She was born on March 23rd 1936 in San Stino di Livenza, Italy.
She began her film career with 2 roles filmed the year before her graduation and worked steadily in films and TV for the next 6 years without ever really breaking out from the pack.
Luisa began an affair with married British actor (and future James Bond) Roger Moore while filming Il ratto delle sabine in 1961, which they continued through a second production together, Un branco di vigliacchi. Moore's autobiography informs us that Luisa was under contract to Enrico Bomba, producer of both films. Luisa gave up her acting career to move to Britain, to live, initially as Moore's mistress, then later, when his divorce became final in 1969, as his wife. They had 3 children (Christian, Deborah and Jeffrey) and remained married for 30 years. The couple eventually split acrimoniously in 2000 after Moore started an affair with Luisa's friend, Swedish socialite Kristina Tholstrup (they were later married).
Luisa passed away on October 6th 2021 in Switzerland "following a long illness" at the age of 85.
She lived in Rome, in via Pescara, 2.[1]
I have found several references online to Luisa having written an autobiography titled "Nothing Lasts Forever", however searches for the book have been fruitless, so its existence is a mystery. Roger Moore wrote several autobiographies, but, for someone to whom he was married for 30 years, Luisa is most notable by her absence, mentioned in passing when it is unavoidable, but for the most part like a ghost figure who you know was there but that you must only talk about in whispers - so no enlightening information and only one photograph.
- Presentimento .... unknown role (credited) - no pic
- Ragazzi di Trastevere (Short) .... Dora (credited)
1957 - L'angelo delle alpi .... Maddalena (credited - unconfirmed role)
1958 - La spada di Damocle (TV movie) .... Elena (credited)
- Mia nonna poliziotto .... Ileana's sister (credited)
- Napoli, sole mio! .... Maddalena (credited as Maria Luisa Mattioli)
- Serenatella sciuè sciuè .... Ginevra (poster credit - unconfirmed role)
1959 - La notte del grande assalto .... Isabella's maid (credited)
- Ottocento (TV mini-series) - ep. 1 .... Irene d'Ingria (credited)
1960 - A noi piace freddo…! .... Laura Biondi (credited)
- Giallo club - Invito al poliziesco (TV series) - season 2, ep. 1: "Rapina al grattacielo" .... Edith (credited)
1961 - I fratelli corsi .... Domenico's wife (credited)
- Il caso Maurizius (TV miniseries) - ep. 3, 4 .... Melitta (credited on Radiocorriere TV)
- Il ratto delle sabine .... Silvia (credited)
- La spada dell'Islam .... (credit only)
1962 - Diciottenni al sole .... Jeannie (credited)
- La bella Lola .... Ana (credited)
- Un branco di vigliacchi .... Germana (credited)
1963 - Le roi du village .... Clotilde (credited)
- Tempesta sur Ceylon .... Helga (credited in some versions - appearance uncertain)
Notes and sources
Dante Lazzaro. Cineguida 1961. |