Anita Ekberg

 

Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg (Swedish pronunciation (listen) 29 September 1931 11 January 2015) was a Swedish actress who appeared in American and European films, known for her beauty and stunning silhouette. Her role as Sylvia, in Federico Fellini's film La Dolce Vita (1960), made her well-known. Ekberg predominantly worked in Italy where she became a permanent residence in the year 1964. Anita Ekberg was the sixth of eight children. Anita was a fashion model during her teenage years. Ekberg on the advice of her mother in 1950, entered Miss Malmo. She was crowned the Miss Sweden contest. Despite her inability to speak English and Swedish, she travelled to the United States to compete to win the Miss Universe title for 1951. Although it was a non-formal pageant, the official pageant became official in 1952. Although Ekberg did not win the Miss Universe pageant, as one of the six finalists, she did get a starlet's contract with Universal Studios. As a starlet at Universal they gave her lessons in elocution, drama horses, dancing and fencing. She was briefly seen in The Mississippi Gambler (1953), Abbott and Costello (as the woman in Venus), Take Me to Town (1853), and The Golden Blade (1953).