Anita Ekberg

 

Kerstin Marianne Ekberg (Swedish pronunciation (listen) 29 September 1931 - 11 January 2015) was an actress from Sweden, most well-known for her stunning figure and beauty. She became prominent in her character in the role of Sylvia in the Federico Fellini film La Dolce Vita (1960). Ekberg was born in Sweden on the 29th September 1931. She was the sixth child of eight. Anita worked as fashion model throughout her teenage years. At the request from her mother Ekberg entered Miss Malmo in 1950. It resulted in her winning the Miss Sweden contest. Despite not being fluent in English, she traveled to the United States to compete to be awarded the Miss Universe title for 1951. While it was an informal pageant, the official pageant became official in 1952. Ekberg was not crowned the Miss Universe pageant. However she was among the six finalist. Universal Studios offered her a starlet contract. She was a Universal starlet, and was given lessons in dramatization, elocution dancing, horseback riding, fencing and elocution. She did a brief appearance in The Mississippi Gambler (1953), Abbott and Costello go to Mars (1953), Take Me to Town (1953), and The Golden Blade (53).