Biography
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Stunningly beautiful and charismatic blonde actress Barbara Bouchet was born Barbara Gutscher on August 15th, 1944 in Reichenberg, Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia. Her family was forced to leave the country when Barbara was a little girl and settled in San Francisco, Califoria. Bouchet attended Galileo High School. In 1959, Bouchet won the "Miss Gidget" beauty contest which was held by the local television station KPIX-TV. She briefly dated famous male actor James Darren.
Barbara was featured as a dancer on the teen-targeted rock'n'roll TV show, The KPIX Dance Party, from 1959 to 1962. Bouchet began her official acting career as a model on magazine covers and an actress in TV commercials. She made her film debut with an uncredited bit part in the comedy La signora e i suoi mariti (1964). Bouchet soon became known for openly flaunting her spectacularly curvaceous figure in several pictures: clad in alluring silk harem robes in a braccia aperte ( John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!- 1965), cavorting nude on the beaches of Pearl Harbor in the World War II epic Prima vittoria by Otto Preminger (1965), and wearing a bikini for the bulk of her screen time in Agente H.A.R.M. (1966). She also portrayed "Ursula" in Bob Fosse's outstanding musical Sweet Charity (1969), made for a nicely sultry "Miss Moneypenny" in the tongue-in-cheek 007 outing James Bond 007 - Casino Royale (1967), and had guest spots on such TV series as "Il virginian" (1962), "Star Trek" as Kelinda by Any Other Name in (1966), "Viaggio in fondo al mare" (1964) and "Organizzazione U.N.C.L.E." (1964). In 1970, Bouchet was Called to Italy to Star in Colpo Rovente with Carmel Bene . She soon became one of Italy's top actresses, carving out a fruitful niche for herself in sex comedies, giallo murder mysteries and gritty police crime thrillers. Among her most memorable roles in these Italian features are the brazen spoiled rich lady "Patrizia" in Lucio Fulci's disturbing Non si sevizia un paperino (1972) ("Don't Torture A Duckling"), prostitute "Francine" in Casa d'appuntamento (1972) ("The French Sex Murders"), modeling agency choreographer "Kitty" in La dama rossa uccide sette volte (1972) ("Red Queen Kills 7 Times"), saucy love interest "Scilla" in the splendidly sleazy Un tipo con una faccia strana ti cerca per ucciderti (1973), and enticing stripper "Anny" in Con la rabbia agli occhi (1976) ("Death Rage") With Yul Brynner.
Bouchet had an unforgettably steamy lesbian love scene with Rosalba Neri in Alla ricerca del piacere (1972) ("Amuck") and appeared as Miss Monneypenny in Casino Royale, ALONGSIDE DAVID NIVEN AND WOODY ALLEN in La tarantola dal ventre nero (1971) ("The Black Belly of the Tarantula"). Barbara married producer Luigi Borghese in 1974. In 1983, at age 40, Bouchet did a nude pictorial for the Italian edition of "Penthouse" magazine. Bouchet started her own production company in 1985 and launched her own line of fitness books and videos. She also opened her own health club in Rome. Barbara most recently popped up in a small role (as fellow giallo star David Hemmings' wife) in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002). Bouchet speaks English, German and Italian with equal fluency. Barbara Bouchet continues to act in both films and TV shows, alike, made in Italy.
At the age of 39 barbara decided it was time she gave up beeing the Sexgodess, so she decide to leave the business,but not beeing the type who does nothing she became the Jane Fonda of Italy opening the first Healthclub for Italien women and hosted the first fittness show on italien tv.at age 45 her second son Massimiliano was born.
Spouse
Luigi Borghese (1974 - 2006) (divorced) 2 children
Trivia
Two sons with Luigi Borghese: Alessandro Borghese (b. 1976), who is a chef hosting a show on the Italian cable TV, and Massimiliano Borghese (b. 1989) who is in tv production, a bartender.
Attended Polytechnic High School in San Francisco.
Was inspired to go into movies after seeing the work of German actress Christine Kaufmann in the 1954 film "The Silent Angel". Kaufman later married Tony Curtis.
Has two sons by producer and former husband Luigi Borghese. Alessandro, who is now a noted chef on Italian TV, and Massimiliano. The couple separated in 2006 and are now divorced.
As a baby living in Reichenberg, Czechoslovakia, in the mountains north of Prague, she had to flee to MOOS GERMANY THE HOME OF HER MOTHER but eventually was reunited with her father Fritz, a war photographer. She had two younger brothers and THREE younger sisters Everyone migrated to California, FIVE POINTS SAN JUACHIN VALLEY U.S.A. in December 1956.WHERE BARBARA AND HER FATHER AND MOTHER ENDEDUP PICKING COTTON TO PAY BACK THEIRE TRIP.
A picture taken by her photographer father was submitted to a beauty contest. She won as "Miss Gidget" and the winnings included a date with "Gidget" movie star James Darren and a screen test. The screen test never panned out, but it did lead to teen modeling work. Her extensive modeling career led to 35 magazine covers.
Personal Quotes
I prefer working and living here. It's a more humane environment than Hollywood. I like the work and at the same time keep my family and my sanity. (on the benefits of acting and living in Italy)
Being a Hollywood beauty was a mixed blessing. Men are men, with all that testosterone, and when a pretty girl comes in front of them what can you expect?