Who Are Those Gals? - Paola Borboni

Paola Borboni was born in Golese di Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on January 1, 1900. She was a women with a powerful ego, a lively mind and a free spirit, the Borbonis can be considered, as one with the theater and acting, often likened to the female counterpart of Vittorio Gassman, which however was more than twenty years younger. In 1916 she made ​​her debut in Lodi in the play of the Quintero brothers “Il fiore della vita” specially prepared by her father an opera impresario. The following year, after attending acting courses taught by Teresa Boetti Valvassura, she officially enters into the company of Alfredo De Sanctis in the drama of Salomon Asch “Il dio della vendetta”.

After reciting for a year in the company of Helena Wnorowska directed by R. Calo, in 1920 with Irma Gramatica and during the illness of the illustrious actress takes over the lead role of the first lady.  From 1921 to 1930 she was the first actress alongside Armando Falconi. In 1930-31 she is now with Wolves and Fishermen and, in 1932-34, the prime actress with Ruggero Ruggeri.  In 1935 she undertook the capocomicato with Piero Carnabucci, before returning in 1940 to Ruggeri, having interpreted the play of Michael Galdieri “Mani in tasca naso al vento” with Odoardo Spadaro.

1942 she performs a memorable performance in “La vita che ti diedi” at the Theatre University of Rome, where she collected an extraordinary consensus of the public opinion and critical acclaim. In 1943 she founded the Compagnia pirandelliana Paola Borboni, and in 1945 the Compagnia del Dramma along with Salvo Randone.  In 1947 she headed a new company Pirandello Picasso-Bourbons. In 1954 she was awarded the San Genesio prize for “La morale della signora Dulka”;  in the same year Paola reveals great monologues indeed inventing a new theatrical genre and marking a major milestone in the history of the Italian theater of the twentieth century, while referring back to the tradition of Hermes Novelli.

Of these, five recitals remain as valuable recorded on two phonograph records, engraved by the Bourbons in 1959-60.  The poet Mario Luzi writes 1992 for Paola Borboni; the text was to be represented at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, but the actress, for various reasons, was never able to bring the work on stage.  But her passion is Pirandello, which she plays for six years, in three different companies.

Her film career began with an appearance in 1918’s “Jacopo Ortis” and after 85+ films ended with an appearance in 1990’s “Blue dolphin - l'avventura continua”.

On 18 December 1972 she married the actor and poet Bruno Vilar [1942-1978], who was forty years younger than her. On June 23, 1978 she was involved in a tragic car accident, after which Vilar died and she was forced to use crutches the rest of her life.  Paola Borboni died on April 9, 1995, in a retirement home in Varese, Italy, struck down by a stroke.

BORBONI, Paola [1/1/1900, Golese di Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy - 4/9/1995, Bodio Lomnago, Lombardy, Italy (stroke)] - stage, TV actress, married to actor Bruno Vilar [1942-1978] (1972- 1978), founded the stage company Compagnia pirandelliana Paola Borboni [1943], co-founded the stage company Compagnia del Dramma [1945].

Judge Roy Bean - 1971 (Victoria)