A stereotypical Nordic blonde (though she seemed to be always in a buzz cut), Yanti Somer emerged from nowhere to make some classic Italian sci fi. If you’re not familiar with that genre, it’s basically just rip-offs of Star Wars that flooded drive-in screens in the late ‘70s. Yanti also was in several spaghetti western comedies (if you can imagine such a thing).
Sorry I couldn’t find more out there on her. She is beautiful, but also pretty darn obscure (heck, her Wikipedia entry’s in German). Her last movie was in 1982, and she seems to have completely disappeared since then.
Embarrassing Real Name: Kirsti Somersalo (though I’m not sure Yanti Somer is much of an improvement)
Embarrassing Movies
- War of the Planets *
- Battle of the Stars * (not the TV show)
- Star Odyssey *
- War of the Robots *
- Are You Engaged to a Greek Sailor or an Airline Pilot?
* - author has seen
Embarrassing Taglines
- He's A Fun-of-a-Gun!
- He Makes The Fastest Guns In The West...Die Laughing!
- Hostile Alien Cyborgs in a Battle for the Universe
- Robot Terror from Space!
Embarrassing Characters
- Mayer’s Henchwoman
- Liverpool’s Sister
- Second Flaherty Secretary
- Meela
- Fascista
Whiffs of Scandal: Some nudes (that I, unfortunately, couldn’t find)
Interesting Tidbits
- Nickname growing up was Titti
- Started out as a model in Paris, then later in Milan
- AKA Xanti Valio and Yanti Valio
Where can I learn more?
Bad hair day
Mylene Demongeot started out as a standard-issue French sex kitten, but moved to more serious roles later in her career. She’s actually been working for over 60 years, and has accumulated over 100 credits. Don’t worry, though – those credits do indeed include plenty of sword and sandal epics, Three Musketeer romances (a uniquely French kind of B movie), some Fantomas flicks (ditto), and other embarrassments.
Real Name: Marie-Helene Demongeot
Embarrassing Movies
- The Giant of Marathon
- Vengeance of the Three Musketeers
- Romulus and the Sabines
- Beach Casanova
- Big Man – The False Etruscan
Embarrassing Taglines
- The strange and terrible combat of two men in a strange and terrible Mexican town
- The moral bankruptcy of desperate youth brought stunningly, shockingly to the screen...
- Startling! Shocking! Rips the Veil of Secrecy From Love's Most Shameful Sin!
Embarrassing Characters
- Fanfan
- Zizi
- Zina von Raunacher
- Wife in House 3
Interesting Tidbits
- Was born cross-eyed
- Her mother was Russian, her father was born in Italy, and the two met in Shanghai
- Modeled for Pierre Cardin
- Was nominated for two Cesars (the French equivalent of the Oscars)
- Was made a Commander of the French Order of Arts & Letters
Where can I learn more?
Aww ...
Prototypical French sex kitten Yvonne Monlaur sure got around. She made movies in France, Italy, Germany, and the U.K. (including a couple of Hammer flicks for that last one). She was only active for about twelve years, though, with her peak coming around 1960. She’s very active today, however, on the convention circuit, as well as having her own blog. By the way, it helps to parlez vous if you want to check out that last one.
Embarrassing Movies
- Night of Lust
- Circus of Horrors
- Brides of Dracula *
- Terror of the Tongs
* - author has seen
Embarrassing Taglines
- Sexy... Secretive... Seductive...
- Terror that grips you by the throat ... and never lets go!
- In the privacy of a girls' school he sought his prey - turning innocent beauty into a thing of unspeakable horror!
- Spectacular Towering Terror! One man's lust...made men into beasts, stripped women of their souls!
Embarrassing Characters
- Nanda Colombo
- Nennella
- Shalee
- Gyptis
- Elvira
Interesting Tidbits
- Father was a Russian count
- Mother was a ballet dancer
- 89-56-89 (cm)
- Was in a serious speedboat accident while filming
- Lost out on the role of Domino in Thunderball to Claudine Auger
Where can I learn more?
Not a bad actress, Belinda Lee also just so happened to be a “green-eyed blonde bombshell” (IMDb). Subsequently, she had a hard time avoiding being typecast as a “buxom, peroxide blonde.” Frustrated with such roles, she escaped to Italy, a particularly ironic destination, as that country is famous as a B movie mecca. She died heartbreakingly young, at age 25.
Game, anyone?
Embarrassing Real Birthplace: Budleigh Salterton, Devonshire (actually, rather a tony place)
Cheesy Pageant Titles: Miss Deep Ocean of 1954, US Navy
Embarrassing Movies
- Nights of Lucretia Borgia
- Way of the Wicked
- Blood Feud
- Satan Tempts with Love
Embarrassing Taglines
- She climbed a ladder of lovers into a lap of luxury!
- CLOSE ENOUGH TO KISS...OR KILL!
- Ablaze With Thrills, Excitement and Dangers Such as the Screen Has Never Seen!
- A Picture Best Understood By Adults!
Embarrassing Characters
- Henet
- Lucretia Borgia
- Messalina
- Aphrodite
- Rosemarie Nittbritt, Prostitute
Whiffs of Scandal
- Affairs
- Suicide attempt
- Last boyfriend was a pedophile
Unlikely Spouses & Boyfriends
- Prince Filippo Orsini
- King Farouk of Egypt
Untimely Demise: 25, in an auto accident
Interesting Tidbits
- Nickame was "Billie"
- Attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
- Was seriously injured when her hair caught on fire while filming a candle-lit scene
Where can I learn more?
