Swedish-Born Movie Bombshell Anita Ekberg Dies At 83
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Anita Ekberg -- blonde Hollywood bombshell of the 1950s and 60s -- has died.
Ekberg was 83.
She died in Rome.
The actress starred in many comedies but is perhaps best known for the 1963 Fellini movie "La Dolce Vita" which famously showed her cavorting in Rome's Trevi Fountain in a black dress that left little to the imagination.
In that 1960 film, she played Sylvia -- an actress the paparazzi are obsessed with -- and the role catapulted her to international fame.
Ekberg had a knack of being in the right place at the right time throughout her career. While strolling down the street in her native Sweden, organizers of the Miss Sweden contest spotted her and encouraged her to enter.
The beauty contestant also tackled the world of modeling and soon Hollywood took notice.
In the era of Hollywood Blondes, Ekberg was usually cast to play the sexy -- but sweet -- neophyte. Or the leggy man-eater.
Directors loved Ekberg because she didn't mind appearing silly (catch the Venusian Guard in "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars") or vampy (in just about any other movie.)
Her main credits include "Screaming Mimi," "4 For Texas," "War and Peace," "Way...Way Out" and "The Mongols."
In the past few decades, Ekberg worked almost exclusively in Europe. She retired in 2002.
Ekberg was married and divorced twice -- first to Rik Van Nutter (a writer who penned the movie "Thunderball") and British actor-hunk Anthony Steel.
