Person Biography:
Eleonora Rossi Drago was born Palmira Omiccioli on September 23, 1925, in Genoa, Italy, to a sea captain. She married at 17 and had a daughter, Fiorella, but the marriage did not last. She then worked as a department store mannequin and began designing couture clothing. Her beauty led her to compete in beauty contests, finishing fourth in the "Miss Italy" pageant, behind Gina Lollobrigida.
Rossi-Drago moved to Rome and began acting in small movie roles under her married name, Rossi. Her early success came with "Behind Closed Shutters" (1951) and "Sensualita" (1952),both considered strong films. She continued to work in films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, often playing princesses and temptresses. She also worked on stage, winning critical notice for her performance in "Uncle Vanya" opposite Marcello Mastroianni.
In the 1950s, Rossi-Drago received critical acclaim for her roles in "Le amiche" (1955) and "Violent Summer" (1959),earning several awards. However, she was often forced to take on provocative roles that emphasized her physical attributes. By the 1960s, she was relegated to lesser-known films, including "David and Goliath" (1960),"The Carpet of Horror" (1962),and "Sword of the Conqueror" (1961).
Rossi-Drago continued to work in films throughout the 1970s, but eventually retired in 1970. She married Sicilian businessman Domenico La Cavera in 1973 and retired to Palermo, Italy. She died on December 2, 2007, at the age of 82, survived by her second husband and daughter.
