Luciana Paluzzi Biography
Luciana Paluzzi was born on 10 June 1937 in Rome, Italy. Growing up, Paluzzi always had an interest in engineering and pursued her studies at the Scientific Academy of Milan, where she was the only woman in her class. However, fate had other plans for her.
Her father’s friend, who was looking for a young actress for a small role in Jean Negulesco’s Three Coins in the Fountain, spotted Paluzzi and recommended her for the part. Although she did not intend to pursue an acting career, Paluzzi recited the English line during the audition and landed the role.
Luciana Paluzzi went on to appear in many films, mostly made in Italy, and was initially credited as Luciana Paoluzzi. In 1957, she made her debut in the British film industry in British war film No Time To Die, directed by Terence Young. She later appeared in Sea Fury as Josita, a character who is fought over by two male leads.
In 1959, Luciana Paluzzi moved to Hollywood and signed a contract with Twentieth Century Fox Television to star in the series Five Fingers. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after three months. She then played Rafaella in the 1961 film Return to Peyton Place.
Luciana Paluzzi’s most famous role came in 1965 when she was cast as Spectre villainess and Bond girl, Fiona Volpe, in Thunderball, also directed by Terence Young. She had originally auditioned for the lead Bond girl, Domino, but the role went to Claudine Auger. However, Paluzzi was thrilled to receive the role of Fiona Volpe, which she found “more fun” to play.
Aside from Thunderball, Luciana Paluzzi also appeared in Muscle Beach Party, Chuka, 99 Women, and The Klansman. In 1960, she married actor Brett Halsey, and the two co-starred in Return to Peyton Place as a newlywed couple. They had one son, Christian, before divorcing in 1962.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Luciana Paluzzi had a long-term relationship with Tony Anthony, and the two appeared in several films together, including Wounds of Hunger and Come Together.
In 1979, Paluzzi married her current husband, Michael Jay Solomon, an American media mogul who founded Michael Jay Solomon Film International and co-founded Telepictures Corporation. After this Luciana Paluzzi gave up her acting career.
