Ninchi, Ave

(1915-1997)

   Actress. After studying at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome, Ninchi distinguished herself working with a number of important theater companies. She moved to the cinema in the immediate postwar period with small parts in films such as Guido Brignone's Canto, ma sottovoce . . . (I'm Singing but Quietly, 1945) and Carmine Gallone's Avanti a lui tremava tutta Roma (Before Him All Rome Trembled, 1946). She began taking on more substantial roles in Alberto Lattuada's Il delitto di Giovanni Episcopo (Flesh Will Surrender, 1947) and Luigi Zampa's Vivere in pace (To Live in Peace, 1946), for which she received a Nastro d'argento for best supporting female interpretation. Although undoubtedly a talented dramatic actress, in the 1950s she was most often seen in comedies, among them Aldo Fabrizi's La famiglia Passaguai (The Passaguai Family, 1951) and its two sequels, Pietro Germi's La presidentessa (Mademoiselle Gobete, 1952), and many of the Toto films, including Totb cerca moglie (Toto Looks for a Wife, 1950), Guardie e ladri (Cops and Robbers, 1951), Totb e le donne (Toto and the Women, 1952), and Totb cerca pace (Toto Wants Peace, 1954). During the 1960s, while not abandoning screen comedy, she moved progressively more toward television, appearing not only in a number of serials, telefilms, and a famous advertisement, but also as the presenter of a cooking program and the hostess of the popular variety show Specialeper noi (Special for Us, 1971).

   Her last appearance on the big screen was in a small supporting role in Louis Malle's Lacombe Lucien (Lacombe, Lucien, 1973).

   Historical Dictionary of Italian Cinema by Alberto Mira