Clelia Matania

Clelia Matania (28 March 1918 – 14 October 1981) was an Italian film and voice actress.

Life and career Born in London, the daughter of the Capri-born naturalized Briton painter Fortunino Matania (best known as Saturnino), Matania attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and also followed courses of ballet, singing and music. When the family returned to Italy, she entered the company of the Arts Theater directed by Anton Giulio Bragaglia. In the second half of the thirties and during the war she was one of the most popular and requested young actresses of prose in Italy, then, from 1942, she also starred with some success in several revues. Her stage activity include works with Totò, Eduardo De Filippo and the musical comedy Enrico '61 that she also represented in England, first in Liverpool and then in London, also participating in a Royal Performance in the presence of the Royal Family.

Her film career mainly consists of supporting roles as a character actress; due to her perfect knowledge of English, Matania was also often required for the international productions set in Italy. She was also a very active voice actress.

Matania was married to painter Guido Odierna.

Selected filmography

Melody of My Heart (1936) Night Ride (1937) - Lucia Spinelli Departure (1938) - Lolò - la dattilografa Inventiamo l'amore (1938) - Elsa The Sons of the Marquis Lucera (1939) - Soave Naples Will Never Die (1939) - Rosinella Father For a Night (1939) - Luisa Follie del secolo (1939) - Margot, la cameriera The Silent Partner (1939) La compagnia della teppa (1941) - Carolina Agudio First Love (1941) - Silvia Redi La fuggitiva (1941) - Lia Coppi Honeymoon (1941) - Anna Se io fossi onesto (1942) - Paola Englesh, loro figlia A che servono questi quattrini? (1942) - Rachelina Perdizione (1942) After Casanova's Fashion (1942) - Maria Grazia Notte di fiamme (1942) Sempre più difficile (1943) - Cristina Turrisi L'ippocampo (1945) - Francesca Romulus and the Sabines (1945) - Rosina Il marito povero (1946) - Giulia Farewell, My Beautiful Naples (1946) - Yvonne de Fleurette L'isola del sogno (1947) - Carla, la soubrette Giudicatemi! (1948) Eleven Men and a Ball (1948) - Clelia Alarm Bells (1949) - Bianca Angelo tra la folla (1950) The Transporter (1950) - Dolores Garcia Strano appuntamento (1950) Love and Blood (1951) - Gabriella Shadows Over Naples (1951) - Gabriela Seven Hours of Trouble (1951) - Angelina - moglie di Totò Quo Vadis (1951) - Parmenida (uncredited) Stasera sciopero (1951) - Marta Never Take No for an Answer (1951) - Mrs. Strotti One Hundred Little Mothers (1952) - La direttrice Sampieri Toto and the Women (1952) - La cameriera I morti non pagano tasse (1952) - La signora Vecchietti Terminal Station (1953) - Mother of annoying children (uncredited) Man, Beast and Virtue (1953) - Grazia Easy Years (1953) - Rosina De Francesco Cavallina storna (1953) The Beach (1954) - Albertocchi's Wife Guai ai vinti (1954) -Teresa Neapolitan Carousel (1955) Les Hussards (1955) - Mme Luppi I pinguini ci guardano (1956) - (voice) I giorni più belli (1956) - La signora Valentini War and Peace (1956) - Mademoiselle Geoges (uncredited) Difendo il mio amore (1956) - Emma Wives and Obscurities (1956) - Signora Zanarini Roland the Mighty (1956) - La nutrice The Monte Carlo Story (1956) - Sophia Mamma sconosciuta (1956) - Giuliana Cantando sotto le stelle (1956) - Fernando Pezzetti Seven Hills of Rome (1957) - Beatrice A Farewell to Arms (1957) - Hairdresser (uncredited) Napoli, sole mio! (1958) - Margherita Anna of Brooklyn (1958) - Camillina La Fortuna Con L'effe Maiuscola (1959) Il Medico Dei Pazzi (1959) Rapina al quartiere Ovest (1960) La garçonnière (1960) - Angelina The Wastrel (1961) - Betsy Five Golden Hours (1961) - Rosalia Il carabiniere a cavallo (1961) - La madre di Letizia Queen of the Nile (1961) - Penaba Pecado de amor (1961) - Sirvienta de Magda Escapade in Florence (1962, TV Series) - Aunt Gisella The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965) - Celestina Perdono (1966) - Adelina Nessuno mi può giudicare (1966) - Adelina Chimera (1968) - Lina - the maid The Tough and the Mighty (1969) - Graziano's Mother The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1969) Just Before Nightfall (1971) - Mme Masson Bequest to the Nation (1973) - Francesca Don't Look Now (1973) - Wendy I'll Take Her Like a Father (1974) - Elisa Vergine e di nome Maria (1975) - Anna, madre di Maria Wanted: Babysitter (1975) - Old neighbour L'Italia s'è rotta (1976) - La madre di Peppe Bim Bum Bam (1981)