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Anna Maria Pierangeli was born on June 19, 1932, in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. She and her twin sister, Marisa Pavan, both aspired to become film stars, a popular ambition in Italy at the time. Anna modified her surname by splitting it, adopting the stage name Pier Angeli, under which she achieved fame. Her first role was an uncredited part in the 1948 Italian film The Million Dollar Nickel (1952). At 16, this marked the beginning of her acting career. Though the film was largely forgettable, it was a start. The following year, she appeared in another Italian production, Tomorrow Is Too Late (1950), in a very small role. She did not appear on screen again until 1951. Between 1949 and 1951, she performed in stage productions and worked various menial jobs.
Her return to film came with The Light Touch (1951), where she played Anna Vasarri. Later that year, she secured the lead role in Teresa (1951). However, her career stalled again, with only one film in 1952 and two in 1953. Things improved in 1954, with Hollywood taking notice after her role in the Italian film Miss Nitouche (1954). She was cast in Flame and the Flesh (1954) and The Silver Chalice (1954). She then split her time between Italy and the United States for film projects. In 1954, she married Vic Damone; their marriage lasted four years and produced one son.
No film offers came in 1955, but in 1956, Pier landed the role of Norma Graziano, wife of boxer Rocky Graziano, in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), opposite Paul Newman. The film was a box office success, raising hopes for her career. Later that year, she portrayed Ynez in Port Afrique (1956), after which another lull followed. She appeared in The Vintage (1957), Merry Andrew (1958), and SOS Pacific (1959), then made three films in 1960. She did not appear in any films in 1961. In 1962, Pier played Ildith in Sodom and Gomorrah (1962) and starred in a French production, White Slave Ship (1961). After the Italian film Shadow of Evil (1964), she appeared in the European-American co-production Battle of the Bulge (1965).
Between 1966 and 1970, Pier acted in several films but realized her dream of super-stardom was unlikely. She divorced her second husband, Armando Trovajoli, in 1969. Her final screen appearance was in 1971’s low-budget sci-fi film Octaman (1971). On September 10, 1971, Pier was found dead from a barbiturate overdose at her Beverly Hills home. She was 39 years old.
