Francesca Bertini was an Italian actress who is best known for Novecento, Romeo e Giulietta, and Assunta Spina. She was born on January 5, 1892, in Florence, Tuscany, and became one of the most prominent silent film stars in the early 20th century.
Personal and Family Life
Francesca was born Elena Seracini Vitiello, the daughter of a comic theatre actress. In 1921, she married Alfred Cartier, a European nobleman, and banker. After his passing in 1959, she moved back to Rome, where she lived until her death in 1985. Bertini earned a record-breaking salary of $175,000 in 1915.
Career Highlights
Bertini made her film debut in La dea del mare in 1907. She quickly became a sought-after actress, with producers vying for her talent. She ventured into directing with films like Assunta Spina (1915) and Tosca (1918) and successfully transitioned from silent films to talkies, although she appeared in fewer films later in her career. Her last performance was in Bernardo Bertolucci’s Novecento in 1976.
Death and Legacy
Francesca Bertini passed away on October 13, 1985, in a grand hotel in Rome. Even in her final days, she welcomed friends and fans, embodying her status as a “diva.” Her impact on early Italian cinema is remembered and celebrated, and her life inspired a documentary in 1982 titled L’ultima diva: Francesca Bertini.