The captivating Italian actress, Bruna Bovi, born in Rome, was the youngest of five siblings. As a young gymnast, she caught the attention of director Pietro Francisci in 1952, marking the beginning of her screen career. Her striking features, including her luminous eyes and spirited personality, often led to her being cast in roles that showcased her beauty, particularly in spaghetti westerns and sword-and-sandal epics.
However, she did manage to break free from these typical roles on occasion. One such instance was her portrayal of Balkis, the Queen of Sheba, in the 1952 film of the same name, where she starred alongside Gino Cervi as King Solomon. Another notable performance was her role as Sandra Rubini, the wife of an irresponsible womanizer, in Federico Fellini's classic film I Vitelloni (1953). This performance is arguably her best, showcasing her range as an actress.
Leonora also appeared in a couple of mildly entertaining horror films. In Goliath and the Vampires (1961),she played the girlfriend of Gordon Scott, battling faceless robots and vampires. Her other notable horror film was Mario Bava's Hercules in the Haunted World (1961),where she was held captive on the island of the Hesperides by a demon, played menacingly by Christopher Lee.
By the end of the 1960s, Leonora's sporadic acting career had come to a close, and she retired from the film industry.
