Maria Venuti

Maria Francesia Anna Venuti (born 7 March 1941) is an Australian actress, entertainer and author, who has appeared in numerous stage, television shows and film productions, over 50 years.

Venuti is a singer, as well as an accomplished pianist who is noted for her work in cabaret and supper clubs, including working throughout Asia.

Biography Venuti's father was from Sicily, and came to Australia in 1926 and her mother, Bella who was 18 years younger than her father, was from Cairo, Egypt and came to Sydney in 1939. She has a daughter named Bianca by her previous husband, Tony; they are now divorced. She has a half sister, Gina and had a half brother Francesco, who died of Diphtheria. Venuti has written a memoir, called A Whole Lot of Front.

Her early life was unsettled and when she was in kindergarten, she moved schools four times because of bullying due to her descent.

Stalking and intruder incident In November 2016, Venuti was hospitalized after suffering a stroke, and was subsequently placed in a coma after the stress of an intruder entering her home in Gladesville, New South Wales. The police had been called three times previously, after the 38-year-old man was seen lingering outside her home and stalking Venuti, turning up with flowers and alleging he was married to her. The man was taken under escort to the Royal North Shore Hospital, for a mental evaluation.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleType 1987 Les Patterson Saves the World Air Hostess (uncredited) Feature film 1994 Gino Angelina Feature film 1996 Fistful of Flies Magda Feature film 2002 Score! The Mother 2003 Fat Pizza Mama Gigliotti Feature film 2011 Big Mamma's Boy Mrs. Cotoletta 2012 Bathing Franky Franky Feature film 2014 Fat Pizza vs. Housos Mama Gigliotti Feature film

Television YearTitleRoleType 1982 Cabaret Regular singer TV series 1990 A Country Practice Liz Scales TV series, 1 episode 1993 G.P. Bella Tucci TV series, 1 episode 2000–2007 Fat Pizza Mama Gigliotti TV series, 19 episodes 2002; 2003 Always Greener Lorraine TV series, 2 episodes 2008 Stupid Stupid Man Margaret TV series, 1 episode 2011 Swift and Shift Couriers Maria Shembry TV series, 2 episodes 2019–2021 Fat Pizza: Back in Business Mama Gigliotti TV series, 11 episodes

Stage YearTitleRole Venue / Company 1985 Women Behind Bars University of Sydney 1990–1991 Lend Me a Tenor Maria His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Theatre Royal Sydney, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Canberra Theatre 1995 Maria Venuti Solo show Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe 1998 Valentines Day Marian Street Theatre, Sydney with Northside Theatre Company 2000 Mama Claus is Coming to Town Solo show Capers Cabaret, Melbourne 2008 Light the Night City Recital Hall, Sydney 2008 An All-Star Tribute to Peter Allen Star Theatre, Sydney