Lydia Zanussi

[Johan Melle]

Lydia Zanussi in ...continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità (1971)

Alias: Lidia Zanussi, Lia Zanussi.

Lydia Zanussi was one of the most important character actresses in fotoromanzi during the 1950s, playing numerous important and credited roles in fotoromanzi published in magazines like Sogno, Cine Illustrato, Luna Park and Grand Hotel.

Lydia was also active in films, and during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, she was one of the most recognizable 'golden girls' of the generici scene. It seems the only film she was ever credited in was Grog (1982), but she played fairly large roles in some other films, too, such as La clinica dell'amore (1976).

Her daughter is Isabella Zanussi, who also worked as a generica for many years.

Lydia Zanussi was identified by Emiliano, who found her credited in the fotoromanzo "Io ho solo l'amore", with the help of Simone Ribeiro.




FILMOGRAPHY

1952

1. Noi due soli (uncredited) .... Woman at bus stop
   
   1953
2. Siamo tutti inquilini (uncredited) .... Woman watching the appartment
3. Via Padova 46 (Lo scocciatore) (uncredited) .... Caffè Italia customer
   
   1954
4. Camilla (uncredited) .... Banquet guest
   
   1966
5. Scusi lei è favorevole o contrario? (uncredited) .... Party guest
6. Io, io, io... e gli altri (uncredited) .... Woman at the theatre
   
   1967
7. Arriva Dorellik (uncredited) .... One of the Duponts
8. Assalto al tesoro di stato (uncredited) .... Woman on the train
9. C'era una volta (uncredited) .... Donna Eugenia's handmaid
10. Tutto Totò (TV series) - episode 9: "Premio Nobel" (uncredited) .... Woman at the Nobel ceremony
    
    1968
11. Brutti di notte (uncredited) .... Franco's aunt
12. Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (uncredited) .... Woman at the fancy restaurant
13. La famiglia Benvenuti (TV series) - episode 6 (uncredited) .... A mother
14. La morte ha fatto l'uovo (uncredited) .... Party guest
15. Odissea (TV mini series) (uncredited) .... Woman of the court
16. Sissignore (uncredited) .... Woman at the ship launching
    
    1969
17. L'alibi (uncredited) .... Party guest
18. La monaca di Monza (uncredited) .... Nun
19. Giocando a golf una mattina (TV Mini-Series) (uncredited) .... Woman at the club
    
    1970
20. FBI - Francesco Bertolazzi investigatore (TV series) - episode 1: "Sparita il giorno delle nozze" (uncredited) .... Woman in film footage
21. I racconti di Padre Brown (TV series) - episode 6: "Il re dei ladri" (uncredited) .... Audience member at the pantomime show
22. Lacrime d'amore (uncredited) .... London hotel client
23. Lady Barbara (uncredited) .... Woman at the drinking fountain
24. Satiricosissimo (uncredited) .... Restaurant diner
    
    1971
25. ...continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità (uncredited) .... Restaurant diner
26. Il provinciale (uncredited) .... Woman at the nightclub
27. In nome del popolo italiano (uncredited) .... Party guest
    
    1972
28. Avanti! / Che cosa è successo tra mio padre e tua madre? (uncredited) .... Hotel guest
29. Il generale dorme in piedi (uncredited) .... Spectator
30. Il terrore con gli occhi storti (uncredited) .... Party guest
31. Incensurato, provata disonestà, carriera assicurata, cercasi (uncredited) .... Charity woman
32. La prima notte di quiete (uncredited) .... Woman at the funeral
33. Roma (uncredited) .... Maîtresse
34. Valeria dentro fuori (uncredited) .... Asylum patient
    
    1973
35. Anastasia mio fratello (uncredited) .... Woman in the court room
36. Buona parte di Paolina (credits?) .... Roman noblewoman
37. Io e lui (uncredited) .... Old woman on the stairs
38. La Tosca (uncredited) .... Party guest
39. Polvere di stelle (uncredited) .... Restaurant Alfredo's customer
40. Qui squadra mobile (TV series) - episode 2: "Rapina a mano armata" (uncredited) .... Woman in the crowd
41. Vogliamo i colonnelli (uncredited) .... Woman at the funeral
    
    1974
42. La poliziotta (uncredited) ...Woman at ceremony
43. L'erotomane (uncredited) .... Woman in the palace
44. Il bacio di una morta (uncredited) .... Woman in cabaret
45. Il lumacone (uncredited) .... Woman at the conference (pic lost)
46. Il poliziotto è marcio (uncredited) .... Woman at the art gallery
47. Paolo il freddo (uncredited) .... Party guest
48. Sistemo l'America e torno (uncredited) .... Airplane passenger
    
    1975
49. Ah sí? E io lo dico a Zzzorro! (uncredited) .... Faithful church attendee
50. Attenti al buffone (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
51. Corruzione al palazzo di giustizia (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
52. L'esorciccio (uncredited) .... Sisto's mother
53. La novizia (uncredited) .... Woman in church
54. La poliziotta fa carriera (uncredited) .... Woman outside Gianna's home
55. Le orme (uncredited) .... Chairwoman at the international congress
56. Lezioni private (uncredited) .... Woman at funeral
57. Mondo candido (uncredited) .... Hippie woman
58. Paolo Barca, maestro elementare, praticamente nudista (uncredited) ...Old woman on the train
59. Quel movimento che mi piace tanto (uncredited) .... Party guest
60. Roma drogata: la polizia non può intervenire (uncredited) .... Party guest
61. Salon Kitty (uncredited) .... Client at Salon Kitty
    
    1976
62. Bluff - Storia di truffe e di imbroglioni (uncredited) .... Casino gambler
63. Il secondo tragico Fantozzi (uncredited) .... Fish shop customer
64. La clinica dell'amore (uncredited) .... Gianni Solaro's mother
65. Maestro di violino (uncredited) .... Bar customer at polo club
66. Mark colpisce ancora (uncredited) .... Woman at street café
67. Natale in casa d'appuntamento (uncredited) .... Party guest
68. Roma, l'altra faccia della violenza (uncredited) .... Party guest who is robbed
69. Spogliamoci così senza pudor (uncredited) .... Friend of the Partibon family
    
    1977
70. Gran bollito (uncredited) .... Woman in church
    
    1978
71. Emanuelle e le porno notti (uncredited) .... Horny woman sitting on dildo-chair
72. I gabbiani volano basso (uncredited) .... Old woman getting on the airplane
73. La cage aux folles / Il vizietto (uncredited) .... Nightclub client
74. Le témoin / Il testimone (uncredited) .... Woman at the hotel
75. Poliziotto senza paura (uncredited) .... Restaurant diner
    
    1979
76. Caro papà (uncredited) .... Old woman at the cello concert
77. Mani di velluto (uncredited) .... One of the Minister's relatives
78. Martin Eden (TV mini series) .... Passerby on the street
    
    1980
79. Arrivano i gatti (uncredited) .... Old woman at the notary's office
80. Fico d'India (uncredited) .... Old woman on the balcony
81. L'avvertimento (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
82. La cage aux folles II / Il vizietto II (uncredited) .... Guest at Manderstam's birthday party
83. Sono fotogenico (uncredited) .... Extra at Cinecittà
    
    1981
84. Fracchia la belva umana (uncredited) .... Signora Franchini, an old neighbor
85. L'assistente sociale tutto pepe... (uncredited) .... Nun
86. Occhio alla penna! (uncredited) ... Old woman in the train dining car
87. The Salamander (uncredited) .... Party guest
88. Una vacanza del cactus (uncredited) .... Casino player
    
    1982
89. Grog (credited as Lidia Zanussi) .... Game show contestant in wheelchair
90. La sconosciuta (TV mini series) (uncredited) .... Woman at the auction
91. Liszt Ferenc (TV mini series) (uncredited) .... Audience member at the concert
    
    1983
92. Benvenuta (uncredited) .... Restaurant guest
93. Massimamente folle (uncredited) .... role?
    
    1984
94. La bella Otero (TV mini series) (uncredited) .... Woman at the casino
    
    1985
95. Caccia al ladro d'autore (TV series) - episode 6: "Il calice di Murano" (uncredited) .... Countess Jaszewski, a guest of the countess

OTHER WORKS

• "Femministe" (1972) (TV spot for Birra Peroni) .... Feminist
• La sberla (1978) (TV variety show) - ep. 3, sketch "L'atelier" .... Woman at the fashion show

FOTOROMANZI

1. "Il mio prigioniero" (Published in Sogno from May to October 1950)
2. "Principessa in esilio" (Published in Sogno from July to December 1951)
3. "Noi che ci amiamo" (Published in Sogno from December 1951 to May 1952)
4. "Il nostro amore impossibile" (Published in Sogno from October 1952 to March 1953)
5. "Ho scelto il tuo amore" (Published in Sogno from November 1953 to April 1954)
6. "Desiderio d'amore" (Published in Sogno from April to August 1954) - credited
7. "Io ho solo l'amore" (Published in Grand Hotel from May to October 1954) - credited
8. "Amore e inganno" (Published in Sogno from October 1954 to February 1955) - credited
9. "Alla conquista di un cuore" (Published in Cine Illustrato from February to July 1955) - credited
10. "L'incatenata" (Published in Luna Park from April to September 1955) - credited as Lidia Zanussi
11. "Il prezzo dell'onore" (Published in Cine Illustrato from July to November 1955)
12. "Un fiore tra le spine" (Published in Sogno from August 1955 to January 1956)
13. "La voce del sangue" (Published in Cine Illustrato from March to August 1956)
14. "La figlia dell'assassino" (Published in Sogno from July to December 1956) - credited
15. "Una donna si ribella" (Published in Sogno from October 1956 to March 1957) - credited as Lia Zanussi
16. "La donna del sogno" (Published in Polvere di Stelle from April to July 1957) - credited as Lidia Zanussi
17. Luna Park N. 39: "Jimmy Lord, metti, un giorno alle Bermude" (August 1969)
18. "I giorni dell'odio e dell'amore" (Published in Sogno from January to June 1970)
19. Le sexy avventure di Clegg Moore N. 1: "I venerdì di Madame" (1 October 1971)
20. Cineromanzo N. 6: "Nancy nel deserto" (June 1974)
21. Le avventure di Jacques Douglas N. 108: "Susan e Ken: Un amore unico al mondo" (September 1974)
22. "I fratelli Zaccheo" (Published in Grand Hotel from April to November 1984)

[Johan Melle]

One of Lydia's greatest roles is as Gianni Solaro's mother in the sex comedy La clinica dell'amore (1976)

And then some other wonderful 1970s roles. First as one of the party guests (together with countless other generici) in Quel movimento che mi piace tanto (1975)

As one of the clients in Salon Kitty (1975)

And as a wedding guest in Attenti al bufone (1975)

pic by Ciavazzaro

[Johan Melle]

Various 1960s roles.

First as a party guest in Scusi lei è favorevole o contrario? (1966)

pic by Ciavazzaro

Visible here in the background in Io, io, io... e gli altri (1966)

pic by Ghibarian

Briefly visible as a woman on the train in Assalto al tesoro di stato (1967)

And here a great close-up in a scene full of generici in Arriva Dorellik (1967)

spotted by Ciavazzaro

[Johan Melle]

Another party guest role for Lydia in L'alibi (1969)

And then a few television roles, starting with the famous TV mini series Odissea (1968) where Lydia gets a great close-up

And here in the mini series Giocando a golf una mattina (1969)

pic by Ciavazzaro

Lydia can also be spotted in the film footage being watched in the TV series FBI - Francesco Bertolazzi investigatore - episode 1: "Sparita il giorno delle nozze" (1970)

[Johan Melle]

Lydia was first identified on the old Thrilling Forum back in 2011 - by Emiliano, who with the assistance of S. R. / Tenente Colombo found her credited in the fotoromanzo I romanzi di Grand Hotel N. 124: "Io ho solo l'amore" (published 1 september 1966). This, however, is a re-edition, as "Io ho solo l'amore" was originally published in Grand Hotel from May to October 1954.

Here are the scans from this fotoromanzo - courtesy of Emiliano

[Johan Melle]

After the discovery of Lydia Zanussi in the fotoromanzo "Io ho solo l'amore", I've started to collect fotoromanzo magazines from the 1950s and have discovered Lydia in a whole bunch of old fotoromanzi - and often in big and important roles, too!

The earliest fotoromanzo in which I've been able to find Lydia is "Il mio prigioniero", which was published in the magazine Sogno from May to October 1950. It's a very small role and uncredited and she only appears in these pics

Lydia then appeared in a bigger (but uncredited) role as the queen mother in the very famous fotoromanzo "Principessa in esilio", which was published in Sogno from July to December 1951, and which also features a very young and still unknown Sophia Loren

And then a pretty big (but still uncredited) role as the protagonist's unsympathetic aunt in "Noi che ci amiamo", published in Sogno from December 1951 to May 1952

[Johan Melle]

A more sympathetic role for Lydia in the fotoromanzo "Il nostro amore impossibile", published in Sogno from October 1952 to March 1953, and Lydia is still uncredited

Still uncredited but quite substantial role as the protagonist's mother in "Ho scelto il tuo amore", published in Sogno from November 1953 to April 1954

[Johan Melle]

Finally a credited fotoromanzo role for Lydia in "Desiderio d'amore", published in Sogno from April to August 1954

And credited again in "Amore e inganno" (published in Sogno from October 1954 to February 1955), in which Lydia has one of her very best fotoromanzo roles

I love this role for Lydia, which is full of great expressions and dramatic poses

[Johan Melle]

Lydia is credited yet again in the costumed fotoromanzo production "Alla conquista di un cuore", published in Cine Illustrato from February to July 1955

In the fotoromanzo "L'incatenata" (published in Luna Park from April to September 1955), she's credited again, but this time as Lidia Zanussi

"Il prezzo dell'onore" (published in Cine Illustrato from July to November 1955) - this time Lydia is uncredited again, even though she plays a very substantial role

[Johan Melle]

Yet another uncredited fotoromanzo role in "Un fiore tra le spine", published in Sogno from August 1955 to January 1956

Another good but uncredited fotoromanzo role in "La voce del sangue", published in Cine Illustrato from March to August 1956