Balabin, Sonia


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Johan Melle
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Balabin, Sonia

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:22

Sonia Balabin.jpg
Sonia Balabin, in La dolce vita (1960)
Sonia Balabin (alias Nadia Balabine) was a generica who was active from at least the mid 1940s and until the start of the 1970s, appearing in everything from Totò comedies to Hollywood movies shot in Italy, and at least five Fellini films.

Apparently, her only credited role was in the fotoromanzo Anime senza luce, published in the magazine Tipo in 1951.

Filmography

1944
  1. Sorelle Materassi .... Tavern customer (uncredited)

    1945
  2. La freccia nel fianco .... Audience member at the concert (uncredited)
  3. Lo sbaglio di essere vivo .... Hotel guest (uncredited)
  4. Quartieri alti .... Woman at tavern (uncredited)

    1948
  5. Il barone Carlo Mazza .... Audience member at the performance (uncredited)
  6. Follie per l'opera .... Opera fan at the airport (uncredited)

    1949
  7. Fabiola .... Woman at the trial (uncredited)

    1950
  8. Luci del varietà .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
  9. Prima comunione .... Woman in the communion shop (uncredited)
  10. Totò cerca moglie .... Guest at the embassy party (uncredited)

    1951
  11. Amor non ho! Però, però... .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
  12. Cameriera bella presenza offresi... .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
  13. Domani è un altro giorno .... Party guest (uncredited)
  14. Mamma mia, che impressione! .... Woman beside Don Isidoro at the marathon (uncredited)

    1952
  15. Chi è senza peccato... .... Christmas party guest (uncredited)
  16. Il romanzo della mia vita .... Beauty institute client (uncredited) / Restaurant diner (uncredited)
  17. Non è vero... ma ci credo! .... Party guest (uncredited)
  18. Totò e le donne .... Café customer (uncredited)

    1953
  19. Canzone appassionata .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
  20. Fermi tutti... arrivo io! .... Hotel guest (uncredited)
  21. Il più comico spettacolo del mondo .... Circus spectator (uncredited)
  22. Roman Holiday .... Woman of importance watching the military parade (uncredited)

    1954
  23. Amori di mezzo secolo - segment "L'amore romantico" .... Guest at the new year's party (uncredited)
  24. Carosello napoletano .... Street spectator (uncredited)
  25. Casta diva .... Audience member at the opera (uncredited)
  26. Papà Pacifico .... American tourist (uncredited)
  27. Peccato che sia una canaglia .... Bus passenger (uncredited)
  28. Scuola elementare .... Audience member at educational awards ceremony (uncredited)
  29. Se vincessi cento milioni - segment "L'indossatrice" .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
  30. The Barefoot Contessa .... Roulette player (uncredited)

    1955
  31. I pappagalli .... Audience member at the concert (uncredited)
  32. L'angelo bianco .... Train passenger (uncredited)
  33. Lo scapolo .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
  34. Vous pigez? .... Woman at the airport (uncredited)

    1956
  35. Helen of Troy .... Spectator at the fight (uncredited)
  36. La fortuna di essere donna .... Woman at the Grand Hotel (uncredited)
  37. Totò lascia o raddoppia? .... Audience member (uncredited)
  38. Totò, Peppino e i fuorilegge .... Wedding guest (uncredited)

    1957
  39. C'è un sentiero nel cielo .... Party guest (uncredited)
  40. I colpevoli .... Audience member at violin concert (uncredited)
  41. I vampiri .... Party guest (uncredited)
  42. Il conte Max .... Passerby at Via Veneto (uncredited)
  43. Kean: Genio e sregolatezza .... Audience member at the theater (uncredited)
  44. Serenate per 16 bionde .... Audience member at music show (uncredited)
  45. Seven Hills of Rome .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
  46. Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)

    1958
  47. Amore e chiacchiere .... Guest at Paseroni's house (uncredited)
  48. Domenica è sempre domenica .... Party guest (uncredited)
  49. Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina .... Spectator at the jewellery show (uncredited)
  50. The Naked Maja .... Woman at the recital (uncredited)
  51. Totò e Marcellino .... Wedding guest (uncredited)

    1959
  52. The Nun's Story .... Nun (uncredited)

    1960
  53. Apocalisse sul fiume giallo .... Gambler (uncredited)
  54. Genitori in blue-jeans .... Woman at art gallery (uncredited)
  55. Il vigile .... Party guest (uncredited)
  56. It Started in Naples .... Woman at street cafe (uncredited)
  57. La dolce vita .... Journalist at the press conference (uncredited)
  58. Letto a tre piazze .... Wedding reception guest (uncredited)
  59. Un maledetto imbroglio .... Woman at train station (uncredited)
  60. Via Margutta .... Audience member at the nightclub (uncredited)

    1962
  61. Boccaccio '70 - segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" .... Woman in church / Monsignore's driver (uncredited)

    1963
  62. 8½ .... Priest-teacher (uncredited)
  63. La noia .... Party guest (uncredited)
  64. Le monachine .... Audience member at presentation (uncredited)
  65. Mondo cane 2 .... Audience member at dog fashion show (uncredited)

    1965
  66. Gli amanti latini - segment "Il telefono consolatore" .... Woman at the meeting (uncredited)
  67. Il compagno Don Camillo .... Audience member at the opera (uncredited)

    1966
  68. Scusi, lei è favorevole o contrario? .... Party guest (uncredited)

    1968
  69. Italian secret service .... Old woman on the plane (uncredited)
  70. La pecora nera .... Party guest (uncredited)
  71. Peggio per me... meglio per te .... Choir singer (uncredited)

    1969
  72. Fellini Satyricon .... Old woman at the nymphomaniac's tent (uncredited)

    1970
  73. The Adventurers .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
Fotoromanzi

  1. "Anime senza luce" (Published in Tipo from March to September 1951) - credited
  2. "Eterna canzone" (Published in Sogno from October 1952 to February 1953)
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 14/01/2024, 13:53, edited 29 times in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:26

Apparently, Sonia's only credited role is in the fotoromanzo "Anime senza luce", published in 29 parts in the magazine Tipo from March to September 1951
Anime Senza Luce Credits.jpg
Anime Senza Luce - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Anime Senza Luce - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Anime Senza Luce - Sonia Balabin3.jpg
Anime Senza Luce - Sonia Balabin4.jpg

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:30

Totò cerca moglie (1950), as Party guest
Toto Cerca Moglie - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Toto Cerca Moglie - Sonia Balabin2.jpg

I pappagalli (1955), as Audience member at the concert
Pappagalli - Sonia Balabin.jpg
Pappagalli - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Last edited by FatmanDan on 27/06/2023, 23:10, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:33

She also shows up in several Hollywood productions shot in Italy:

The Barefoot Contessa (1954) as Roulette player
Barefoot Contessa - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Barefoot Contessa - Sonia Balabin2.jpg

The Naked Maja (1958) as Woman at the recital
balabin.jpg
balaban2.jpg
Images upgraded - Nick
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 20/11/2023, 12:44, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:37

Thanks to her characteristic face, Sonia was also cast in some of Fellini's most famous films:

La dolce vita (1960) as Journalist at the press conference
La Dolce Vita - Sonia Balabin.jpg

Although she is uncredited in the actual film, numerous film encyclopedias credit a Nadia Balabine as playing one of the journalists at the press conference. Here's the cast list printed in the book "I film di Federico Fellini" (1995)
La Dolce Vita - Balabine Credit.jpg

And finally a bizarre role where she is made to play a male character: (1963) as Priest-teacher
Otto E Mezzo - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Otto E Mezzo - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 17/11/2022, 23:49, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 4:39

And finally some more 1960s roles:

Via Margutta (1960) as Audience member at the nightclub
Via Margutta - Sonia Balabin.jpg

La noia (1963) as Party guest
La Noia - Sonia Balabin.jpg

Gli amanti latini (1965) - segment "Il telefono consolatore" as Woman at the meeting
Gli Amanti Latini - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Gli Amanti Latini - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Attachments
Peggio Per Me - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Peggio Per Me - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Last edited by Cinema Italiano on 14/09/2023, 9:39, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 24/03/2019, 13:12

Yet another Totò comedy: Totò e le donne (1952) as Café customer
Toto E Le Donne - Sonia Balabin.jpg
Last edited by Johan Melle on 15/10/2021, 18:47, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Ciavazzaro » 24/03/2019, 16:40

And infact like i was telling you my first role for Sonia and the most recent so far
woman on the plane in Italian secret service (1968)
balabinitalian.png
balabinitalian1.png

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 06/04/2019, 20:08

Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (1957) as Nightclub customer
Toto Vittorio Dottoressa - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Toto Vittorio Dottoressa - Sonia Balabin2.jpg
Last edited by Johan Melle on 14/01/2022, 19:31, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Sonia Balabin

Post by Johan Melle » 17/04/2019, 16:23

A fourth Fellini role for Sonia: Fellini Satyricon (1969) as Old woman at the nymphomaniac's tent
Fellini Satyricon - Sonia Balabin1.jpg
Fellini Satyricon - Sonia Balabin2.jpg

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