Gia Scala

Gia Scala (born Josephine Grace Johanna Scoglio; March 3, 1934 – April 30, 1972) was a British and American actress.

Early life Scala was born March 3, 1934, in Liverpool, England, to Sicilian father Pietro Scoglio and Irish mother Eileen O'Sullivan. She had one sister, Tina Scala, also an actress.

Scala was brought up in Messina and Mili San Marco in Sicily, the latter on the estate of her grandfather, Natale Scoglio, who owned one of the largest citrus growing operations in Sicily. When Scala was 16, she moved to the United States to live with her aunt Agata in Whitestone, Queens, New York City. After graduating from Bayside High School, she moved to Manhattan to pursue acting. Scala supported herself by working at a travel agency.

While she worked during the day for airlines and an insurance agency, Scala studied acting at night, with Stella Adler among her teachers.

Songwriter Henry Mancini met Scala on the set of Four Girls in Town. Inspired by her beauty, he wrote "Cha Cha for Gia", which appeared uncredited in the 1957 film.

Scala became emotionally distraught following the death of her mother in 1957. In 1958, she became a naturalized American citizen. Scala soon after landed roles in such films as Tip on a Dead Jockey (1957), The Garment Jungle (1957), The Tunnel of Love (1958), and The Guns of Navarone (1961), starring Gregory Peck and David Niven.

Scala made frequent appearances on American television during the 1960s, appearing in such series as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Convoy, The Islanders, The Rogues, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Twelve O'Clock High, Tarzan, and It Takes a Thief (1969) in the episode "The Artist Is for Framing," her final acting role.

Later years On August 21, 1959, Scala married Don Burnett, an actor turned investment banker. After 11 years of marriage they divorced on September 1, 1970, and Burnett married actress Barbara Anderson. Scala had difficulties with alcohol and her career began to wane.

In 2015, author/researcher Sterling Saint James wrote a book about Gia Scala's life titled Gia Scala: The First Gia. Her sister, Tina, provided further details about her sister's life.

Death On the night of April 30, 1972, 38-year-old Scala was found dead in her Hollywood Hills home. Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Noguchi reported her cause of death was from accidental "acute ethanol and barbiturate intoxication".

Film and television credits Year Title Role Episode 1954 Stop the Music 1955 All That Heaven Allows (uncredited) Marguerita 1956 Never Say Goodbye (uncredited) Minnie 1956 The Price of Fear Nina Ferranti 1957 Goodyear Theatre (TV) Giovanna 1957 Four Girls in Town Vicki Dauray 1957 The Big Boodle Anita Ferrer 1957 Don't Go Near the Water Melora Alba 1957 The Garment Jungle Theresa Renata 1957 Tip on a Dead JockeyPaquita Heldon 1958 Ride a Crooked Trail Tessa Milotte 1958 The Tunnel of Love Estelle Novick 1958 The Two-Headed Spy Lili Geyr 1959 The Angry Hills Eleftheria 1959 Battle of the Coral Sea Karen Philips 1960 I Aim at the Stars Elizabeth Beyer 1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV) Lottie Rank Season 5 Episode 26: "Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?" 1960 The Islanders (TV) Rhea "Duel of Strangers" 1961 The Guns of Navarone Anna 1961 Here's Hollywood (TV) Herself Episode 1.154 1961 Hong Kong (TV) Maria Banda "The Runaway" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV) Lisa Talbot Season 6 Episode 27: "Deathmate" 1962 The Triumph of Robin Hood Anna 1964 Operation Delilah Dalida 1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV) Kitty Frazier Season 2 Episode 27: "The Sign of Satan" 1964 The Rogues (TV) Simone Carnot "Take Me to Paris" 1965 The Rogues (TV) Lisa de Monfort "The Laughing Lady of Luxor" 1965 Convoy (TV) Madeline Duval "Passage to Liverpool" 1965 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV) Dr. Katya Markova "Jonah and the Whale" 1965 Twelve O'Clock High (TV) Ilka Zradna "R/X for a Sick Bird" 1965 Run for Your Life (TV) Marika Takacs "How to Sell Your Soul for Fun & Profit" 1966 Jericho (TV) Simone DuBray "Upbeat & Underground" 1967 Tarzan (TV) Martha Tolboth "The Golden Runaway" 1969 The Name of the Game (TV) Renata Marino "The Inquiry" 1969 It Takes a Thief (TV) Angel "The Artist Is for Framing"