Marcella Rovena

Marcella Rovena (22 January 1905 – 6 October 1991) was an Italian film and voice actress. Born in Conegliano, she started her career on the big screen in 1932 with director Nunzio Malasomma in the film La telefonista.

Biography After fleeing following the Battle of Caporetto, Marcella Rovena reached Rome in 1917. She began her career in local theater companies before joining the company of Alfredo De Sanctis in 1928, followed by that of Armando Migliari. She later served as the "prima attrice giovane" (lead young actress) alongside Dina Galli and Antonio Gandusio. She was eventually discovered by director Mario Mattoli, who cast her in his Za-Bum variety shows.

She was married to the film critic Ermanno Contini.

Film Rovena made her big-screen debut in the early 1930s under director Nunzio Malasomma in the film La telefonista (1932), appearing alongside Isa Pola, Luigi Cimara, and Sergio Tofano. This marked the beginning of a prolific career as a character actor, appearing in over 60 films through the end of the 1960s. During her career, she collaborated with several of Italy’s most prominent directors, including Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, and Pietro Germi.

Dubbing Known for her distinctive and commanding vocal timbre, Rovena became one of Italy's first professional voice actors. In 1932, shortly after the inception of dubbing in Italy, she was selected to provide the Italian voices for major American stars, including Eve Arden, Claudette Colbert, Claire Trevor, and Barbara Stanwyck. Her work was highly regarded; notably, actress Kay Francis reportedly complimented Rovena's performance after viewing the Italian version of the film Cynara (Italian title: Infedele). Rovena also provided the voice for a young Anna Magnani in the film Princess Tarakanova. Dubbing remained a central pillar of her professional life alongside her film roles. Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1932 The Telephone Operator Bàttigo's wife 1933 Non c'è bisogno di denaro Anna 1935 I'll Give a Million La donna del tiro a segno Uncredited Passaporto rosso 1942 La guardia del corpo Un'amica di Adriana 1944 Il fiore sotto gli occhi Maria Luisa 1945 Come Back to Sorrento La madre di Paola 1948 Be Seeing You, Father Zia Gertrude 1949 Totò Le Mokò Sara, the fortune-teller Uncredited 1950 Toto Looks for a Wife Anna Bluebeard's Six Wives Silvana The Knight Has Arrived! Signora Varelli 1951 Cameriera bella presenza offresi... La contessa Stasera sciopero Licenza premio Zingara 1952 Abracadabra Cesira Caiazzo Europa '51 Mrs. Puglisi Three Forbidden Stories Madre di Gianna (Third segment) Poppy Governanta casa Zacchi La colpa di una madre Agata Red Love Fidela 1953 One of Those Uncredited The Ship of Condemned Women Nora 1954 The Beach Roberto's Wife High School Madre di Camilla Guai ai vinti Contessa Amelia 1955 The Sign of Venus Elvira Friends for Life Professoressa di inglese Bravissimo Egle's mother Desperate Farewell Concetta Basile 1956 Wives and Obscurities Signora Baglioni 1957 White Nights La padrona della pensione 1958 A Man of Straw Uncredited Young Husbands Madre di Franco Pia de' Tolomei Caporale di giornata Marquise De Gregorio 1959 ...And the Wild Wild Women Signora Luisa 1960 The Passionate Thief Anonima cocottes 1961 Five Day Lover Madame Chanut Totòtruffa 62 Insegnante storia dell' arte Day by Day, Desperately 1962 Careless A Man for Burning Madre di Francesca La banda Casaroli Madre di Gabriele I motorizzati Maria Grazia 1963 The Leopard The Empty Canvas Tenant 1964 The Warm Life The Visit Mayor's Wife Uncredited La suora giovane 1965 The Young Nun Made in Italy The Maid (segment "5 'La Famiglia', episode 2") 1966 After the Fox Salvatore's Wife Uncredited