Zora Kerova

Zora Ulla Keslerová (born 11 August 1950) is a Czech actress, dancer, singer and model. Often credited under the names Zora Kerova, Zora Kerowa or Zora Keer, she became known for starring in numerous Italian horror films during the 1980s.

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, she began her career as a dancer and singer, later becoming a photo model. Kerova made her screen debut in the Italian film, La febbre americana (1978). A year later, she appeared in the Czech drama, Křehké vztahy, and another Italian film, Terror Express. She followed by starring in cult horror films such as Antropophagus (1980), Cannibal Ferox (1981) and Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper (1982). She later appeared in another two Fulci's films, Touch of Death (1988) and Sodoma's Ghost (1988).

Early life Zora Kerova was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Career She began her career as a cultural dancer and singer, and later became a model. Her career expanded and she decided to become an actress. She began her acting career in Italian cinema. In 1978, she made her acting debut in La Febbre Americana, with co-star Italian actor and writer George Eastman (actor), whom she also worked with in later films. In 1979, Zora starred in the Czech film Křehké vztahy (The Fragile Relations), a psychological drama, in which she played a divorced mother. A string of minor film roles followed.

Italian cinema offered more for her career; she became a star in Italy under several names including Zora Kerowa and Zora Keer. She appeared in many erotic, action, and of course horror films throughout the eighties.

Apart from her roles in erotic films, Zora is remembered for starring in several cult horror classics. In 1980, she played psychic "Carol" in Antropophagus, in which she and a group of people head to an island, Carol feels there is something evil on it, and the group is one by one murdered by a madman played by George Eastman. Zora said in interviews she mainly remembers being very seasick in the boating scenes. In a 2005 interview alongside Eastman, Kerova explained that she never really got to know director Joe D'Amato on the set of the film, and that she learned phonetic English by listening to The Beatles.

In 1981, she starred as "Pat Johnson" in Cannibal Ferox, in which she was seen hanging on hooks by her breasts. In 1982, she played "Eva" in The New York Ripper, in which her character gets a smashed liquor bottle into her groin by the insane killer.

Then, Zora again worked with George Eastman in The New Barbarians (also known as Warriors of the Wasteland).

Throughout her acting career she has worked with such directors as Joe D'Amato, Umberto Lenzi, Lucio Fulci, and Ferdinando Baldi. Fulci was her favorite director, and in interviews she dispelled the rumor that he was a misogynist.

Her final cinematic film Papà dice messa came out in 1996, but Kerova returned to acting in 2006 starring in the direct-to-video film La Radice del Male (The Root of Evil) directed by Silvana Zancolò.

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1976 La casa dalle finestre che ridono Waitress "The House with Laughing Windows" 1978 Le evase - Storie di sesso e di violenze Anna "Escape from Women's Prison" 1978 La Febbre Americana Lisa "American Fever" 1980 Krehké vztahy Bára "The Fragile Relations" 1980 La ragazza del vagone letto Anna "Terror Express" 1980 Contes Pervers Nathalie "Les Filles de Madame Claude" / "Erotic Tales" 1980 Sister Virginia de Leyva "The True Story of the Nun of Monza" 1980 Antropophagus Carol "Anthropophagus: The Beast" / "The Grim Reaper" 1980 Jak napálit advokáta 1981 Krakonoš a lyžníci Vichrová 1981 Cannibal Ferox Pat Johnson "Make Them Die Slowly" 1981 Řetěz Marta Kavanová 1982 Lo squartatore di New York Eva "The New York Ripper" 1982 Sny o Zambezi "Dreams About Zambezia" 1983 I nuovi barbari Woman - Moses' Group "The New Barbarians" 1983 Vítr v kapse Ilonka 1984 Anděl s ďáblem v těle Kristýna - madona spacích vozů 1985 Fešák Hubert Ruza "Hubert the Smart Boy" 1985 Skalpel, prosím Nurse 1985 Perinbaba "The Feather Fairy" 1986 Operace mé dcery 1988 Quando Alice ruppe lo specchio Virginia Field "Touch of Death" (direct-to-video) 1988 Il fantasma di Sodoma Succubus "Sodoma's Ghost" (direct-to-video) 1988 Anděl svádí dábla Jeannette Hazard 1988 Kdo ví, kdy začne svítat 1989 Luna di sangue "Moon of Blood" 1995 Mollo tutto "I'll Leave It All Behind Me" 1995 Altrove 1996 Papà dice messa Mara 2006 La radice del male "The Root of Evil" (direct-to-video) 2012 Líbáš jako ďábel Puppa "You Kiss Like a Devil"

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1984 Této noci v tomto vlaku Marie TV movie 1990 Hansel e Gretel Woman in Bath TV movie; "Hansel and Gretel" 1991 L'ispettore Sarti - Un poliziotto, una città Claudia Season 1, Episode 8 2001 Resurrezione TV movie; "Resurrection"