Anita Ekberg
Her statuesque presence in Fellini's fountain defined an era of cinematic glamour and European allure.
1931–2015 (age 84)·Swedish actress·Birthday: September 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Born in Malmö, Sweden, Anita Ekberg was a model who won the Miss Sweden title before being lured to Hollywood in the 1950s. While American studios struggled to cast her beyond decorative roles, it was in Italy that she found her cinematic home. Federico Fellini immortalized her in 'La Dolce Vita' (1960), where her scene wading in the Trevi Fountain became one of film's most indelible images. Ekberg embraced the Italian lifestyle, becoming a permanent resident and a symbol of voluptuous, unapologetic beauty that contrasted with Hollywood's more restrained ideals. Her later years were marked by reclusiveness and financial struggle, but her legacy as Fellini's muse and a jet-age icon of sensuality remains untarnished.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Anita was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anita Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Anita's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 80
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2015Died at 84
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Won the Miss Sweden title in 1950, launching her international career.
- Starred as Sylvia in Federico Fellini's landmark film 'La Dolce Vita' (1960).
- Her performance in 'La Dolce Vita' earned her a David di Donatello award for Best Foreign Actress.
- Appeared in over 40 films across Hollywood and the European cinema scene.
Did You Know?
She was offered a contract with Universal Pictures after being discovered by Howard Hughes.
She turned down the role of Miss Taro in the James Bond film 'Dr. No'.
Ekberg was a trained ballet dancer in her youth.
She became an Italian citizen in 1964 and lived there for the rest of her life.
“I am a woman, and I have a right to be a woman, with all that it implies.”
