Isa Barzizza (22 November 1929 – 28 May 2023) was an Italian actress whose career spanned over 60 years.
Life and career
Early life
Born in Sanremo, Barzizza was the daughter of the conductor and composer Pippo Barzizza. She started working in amateur dramatics at very young age, and she made her professional debut while still being a high school student, notably working with the stage companies led by Ruggero Ruggeri, Elsa Merlini and by the brothers Eduardo, Peppino and Titina De Filippo.
Breakout and success
Barzizza had her breakout in 1946, when during a visit to her father she was noted by Erminio Macario who chose her for the revue Follie d'Amleto. In a few years she established herself as a star in the revue genre, working several times with Macario, Totò and Wanda Osiris. Following her stage success, Barzizza also started a busy film career in the comedic genre, often teaming with Totò. In 1955, she starred in Valentina, which is considered the first genuine stage musical comedy produced in Italy.
Marriage and semi-retirement
In 1953 Barzizza married the screenwriter and director Carlo Alberto Chiesa, and following the birth of their daughter Carlotta she retired from showbusiness. In 1960 the couple were involved in a car accident and Chiesa died shortly after under the knife. Widowed, Barzizza ran a company of dubbing and production of television series. Starting from the mid-1970s she made sporadic appearances in films and on television.
Death
Barzizza died on 28 May 2023, at the age of 93.
Selected filmography
The Two Orphans (1947) - Matilde
Dove sta Zaza? (1947) - Zazà
Fear and Sand (1948) - Patricia Cotten
Toto Tours Italy (1948) - Doriana
The Firemen of Viggiù (1949) - Toto's conquest
Adam and Eve (1949) - Eva Bianchi
I'm in the Revue (1950) - Cleo - la kleptomane
The Merry Widower (1950) - Lucy
The Elusive Twelve (1950) - Teresa
Figaro Here, Figaro There (1950) - Rosina
Bluebeard's Six Wives (1950) - Lana Ross
Milano miliardaria (1951) - Vittorio Pizzigoni
Seven Hours of Trouble (1951) - Amelia
The Reluctant Magician (1951) - Perla
Era lui... sì! sì! (1951) - Grazia
Porca miseria (1951) - Jenny Soleri
Toto in Color (1952) - La signora del vagone-letto
Five Paupers in an Automobile (1952) - Cicci
We're Dancing on the Rainbow (1952) - Jeannette
Primo premio: Mariarosa (1952) Beauties on Motor Scooters (1952) - Laura Gioventù alla sbarra (1953) - Florence, la canzonettista Siamo tutti inquilini (1953) - Collega di Anna It's Never Too Late (1953) - Rosanna Gennari The Daughter of the Regiment (1953) - Kiki Neapolitan Turk (1953) - Giulietta Viva la rivista! (1953) Canzoni a due voci (1953) - La fidanzata del baritono Gran Varietà (1954) Appassionatamente (1954) - Ortensia Dupré Toto Seeks Peace (1954) - Cousin Nella Caporali Cartouche (1955) - Lucilla Un palco all'opera (1955) I pinguini ci guardano (1956) We All Loved Each Other So Much (1974) - Elena Garofano rosso (1976) Il momento dell'avventura (1983) - Antonia Belli Fiori di zucca (1989) - Clelia Grazie al cielo c'è Totò (1991) 80 mq - Ottantametriquadri (1993) - Mamma di Raffaele (segment "No mamma no") Ardena (1997) - Lea Asini (1999) - Italo's mother Seven Kilometers from Jerusalem (2007) - Elvira Marenghi Una sconfinata giovinezza (2010) Maledimiele (2011) - Nonna Viva l'Italia (2012) - Marisa Mia (2012) Studio illegale (2013) - Zia Emma Indovina chi viene a Natale? (2013) - Emma