RIP Rina Franchetti

Italian actress Rina Franchetti died at her home in Formello, Italy on August 18. She was 102. Born Ester Girgenti on December 23, 1907 in Naples, Italy. She was one of the most respected actresses of the Italian stage. Rina's first film was “Due cuori felici” in 1932. Her last film was 1990's “Basta! Adesso tocca a noi”. Between then she appeared on stage, radio, and TV signing a contract with RAI, and later when her career was in decline she did voice dubbing and narration for radio dramas. Her daughter actress Sara Franchetti was born in 1946. Rina appeared in two Euro-films during the 1960's “The Brute and the Beast” (1966) playing the mother of Franco Nero and George Hilton's characters. “Two Pistols for a Coward” (1968). She was affectionately known as 'The Grandma of Italian Film'.