Sophia Loren, A Timeless Beauty

Her father, engineer Riccardo Scicolone, was marriedPeople then were not as "enlightened" as we are
when he began an affair with her mother, Romildatoday.In 1957, producers paired the newest Hollywood
Villani, a piano teacher/artist/actress. He never helpedsex symbol with Cary Grant in "The Pride and the
raising Sofia Villani Scicolone, but he did allow her andPassion". Mr Grant was "bewitched, bothered and
her sister Maria to use his surname. He was never anbewildered" and impulsively proposed marriage. This
active part of Sofia and Maria's lives. Later in life, Ms.evident and public display of ardor stirred Mr. Ponti into
Loren actually had to pay him to acknowledge heraction. He petitioned the divorce courts in Mexico. The
younger sister publicly.Although Sofia was born indissolution of his marriage and his consequential
Rome, Italy, she grew up in poverty in the war - tornmarriage to Miss Loren were performed by proxy in
town of Pozzuoli outside of Naples. As she grew, sheMexico. The Vatican, refusing to recognize the divorce,
went through all of the awkward changes that youngor his marriage to Miss Loren, immediately labeled Mr.
people encounter. She bore the nicknames "LaPonti a bigamist. The fallout was a huge scandal and
Stuzzicadiente" (toothpick) and "Stechetto" (stick)the newlyweds were forced to annul their marriage.
through these changes. Because of the impoverishedThey remarried in 1966, however, once Mr. Ponti was
conditions in her life, she was always small andable to resolve the brouhaha with the Church.In spite of
underweight. On top of that, she was teased abouther burgeoning success as an actress, Miss Loren had
the size of her nose. In spite of all of this, she knewone goal that she had not achieved. She wanted to
that she could be an actress one day and she set outcarry a child and become a mother. She suffered
to do just that. She made a solemn vow to fulfill herthrough several devastating and heartrending
dream. Her mother, who harbored dreams of actingmiscarriages before carrying to term and delivering, her
herself, encouraged her oldest daughter to pursuefirst child in 1969. His doting parents named him Carlo
those.At the age of 16, Sofia began doing bit parts inPonti, Jr. Four years later she gave birth to his younger
Italian movies. She also competed in regional beautybrother, Eduardo. Her joy exceeded even that of her
contests and received several prizes. She beganAcademy Award and honors which she received for
posing for illustrations in Italian romance stories calledher role in 1960 in Vittorio De Sica's film, "Two
"fotoromanzi". At that time, she used the names SofiaWomen". About being a mother she said, "A mother
Villani and Sofia Lazzaro. In 1951 she and her motherhas to think twice, once for herself and once for her
appeared as extras in the movie "Quo Vadis", whichchild".Miss Loren remained very popular with movie
was filmed in Rome. This gave her a small taste ofgoers throughout the 1960s. She starred with several
Hollywood and bolstered her determination to be anleading men of that decade including Marcello
actress.Backing up here briefly in the timeline, in 1950,Mastroianni, Cary Grant, Richard Burton, Clark Gable,
Sofia placed as a runner - up in the Miss Italy contest.Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, John
Later that same year, she placed second in the MissWayne and Peter Sellers. She was popular not only
Rome contest. Her biggest prize that year, though,for her beauty, but also for her quick wit, sense of
came in the form of her future husband, Carlo Ponti - ahumor and her insight. One of her favorite and often
much older film director/producer. He was a judge ofrepeated, quotes involved her personal dietary habits.
one of her competitions and was immediatelyWhen asked how she maintained her beauty and her
attracted to the beauteous Miss Scicolone. Gone wasfigure, she said, "Everything you see, I owe to
the wafer-thin child. In her place was a statuesque (5'spaghetti".After becoming a mother Miss Loren
7"), voluptuous, young woman. The attraction wascontinued to act, but reduced her acceptance of roles
mutual. She would say later in life, "I needed a father, Iand the consequent filming schedule, to devote time to
needed a husband. I was adopted by Carlo andher children. She did continue to act, however and
married my father".Mr. Ponti immediately took controlmaintained a health modicum of her popularity.
of the direction of Sofia's career. Although her screenThroughout this time she remained a lovely and
tests did not go well, he was not discouraged. In antimeless beauty. She expanded her career through
attempt to get away from the image of a vamp,films, as well as a surprising best - selling album of
which she often portrayed in the comic strip stylehumorous songs that she recorded with peter Sellers.
stories of the fotoromanzi - or fumletti - Mr. PontiIn 1980, she starred in a made - for - TV movie based
arranged for her to take on bit parts which oftenupon her own life. Not only did she play herself, but the
required little or no clothing. He hoped to capitalize onrole of her mother as well. The movie won critical
her well - endowed form to catapult her into moreacclaim.In 1982, she made headlines for a legal problem.
legitimate films.Sources differ at to who actuallyShe was jailed for 18 days for tax evasion charges in
changed Sofia Scicolone's name to Sophia Loren inItaly. It did not, however, diminish her popularity or star
1952. Some say that it was a producer who wasstatus. Nor did it damage her career.As she
trying to disassociate her from the characters that sheapproached her 60s, Miss Loren became more
posed for in the fotoromanzi. Others say that it wasparticular about her film roles, moving on to writing and
Carlo Ponti himself who renamed her, then offered herpublishing cookbooks and promoting her perfume, eye
a firm contract and made her his mistress.Theirs waswear and jewelry lines. As with her acting career, she
a situation complicated by the fact that Mr. Ponti wasapproached these endeavors enthusiastically and has
married and had two children. He wanted to marry hisbeen successful and popular with people around the
mistress, but the Catholic Church threatenedworld for them.She co-starred in 1995 in the comedy
excommunication and labeled Miss Loren asequel "Grumpier Old Men", playing Walter Matthau's
"concubine". While he tried to resolve the repercussionslove interest. Even at her age then she was still
which would come about with a divorce she went onbeautiful, romantic and undoubtedly sexy. Recent
to make movies and "battle" with her onscreen "rival",pictures show that time has not diminished her timeless,
Gina Lollabrigida.Through carefully planned publicity andclassic beauty. She is well - established and deserving,
her role in "Gold of Naples" (1954), Sophia Lorenof the title which was given to her so many years ago.
arrived in Hollywood. One of her first roles whichAnd in her modest style she still maintains the she
brought her to the attention of the American public,never set out to be a star, she just wanted to be an
was in the 1959 movie, "Boy On a Dolphin". she wasactress. I'd say that she more than achieved her
scantily clad in an outfit which became transparent anddreams and goals.Since her filmography, awards and
clingy when wet. Of course, her generous physicalhonors are quite extensive, they will not be listed here.
endowments were very much in evidence when sheFor those who are "fans", you can find more
left the ocean and arrived on the beach. The publicinformation about this incredible and timeless beauty on
either loved it, or hated it, in accordance with theirvarious websites.
morals, beliefs, etc. Remember, this was the late 1950s.