Maria Venuti
Maria Francesia Anna Venuti AM (born 7 March 1941) is an Australian actress, entertainer and author, who has appeared in numerous television shows and film and theatre productions, for over 50 years.
Maria Venuti AM | |
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Venuti in 2012 | |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 7 March 1941
Occupation |
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Spouse(s) | Tony Hughes (divorced) |
Children | 1 |
Entertainment career
Venuti is a singer, as well as an accomplished pianist who is noted for her work in cabaret and supper clubs, including working throughout Asia.
Personal life
Venuti's father was from Sicily, and came to Australia in 1926 and her mother, Bella who was 18 years younger than her father, was from Cairo, Egypt and came to Sydney in 1939.[1][2] She has a daughter named Bianca by her previous husband, Tony; they are now divorced. She has a half sister, Gina and had a half brother Francesco, who died of Diphtheria. Venuti has written a memoir, called A Whole Lot of Front.
Her early life was unsettled and when she was in kindergarten, she moved schools four times because of bullying due to her descent.
Stalking and intruder incident
In November 2016, Venuti was hospitalized after suffering a stroke, and was subsequently placed in a coma after the stress of an intruder entering her home in Gladesville, New South Wales. The police had been called three times previously, after the 38-year-old man was seen lingering outside her home and stalking Venuti, turning up with flowers and alleging he was married to her. The man was taken under escort to the Royal North Shore Hospital, for a mental evaluation.[3][4]
Filmography
Film
- Les Patterson Saves the World as Air Hostess (uncredited) (1987)
- Gino as Angelina (1994)
- Fistful of Flies as Magda (1996)
- Score! as The Mother (2002)
- Fat Pizza as Mama Gigliotti (2003)
- Big Mamma's Boy as Mrs. Cotoletta (2011)
- Bathing Franky as Franky (2012)[5]
- Fat Pizza vs. Housos as Mama Gigliotti (2014)
Television
- Il trovatore as Ines (1978)
- A Country Practice as Liz Scales (1990)
- G.P. as Bella Tucci (1993)
- Fat Pizza as Mama Gigliotti (2000 - 2007)
- Always Greener as Lorraine (2002 - 2003)
- Stupid Stupid Man as Margaret (2008)
- Swift and Shift Couriers as Maria Shembry (2011)
- Fat Pizza Back In Business as Mama Gigliotti (2019)
Bibliography
- Whole Load of Front (2011)[6]
References
- "Maria Venuti makes her 70s sexy". News.com.au. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Maria Venuti on ageless skin". News.com.au. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Maria Venuti hospitalized after stroke". MSN.com.au. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- "Entertainer Maria Venuti suffered stroke after alleged stalker entered her Sydney home".
- "Review: Bathing Franky". Urban Cinefile. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- Stayner, Samantha (24 March 2011). "Tim Ferguson, David Malouf and Maria Venuti". ABC.net.au. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
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