja
  30. 1961The Fruit Is RipeKissa
  31. 1961La grande vallata
  32. 1960Mill of the Stone WomenElfie Wahl
  33. 1960The Queen of the PiratesIsabella, the Duke's Daughter
  34. 1960I piaceri del sabato nottePatrizia
  35. 1960Noi duriJosette
  36. 1960Genitori in blue-jeansColette
  37. 1960Take Me As I AmGina
  38. 1959The White WarriorPrincess Mario Vorontsova
  39. 1959Tarzan's Greatest AdventureToni
  40. 1959I ragazzi dei ParioliNuccia
  41. 1958Legs of GoldGianna Savelli
  42. 1958Girls of the NightLola
  43. 1957Gente feliceGina
  44. 1956Due sosia in allegria
  45. 1955Tua per la vitaLa sartina dell' Atelier