Lidia Quaranta

Lidia Quaranta (6 March 1891 – 5 March 1928), also known with the stage name of Lydia Quaranta, was an Italian stage and film actress of the early 20th century.

Early career

Lidia Gemma Mattia Quaranta was born in Turin, Italy, the older sister of twins Isabella and Letizia Quaranta, who later on also became actresses. She began her stage career in the theatre company of Italian actor and director Dante Testa.

In 1910, Quaranta and her sister Letizia were hired by Itala Film. However, she made her film debut in the 1910 Edoardo Bencivenga-directed short L'ignota (English release title: The Unknown Woman) for the little-known Aquila Films. In 1911, she appeared in her first film for Itala titled Clio e Filete (Clio and Filete), directed by Oreste Mentasti. She went on to perform in a number of short films for Itala, including the popular 1913 crime-drama Tigris opposite actor Dante Cappelli. During the 1910s, she also worked for such film companies as Tiber, Excelsa and Ambrosio Film.

From 1915 to 1920, she appeared in several films for Turin-based production companies such as Gloria and Savoia Studios. At the height of her popularity, she was earning a then-unprecedented ₤10,000 lire a month during her contract with Itala Film, making her Italy's highest-paid film actress of the era.

In early 1928, while at home in Turin, Quaranta fell ill with pneumonia. She languished in illness for several months before dying on the day before her 37th birthday. She had appeared in over seventy films.