Chelo Alonso
Encyclopedia
Chelo Alonso is a former Cuban actress who became a star in Italian cinema, and ultimately a 1960s cult film
heroine and sex symbol
in the U.S. She was well-known for playing femme fatale
s with fiery tempers and sensual dance scenes.
, Cuba
, to a Cuban father and Mexican mother. She initially achieved recognition in Cuba for her dancing ability, becoming a sensation at Cuba's National Theatre in Havana
.
Soon after, she emerged as a new exotic dancing talent at the Folies Bergère in Paris. She was billed as the "new Josephine Baker
", who had also performed and become famous at the Folies. Alonso was billed as the "Cuban H-Bomb", and mixed Afro-Cuban
rhythms from her homeland with "bump and grind".
Most of Alonso's films were adventure movies in the style of Le Fatiche di Ercole (Hercules). Hercules starred Steve Reeves
and was a wildly popular new genre in film. It paved the way for movies attempting to emulate it. These films required exotic talent, and Alonso's dark beauty fit the bill; she even starred with Steve Reeves himself in Goliath and the Barbarians in 1959. Goliath and the Barbarians earned Alonso the award of "Italian Cinema's Female Discovery".
Alonso was first noticed internationally in the 1959 film, Nel segno di Roma (Sign of the Gladiator), which starred Anita Ekberg
and Georges Marchal
. Due to a particularly erotic dance number, her picture and name became more prominent on the movie's publicity posters than either of the two leads, much to Ekberg's dismay.
Following Desert War in 1962, Alonso left film for a time to turn her attention to television. She did not return until 1966's spaghetti western
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - her most widely distributed film - ironically playing a small, non-speaking role.
In 1961, Alonso married Aldo Pomilia, a production manager and producer for many of her films. She has one son, Aldino Pomilia.
After the death of her husband, Alonso moved to the city of Siena
in Tuscany
, Italy. She retired from film and started a cat-breeding business, as well as a four-star hotel.
----
References
1. http://www.cultsirens.com/alonso/alonso.htm
2. http://64.191.14.225/alonso.html
3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0022154/
4. http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/8/Chelo+Alonso/index.html
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
heroine and sex symbol
Sex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
in the U.S. She was well-known for playing femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
s with fiery tempers and sensual dance scenes.
Biography
Alonso was born Isabella Garcia in Central Lugareño, CamagüeyCamagüey
Camagüey is a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation's third largest city. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province.After almost continuous attacks from pirates the original city was moved inland in 1528.The new city was built with a confusing lay-out of winding alleys that made...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, to a Cuban father and Mexican mother. She initially achieved recognition in Cuba for her dancing ability, becoming a sensation at Cuba's National Theatre in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
Soon after, she emerged as a new exotic dancing talent at the Folies Bergère in Paris. She was billed as the "new Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. She was given such nicknames as the "Bronze Venus", the "Black Pearl", and the "Créole Goddess"....
", who had also performed and become famous at the Folies. Alonso was billed as the "Cuban H-Bomb", and mixed Afro-Cuban
Afro-Cuban
The term Afro-Cuban refers to Cubans of Sub Saharan African ancestry, and to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community...
rhythms from her homeland with "bump and grind".
Most of Alonso's films were adventure movies in the style of Le Fatiche di Ercole (Hercules). Hercules starred Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves
Stephen L. Reeves was an American bodybuilder and actor. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.-Childhood:...
and was a wildly popular new genre in film. It paved the way for movies attempting to emulate it. These films required exotic talent, and Alonso's dark beauty fit the bill; she even starred with Steve Reeves himself in Goliath and the Barbarians in 1959. Goliath and the Barbarians earned Alonso the award of "Italian Cinema's Female Discovery".
Alonso was first noticed internationally in the 1959 film, Nel segno di Roma (Sign of the Gladiator), which starred Anita Ekberg
Anita Ekberg
Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg is a Swedish model, actress and cult sex symbol. She is best known for her role as Sylvia in the 1960 Federico Fellini film La Dolce Vita which features the legendary scene of her cavorting in Trevi Fountain alongside Marcello Mastroianni.-Biography:Ekberg was born in...
and Georges Marchal
Georges Marchal
Georges Marchal was a French actor, one of the most beautiful. He was married to Dany Robin, forming a famous and popular couple , they play together in movies La Passagère , La Voyageuse inattendue, Le plus joli péché du monde, Jupiter directed by Gilles Grangier , Quand sonnera midi written by...
. Due to a particularly erotic dance number, her picture and name became more prominent on the movie's publicity posters than either of the two leads, much to Ekberg's dismay.
Following Desert War in 1962, Alonso left film for a time to turn her attention to television. She did not return until 1966's spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - her most widely distributed film - ironically playing a small, non-speaking role.
In 1961, Alonso married Aldo Pomilia, a production manager and producer for many of her films. She has one son, Aldino Pomilia.
After the death of her husband, Alonso moved to the city of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy. She retired from film and started a cat-breeding business, as well as a four-star hotel.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Reali de Francia,I (Attack of the Moors) | Suleima |
| Guardatele ma non toccatele Guardatele ma non toccatele Guardatele ma non toccatele is a 1959 comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Ugo Tognazzi.-Cast:* Ugo Tognazzi - Maresciallo La Notte* Caprice Chantal - Rebecca O'Connor* Johnny Dorelli - Tenente Altieri* Lynn Shaw - Un'ausiliara... |
Un'ausiliaria | |
| Nel Segno di Roma Nel Segno di Roma Nel Segno di Roma is a 1959 historical drama film loosely pertaining to the Palmyrene Empire and its re-annexation back into the Roman Empire.... (Sign of the Gladiator) |
Erica | |
| Tunisi Top Secret | Sherazad/Soraya | |
| Scimitarra del Saraceno, La (The Pirate and the Slave Girl) | Princess Miriam | |
| Terrore dei barbari, Il (Goliath and the Barbarians) | Londo | |
| 1960 | Strada dei giganti, La (Road of the Giants) | Stella Von Kruger |
| Le Signore | ||
| Maciste nella valle dei re (Son of Samson) | Queen Smedes | |
| Gastone | Carmencita | |
| Terrore della maschera rossa (Terror of the Red Mask) | Karima | |
| 1961 | Ragazza sotto il lenzuolo, La (Girl Under the Sheet) | Maria Celeste Cortez |
| Regina dei tartari, La (The Huns) | Tanya, Queen of the Tartars | |
| Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi (Atlas Against the Cyclops) | Capys | |
| Morgan il pirata (Morgan the Pirate) | Concepcion | |
| 1962 | Quattro notti don Alba (Desert War) | Alba |
| 1966 | Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) | Stevens' Wife |
| 1968 | Corri uomo corri (Big Gundown 2) | Dolores |
| 1970 | Notte dei serpenti, La (Night of the Serpent) |
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References
1. http://www.cultsirens.com/alonso/alonso.htm
2. http://64.191.14.225/alonso.html
3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0022154/
4. http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/8/Chelo+Alonso/index.html