Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Raffaella Carra

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni was born in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on June 18, 1943. She was an Italian multifaceted artist who really did it all. Singer, dancer, actress, television personality. She grew up in Romagna following the Musichiere, learning titles and refrains by heart. At the age of eight she left Romagna to attend the National Dance Academy of Rome, that of Jia Ruskaia. She was 14 when Ruskaia tells her that her ankles are too small and that it goes on like this, maybe at 28 she could have been a choreographer. Raffaella runs away and decides to try the way of the cinema and enrolls in the Experimental Center of Cinematography. In 1960 she won a small part in "La lunga notte del '43" by Florestano Vancini. Three years later she shoots "I Compagni" and then "Celestina" with Carlo Lizzani. Then the American experience. With Frank Sinatra starred in "Von Ryan’s Express". '' I was chosen from a lot of famous actresses who wanted to play alongside Frank. He was a great gentleman, but I didn't know his songs. I used to go to the jukebox and put the Beatles on”. He was perplexed, she recalled. Hollywood didn’t impress her. Raffaella appeared in one Euro-western as Carmela in 1962’s “L'ombra di Zorro” (The Shadow of Zorro) starring Frank Latimore, Robert Hundar and Paul Piaget.

Raffaella Carra died in Rome on July 5, 2021 at the age of 78.

CARRA, Raffaella (aka Rafaela Carrà, Raffaella Carra, Zarre) (Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni) [6/18/1943, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy – 7/5/2021, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – writer, film, TV actress, dancer, singer.

Shadow of Zorro – 1962 (Carmela)