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Scilla Gabel
Actor

Scilla Gabel

4 Jan 1938Born
88Age
50Credits
Rimini, ItalyBirthplace

Biography

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).

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Two years later, she underwent cosmetic surgery to look less like Sophia in order to forge her own screen image.

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.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1983That Awful Mess on Via MerulanaSeries: Liliana Balducci (4 episodes)
  2. 1976Dov'è Anna?Series: Paola Silvestri (7 episodes)
  3. 1973Vino e paneSeries: Annina (4 episodes)
  4. 1971Bastard, Go and KillFilm: Susanna
  5. 1969The OdysseyFilm: Helen
  6. 1969Johnny BelindaFilm: Belinda
  7. 1969Le avventure di UlisseFilm: Elena
  8. 1968The OdysseySeries: Helen (8 episodes)
  9. 1967Tender SharksFilm: Zeezee
  10. 1966How to Seduce a Playboy?Film: Anita Bionda
  11. 1966Target for KillingFilm: La Tigra
  12. 1966DjuradoFilm: Barbara Donovan
  13. 1966Modesty BlaiseFilm: Melina
  14. 1965Le donne del Tenente SheridanSeries: Cheril (6 episodes)
  15. 1965Con rispetto parlandoFilm: Vittoria Oriani, in arte Patricia D'Altamura
  16. 1964Son of CleopatraFilm: Livia
  17. 1964The Revenge of the GladiatorsFilm: Cinzia
  18. 1964Seven Slaves Against the WorldFilm: Claudia
  19. 1964Corpse for the LadyFilm: Renata
  20. 1964Una storia di notteFilm: Turista tedesca
  21. 1963Outlaws of LoveFilm: Wilma
  22. 1963Arms of the AvengerFilm: Isabella - duchessina di Collinalto
  23. 1963Il terrore dei mantelli rossiFilm: Cristina
  24. 1963The Shortest DayFilm: L'amante di un soldato (uncredited)
  25. 1963Two ColonelsFilm: Iride
  26. 1962La salamandre d'orFilm: Béatrice
  27. 1962Sodom and GomorrahFilm: Tamar
  28. 1962Colossus of the ArenaFilm: Thalima
  29. 1962Village of DaughtersFilm: Angelina Vimereati
  30. 1962No Man's LandFilm: Signora De Rossi
  31. 1961Romulus and the SabinesFilm: Dusia
  32. 1961Three Faces of SinFilm: Rossana
  33. 1961MaraFilm: Mara
  34. 1961The Festival GirlsFilm: Nadja
  35. 1961The Fruit Is RipeFilm: Kissa
  36. 1961La grande vallataFilm
  37. 1960Mill of the Stone WomenFilm: Elfie Wahl
  38. 1960The Queen of the PiratesFilm: Isabella, the Duke's Daughter
  39. 1960I piaceri del sabato notteFilm: Patrizia
  40. 1960Noi duriFilm: Josette
  41. 1960Genitori in blue-jeansFilm: Colette
  42. 1960Take Me As I AmFilm: Gina
  43. 1959The White WarriorFilm: Princess Mario Vorontsova
  44. 1959Tarzan's Greatest AdventureFilm: Toni
  45. 1959I ragazzi dei ParioliFilm: Nuccia
  46. 1958Legs of GoldFilm: Gianna Savelli
  47. 1958Girls of the NightFilm: Lola
  48. 1957Gente feliceFilm: Gina
  49. 1956Due sosia in allegriaFilm
  50. 1955Tua per la vitaFilm: La sartina dell' Atelier

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.