She was born in Austria on 9 August 1919. Her birth name was Margarete Horowitz and her mother was Jewish. She started her career as an actress very early, and was only 14 years old when she was discovered and started to play small theater roles in Vienna.
But the growing anti-semitism in Europe in the late 1930s put an end to Margarete's career, and she couldn't get any more work because she was half-Jewish. Desperate for work, the now 18-year-old Margarete heard about opportunities for young singers and dancers in Italy, and decided to go to an audition. The tall, blonde and attractive Margarete impressed on her audition and was given a six-month contract to work on the stage at the Teatro Valle in Rome.
In Rome, she met Renato Trentini, a handsome Italian fascist officer, and the two fell in love with each other. Margarete and Renato quickly got married, and Margarete now changed her name to Margherita Trentini and converted to Roman Catholocism. But the happiness was short-lived because soon World War 2 broke out. Renato started to work as a liaison with the German army. Because of the German occupation of Italy, there was desperate need for translators and a German major offered Margherita a translator job. Terrified that the Nazis would discover that she was half-Jewish, Margherita was too afraid to say no, and she worked with organizing theater performances for the Nazis and translaing their documents and conversations.
Fortunately, the Germans never discovered the truth about Margherita's Jewish heritage and when the war ended in 1945 she could finally feel safe. She divorced Renato, took back her maiden name Horowitz and started to act in the theater again. She also worked as a model, and also started to appear in small movie roles, and can be spotted in many 'generica' parts in the from the 1950s and early 1960s. In the mid 1960s she began to gain more substantial supporting roles, and was a prolific character actress in many, many films, including many credited roles.
In the early 1990s, Margherita retired from acting and then lived quietly outside the limelight, although in 2003 she was interviewed in the Associated Press about her experiences during the war. She died on 19 December 2011 in Vienna, Austria.[1]
- Cuore di mamma .... Dancing woman at the nightclub (uncredited)
1955 - I pappagalli .... Member of the audience at concert (uncredited)
1957 - A Farewell to Arms .... Nurse (uncredited)
1958 - Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina .... Spectator at the jewellery show (uncredited)
- Totò a Parigi .... Train passenger (uncredited)
- Vento di primavera .... Spectatress at concert (uncredited)
1959 - Il vedovo .... Party guest (uncredited)
- La notte brava .... Woman at the bar (uncredited)
- The Nun's Story .... Nun (uncredited)
1960 - Adua e le compagne .... Woman with striped suit in the trattoria (uncredited)
- Crimen .... Maid (uncredited)
- Gastone .... Audience member at Salone Margherita (uncredited)
- Il mattatore .... Night club customer (uncredited)
- Il vigile .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Letto a tre piazze .... Dancing woman (uncredited)
- Risate di gioia .... Noblewoman on the balcony (uncredited)
- Totò, Fabrizi e i giovani d'oggi .... Woman watching TV in bakers shop (uncredited)
1961 - Fantasmi a Roma .... Journalist (uncredited)
- I fratelli corsi .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Il mantenuto .... Woman at funeral procession (uncredited)
1962 - I normanni .... Woman at the feast (uncredited)
- Venere imperiale .... Woman in dance class (uncredited)
1963 - Cleopatra .... Roman noblewoman (uncredited)
- Gli imbroglioni .... Woman in the courtroom (uncredited)
- Gli onorevoli .... Woman discussing politics (uncredited)
- Il boom .... Restaurant customer (uncredited)
- Il gattopardo .... Guest at the ball (uncredited)
- Le monachine .... Member of the board (uncredited)
- Omicron .... Gala guest (uncredited)
1964 - 3 notti d'amore - segment: "La moglie bambina" .... Donatella's mother (uncredited)
- I due mafiosi .... Airplane passenger (uncredited)
- I marziani hanno 12 mani .... Woman at party (uncredited)
- Il giovedì .... Kleptomaniac (uncredited)
- Sedotti e bidonati .... Casino player (uncredited)
- The Visit .... Maid (uncredited)
1965 - I tre volti .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Io uccido, tu uccidi - segment "Giochi acerbi" .... Woman at the memorial service (uncredited)
- La bugiarda .... Nun (uncredited)
- La donna di fiori (TV mini-series) - ep. 1 .... Roulette player (uncredited)
- Sette uomini d'oro .... Bank customer (uncredited)
- The Agony and the Ecstasy .... Noblewoman at the first showing of the Sistine chapel ceiling (uncredited)
1966 - 3 colpi di Winchester per Ringo .... Mrs. Carson (credited)
- Come imparai ad amare le donne .... Nun (uncredited)
- I criminali della galassia .... Mrs. Fowler (credited as "Margherita Horovitz Trentini")
- Io, io, io... e gli altri .... Woman in church (uncredited)
- Kriminal .... Casino player (uncredited)
- La battaglia dei mods .... Miss Tennyson (uncredited)
- Missione speciale Lady Chaplin .... Woman at the fashion show (uncredited)
- Sette pistole per i MacGregor .... Annie MacGregor (credited as "Margaret Horowitz")
1967 - 7 donne per i MacGregor .... Annie MacGregor (credited as "Margaret Horovitz")
- Addio, mamma! .... Mother superior (credited)
- I giorni dell'ira .... Clifton townswoman (uncredited)
- Ti ho sposato per allegria .... Lover of Giuliana's father (uncredited)
- John il bastardo .... Old maid aunt (credited)
- OK Connery .... The Princess (credited)
1968 - Buona sera, Mrs. Campbell .... Woman who travels to attend the reunion party for the 293rd Squadron (uncredited)
- Colpo di sole .... Friend of Vittorio Rozzati (uncredited)
- I tre che sconvolsero il West .... Woman in mourning (credited as "Margareth Horowitz)
- La morte ha fatto l'uovo .... Marco's secretary (credited)
- Le petit baigneur / Si salvi chi può .... Woman at the regatta (uncredited)
- Rose rosse per il Führer .... Woman at the embassy party (uncredited)
- Scusi, facciamo l'amore? .... Woman waiting for the funeral (uncredited)
- Una forca per un bastardo .... Ben's wife (uncredited)
1969 - Camille 2000 .... Woman at the opera (uncredited)
- Metti una sera a cena .... Reporter (uncredited)
- Stasera Fernandel (TV series) - ep. 4: "Il frac" .... the Mother (credited in Radiocorriere TV)
1970 - Il dio chiamato Dorian .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Lady Barbara .... Party guest (uncredited)
1971 - All'ultimo minuto (TV series) - ep. 1: "Allarme a bordo" .... Airplane passenger (uncredited)
- Homo Eroticus (credited, but unidentifiable)
- Il furto è l'anima del commercio?!... .... Shoe shop customer (uncredited)
- Il gatto a nove code .... Lori's babysitter (uncredited)
- L'amante dell'Orsa Maggiore .... Mother of the three daughters (uncredited)
- La stirpe di Caino .... unknown role (poster credit)
1972 - ...e poi lo chiamarono il Magnifico .... Stagecoach passenger (uncredited)
- 7 scialli di seta gialla .... Atelier staffing (uncredited)
- Avanti! .... Hotel guest (uncredited)
- Il west ti va stretto, amico... è arrivato Alleluja .... Church camp lady (credited as "Margaret Horowitz")
- Los amigos .... Mrs. McDonald (credited as "Margherita Trentini")
- Ludwig .... Woman of the court (uncredited)
- Questa specie d'amore .... Banquet guest (credited)
- La vita, a volte, è molto dura, vero Provvidenza? .... Church woman (uncredited)
1973 - Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli .... Gerace's wife (credited)
- Ci risiamo, vero Provvidenza? .... Diner at café (uncredited)
- L'ultima neve di primavera .... Mariolina, the maid (credited)
- Sepolta viva .... Noblewoman at the spring festival (uncredited)
- Troppo rischio per un uomo solo .... Rudy's maid (credited)
- Tutti per uno... botte per tutti .... Woman at hoedown (uncredited)
- Ultimo tango a Zagarol .... Woman participant in dance competition (uncredited)
1974 - Anna Karenina (TV mini-series) .... Guest at the ball (uncredited)
- Anno uno .... Journalist (uncredited)
- Appassionata .... Passerby with a dog (uncredited)
- Daisy Miller .... Mrs. Walker's guest (uncredited)
- Donna è bello .... unknown role (credited)
- E cominciò il viaggio nella vertigine .... Participant at the Communist Party meeting (uncredited)
- Fatevi vivi: la polizia non interverrà .... The governess (credited)
- Gruppo di famiglia in un interno .... Woman in flashback with the professor's mother (credited)
- Identikit .... Airplane passenger (uncredited)
- Il profumo della signora in nero .... Signora Lovati (uncredited)
- Il ritorno di Zanna Bianca .... Woman at the book launch (uncredited)
- Il sorriso del grande tentatore .... Prince Ottavio's mother (credited)
1975 - ...a tutte le auto della polizia... .... Antonietta, Icardi's maid (credited)
- Ah si?.. E io lo dico a Zzzorro! .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
- Attenti al buffone .... Woman at funeral (uncredited)
- Babysitter - Un maledetto pasticcio .... The housekeeper (uncredited)
- Diagnosi (TV series) - ep. 6: "Per un bambino" .... unknown role (credited in Radiocorriere TV as "Margherita Aurowitz")
- Fantozzi .... Woman watching billiard match (uncredited)
- Le malizie di venere .... Witness at the trial (uncredited)
- Lezioni private .... Elderly tourist taking pictures of the exhibitionist (uncredited)
- Macchie solari .... American tourist (uncredited)
- Mahogany .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
- Prima ti suono e poi ti sparo .... Town woman (uncredited)
- Salon Kitty .... Margherita's mother (credited)
1976 - Cadaveri eccellenti .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Colpita da improvviso benessere .... Restaurant diner (uncredited)
- Il trucido e lo sbirro .... Restaurant customer (uncredited)
- L'innocente .... Gossiping party guest (credited)
- Languidi baci, perfide carezze .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Mark il poliziotto spara per primo .... Maria Clerici (uncredited)
- Milano violenta .... Hostage during the robbery (credited)
- Quel movimento che mi piace tanto .... Guest at the wedding party (uncredited)
- Quelle strane occasioni - segment "Italian superman" .... Spectator of the porn show (uncredited)
- Quelli della calibro 38 .... Casino player (uncredited)
- Telefoni bianchi .... Woman leaving Cinema (uncredited)
- Uomini si nasce poliziotti si muore .... Mona, the hostage (credited)
1977 - Casanova & co. .... Mother Superior (credited as "Margherita Trentini")
- Gran bollito .... Dancing woman at the nightclub (uncredited)
- I nuovi mostri - segment: "L'elogio funebre" .... Woman at the funeral (uncredited)
- Io ho paura .... Judge Cancedda's sister (uncredited)
- La svastica nel ventre .... Hanna's mother (credited)
- La via della droga .... Mother of the drug addict in withdrawal (credited)
- Pane, burro e marmellata .... Bruno's neighbor (uncredited)
- Quel giorno il mondo tremerà .... Scotland Yard secretary (uncredited)
- Suspiria .... Teacher (credited)
1978 - Il commissario di ferro .... Sergio Conforti's neighbour (uncredited)
- La cage aux folles / Il vizietto .... Madame Deblon's secretary (credited)
- Tutto suo padre .... Adalgisa Capecchi (credited)
1979 - Caro papà .... Airplane passenger (uncredited)
- Il giocattolo .... Pizzeria diner during the shoot-out (uncredited)
- La luna .... One of Caterina's fans (uncredited)
- Letti selvaggi - segment: "Attenzione a quei due" .... Princess at the casino (uncredited)
1980 - Ciao marziano .... Woman at the party (uncredited)
- La terrazza .... Party guest (credited)
- Sono fotogenico .... Train passenger (uncredited)
1981 - L'isola del gabbiano (TV mini-series) .... Woman at the spa (uncredited)
- Occhio alla penna .... Woman in the restaurant car (uncredited)
- Pierino il fichissimo .... Woman waiting to enter the telephone booth (uncredited)
- Pierino medico della S.A.U.B. .... Tourist (uncredited)
- The Salamander .... Wife of Minister of Defence (uncredited)
1982 - Dio li fa e poi li accoppia .... Woman in the courtroom (uncredited)
- Grand Hotel Excelsior .... Hotel guest (uncredited)
- Morte in Vaticano (credited, but unidentifiable)
- Sogni mostruosamente proibiti .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Storia d'amore e d'amicizia (TV mini-series) .... Rebecca, woman on the bus (uncredited)
- Una tranquilla coppia di killer (TV mini-series) .... Woman at the process (uncredited)
- Vai avanti tu che mi vien da ridere .... Party guest (uncredited)
1983 - Benvenuta .... Party guest (uncredited)
- The Lonely Lady .... Woman at the high school awards ceremony (uncredited)
- Zero in condotta .... Examinator (uncredited)
1984 - ...e la vita continua (TV mini-series) .... Party guest (uncredited)
- I due carabinieri .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
1985 - Assisi underground .... Jewish woman (uncredited)
- Massimamente folle .... Audience member at the literary awards ceremony (uncredited)
- Pizza connection .... Party guest (uncredited)
- Saving Grace .... Nun interpreter (credited)
- Sono un fenomeno paranormale .... Dinner party guest (uncredited)
1986 - Detective School Dropouts (Asilo di polizia) …. Woman at confessional (uncredited)
- Il bi e il ba .... Foreign tourist (uncredited)
- Quando arriva il giudice (TV series) - ep. 5: "La notte delle stelle" .... Guest at the costume party (uncredited)
1987 - Roba da ricchi .... Party guest (uncredited)
1988 - War and Remembrance (TV mini-series) - eps. 2, 3 & 4 .... Mrs. Sacerdote (credited as "Margherita Horovitz")
1989 - Classe di ferro (TV series) - ep. 4: "La licenza" .... Nun (credited)
- I ragazzi della 3C (TV series) - ep. 30: "Il sosia di Bruno Sacchi" .... Shop customer (uncredited)
1991 - Hudson Hawk .... Woman at the auction (uncredited)
- La condanna .... Lawyer (uncredited)
- Year of the Gun .... Red Brigade collaborator (uncredited)
- Il prete sposato (1971 - credited as "Margaret Horowitz")
- Il marito in collegio (1977 - credited)
- Il turno (1984 - credited)
- Sogno: "Nel profondo del cuore" (from September 1962 to early 1963)
Notes and sources
1. This bio for Margherita was made with info found in the aforementioned interview and supplemented by some additional informations supplied here in the forum by Tibor Róbert Szücs in 2014. 2. Ferraù, Onorati. Annuario degli attori 1976. |