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Laura Antonelli

A voluptuous Italian screen siren, Laura Antonelli rated somewhere between Sophia Loren and Stefania Sandrelli in the earth mother/sex goddess category. She debuted in the cheesy sequel "Dr. Goldfoot & the Girl Bombs" (1966) and made her American debut as James Garner's girl in Vic Morrow's uneven Western "A Man Called Sledge" (1970). Claude Chabrol cast her as Mia Farrow's sexy sister in "Docteur Popaul" (1972) but it was her turn as a servant who comes between a widowed father and his son in "Malizia" (1973) that established her. She went on to grace numerous Italian sex farces, but also appeared occasionally in more distinguished outings. In Luchino Visconti's swan song, "L'Innocente/The Innocent" (1976), she was torn between Marcello Mastroianni and Giancarlo Giannini. She reteamed with Mastroianni for the erotic drama "Mogliamante/Wifemistress" (1977), as his repressed wife who undergoes a sexual awakening. Antonelli had one of her best screen roles as the married lover of an army officer who in turn is pursued by a neurotic woman in Ettore Scola's study of obsessive love "Passione d'Amore" (1981). She continued in similar roles throughout the 80s, but her career came to a standstill in May 1991 when she was arrested and sentenced to a three-and-one-half year jail term for possession of cocaine; the conviction was later overturned on appeal. Antonelli's last role was in the sequel "Malizia 2mila" (1991), Laura Antonelli died of a heart attack on June 22. 2015 at the age of 73.