Alida Valli (31 May 1921 - 22 April 2006), sometimes simply credited as Valli, was born in Pola, Istria, Italy . (now called Pula, Croatia), of Austrian and Italian extraction on her father's side, Slovenian and Istrian on her mother's side, and she was christened Alida Maria Laura von Altenburger, Baroness of Marckenstein and Freuenberg. She appeared in over 100 films including The Paradine Case (1947), but is probably most widely known for her appearance in The Third Man (1949). She had previously created a sensation in Italian films of the late 1930s and the war years.
Valli owed her career in English language films to David Selznick, who signed her to a contract, thinking that he had found a second Ingrid Bergman. However she had a thick accent, which resulted in her English language film career being short-lived, but she continued to work in the Italian, and occasionally French, cinema up to 2004. She also appeared on the stage in Italy.
She died on 22 April 2006 in Rome, slightly over a month short of her 85th birthday. She was survived by her two sons by Oscar de Mejo, Carlo and Larry (and five grandchildren?).
The Third Man (1949)
