
Acting
Born January 7, 1937 · San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy
Liana Orfei (San Giovanni in Persiceto, June 6, 1937). Belonging to the famous Orfei circus dynasty, Liana is a multifaceted figure in Italian entertainment, capable of successfully ranging between circus, cinema, theater, and television. Active on the big screen primarily between the 1950s and 70s, she acted in approximately forty films, working with masters of the caliber of Federico Fellini (in the documentary The Clowns), Orson Welles, Mario Monicelli, and Dino Risi. Her versatility led her to perform in highly diverse genres, from commedia all'italiana to Westerns, and even horror and science fiction. In television, her participation in the musical television drama Scaramouche (1965) is well-remembered. She made her debut in the ring at just two years old as a clown (under the name Lacrima). In 1960, together with her brothers Nando and Rinaldo, she founded her own circus characterized by colossal and innovative productions, such as "Circorama" and the "Circus of the Thousand and One Nights"—the latter born from an idea by Fellini with costumes by Oscar winner Danilo Donati. In 1984, to respond to the industry's crisis, she founded the Golden Circus, an international festival that remains a reference point for circus arts today. In the theatrical field, she collaborated with distinguished names such as Eduardo De Filippo and Emma Gramatica, returning to the stage even in more recent years (in 2005 with the musical Se il tempo fosse un gambero). She was also a singer and entrepreneur: in the 1980s, she founded the theme park Divertimondo in Rimini, inspired by the emerging major amusement parks.

Mario Verdone: Il critico viaggiatore
2024
Les femmes de pierre
2019

The Clowns
1970

Fortunata y Jacinta
1970

How, When, and with Whom
1969

¡Cómo sois las mujeres!
1968

The Prophet
1968

Django Kills Softly
1967

The Devil in Love
1966

Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend
1966

Our Husbands
1966

M.M.M. 83
1966

Les Combinards
1966

Casanova '70
1965

Extraconiugale
1964

Hercules, Samson & Ulysses
1963

Le motorizzate
1963

Adventure at the Motel
1963

The Avenger
1962

Damon and Pythias
1962

Duel of Fire
1962

Rage of the Buccaneers
1961

The Giant of Metropolis
1961

Hercules in the Valley of Woe
1961

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile
1961

The Tartars
1961

Pirates of the Coast
1960

Mill of the Stone Women
1960

Knight of 100 Faces
1960

Le signore
1960

Signori si nasce
1960

La Dolce Vita
1960

Terror of the Red Mask
1960

Attack of the Moors
1959

Tipi da spiaggia
1959

Guardatele ma non toccatele
1959