Marla Landi, Lady Dashwood (born Marcella Teresa Scarafia in 1933, Turin, Italy) is an Italian-born British film actress and television presenter.

Marla Landi, Lady Dashwood
Landi in the TV series One Step Beyond, episode The Villa
Born
Marcella Teresa Scarafina

1933 (age 90–91)
Turin, Italy
Occupations
  • Actress
  • TV presenter
  • model
  • businesswomen
SpouseSir Francis Dashwood, 11th Baronet

Career

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Landi's major roles included Across the Bridge (1957), Dublin Nightmare (1958), First Man into Space (1959), The Murder Game (1965), and the Hammer films The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959, as Cecile Stapleton) and The Pirates of Blood River (1962).[1] She was a Play School presenter from 1964 to 1970.[2] Joy Whitby, the programme's creator and earliest producer, recalled in 2013: "She spoke English with a heavy accent, but she was very loveable and children adored her".[3] Landi also presented Parliamo Italiano.[4] She appeared in an episode of the television version of Hancock's Half Hour known as "The Italian Maid" in 1959.[5]

She was a photographic model and had a number of magazine covers including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Tatler.[6] She later became the Fashion editor for Harper's Bazaar. She then went on to set up her own wig business.[7]

Personal life and honours

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In 1977, she married Sir Francis Dashwood, 11th Baronet; they lived at West Wycombe House in Buckinghamshire.[8]

She was made a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for promoting the Italian language and culture in the United Kingdom.[citation needed]

Filmography

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# Year Film Role Notes
1 1954 The Golden Link Maria
2 1955 The Hornet's Nest Terry Savarese
3 1957 Across the Bridge Mary
4 1958 Dublin Nightmare Anna Monti
5 1958 First Man into Space Tia Francesca
6 1959 The Hound of the Baskervilles Cecile Stapleton
7 1962 The Pirates of Blood River Bess Standing
8 1965 The Murder Game Marie Aldrich

References

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  1. ^ "Marla Landi". BFI. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019.
  2. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Play School (1964-88) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  3. ^ Sarah Williams "How we made: Joy Whitby and Phyllida Law on Play School", The Guardian, 15 October 2012
  4. ^ "Parliamo Italiano: 24: All'agenzia di Viaggio". 25 April 1964. p. 11 – via BBC Genome.
  5. ^ "The Italian Maid (1959)". BFI. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018.
  6. ^ Vaccaro, Michael A. (20 July 1957). "Marla Landi". www.loc.gov.
  7. ^ Cotter, Robert Michael “Bobb” (10 January 2014). The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography. McFarland. ISBN 9781476602011 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Marla Landi - The Private Life and Times of Marla Landi. Marla Landi Pictures". www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com.
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