Sophia Loren Archives - Chronicles 1979

"The two big advantages I had at birth were to have been born wise and to have been born in poverty." – Sophia Loren

Paris Match (France)
19/10/79

Lux Soaps
Norwegian TV spot

Firepower
German poster

Flirting with Serge Lama?
Paris
Photo: Pierre Vauthey
15/04/79

Birthday celebration
Berlin
20/09/79

Brass Target
Italian poster

Lola Beltrán Concert
Paris
18/06/79

Book Promo
Selfridge's of London
26/03/79

Book promotion
Hamburg
23/04/79

Hola (Spain)
24/02/79

The Mike Douglas Show
Los Angeles
06/04/79

A fondo
Madrid
12/79

Book Promotion
New York City
22/10/79

New Idea (Australia)
01/09/79

FILMS AND FILMING

FILM PROJECTS

The Lady and the Boxer
American producer Zev Brown announces in New York to the press a film in which Sophia is to co-star with boxer Mohammed Ali. Nothing comes
out of it.

MOVIE PREMIERES

USA
Firepower
New York City (Loew's State I) May 4

ITALY
Brass Target
Rome, March (Obiettivo Brass)
Firepower
Rome, October (Bocca di fuoco)

WEST GERMANY
Brass Target
Hamburg, March 9 (Verstecktes Ziel)
Una giornata particolare
Hamburg, May 22 (Ein besonderer Tag)
Firepower
Hamburg, October 11 (Firepower)

FRANCE
Brass Target
Paris, March 28 (La cible étoilée)
Miseria e nobiltà
Paris, June 27 (Toto, misère et noblesse)

SPAIN
Brass Target
Madrid carlos III March 12 (Objetivo: Patton)
Angela
Madrid capitol / urquijo October 18 (Angela)

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum (UK)
Sophia ranks Most Beautiful Woman of History in January

ENDORSEMENTS

Lux Soaps
TV publicity in Norway

Gallo Pasta
Publicity campaign to promote Spanish pasta products.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES

Press Conference

Sophia and Mohammed Ali meet at Zev Brown's villa, before the eyes of hundreds of journalists for their future collaboration in The Lady and the Boxer. "Not only are you the most beautiful in the world, but you are also the most intelligent. If I were ever to take up my gloves again and go back to the ring, I would want you as my manager."

Lola Beltrán Concert - June 18
Sophia gets a taste of traditional Mexican music when she attends Lola Beltrán's concert at the Olympia music hall in Paris. After the performance, Sophia is introduced to Beltrán, who was of the the greatest Mexican ranchera singers, often called Lola la Grande.

Gala de la Croix Rouge Monégasque - August 10
Sophia attends the Monaco's annual benefit Ball of the Red Cross held at Monte Carlo Sporting Club, where she spends the evening sitting next to his old friend Frank Sinatra

Book Promotion
New York City - February 20
Houston - March 1-2
Los Angeles - March 3-4
New York City - March 9-13
London (Selfridge's) - March 26-27
Chicago - April
Spain - August
West Germany- September
New York City (Caldor's) - October 22
Chicago - October 26
Toronto (Coles, Eaton's, Classics) - October 28
Madrid (El Corte Inglés) - November 30
Valencia (El Corte Inglés) - December 1
Barcelona (El Corte Inglés) - December 2

Frank Sinatara Concert - October 23
Sophia hops on Sinatra's private plane in New York City and goes to Atlantic City to attend concert and party given by the singer at Resorts International.

MAGAZINE COVERS

Italy
Fotografia Italiana, Grand Hotel, Il Mattino Illustrato, Oggi
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West Germany
Die Aktuelle, Bunte, Frau im Spiegel, Freizeit Revue, Das Goldene Blatt, Gong, Photo Revue, Praline
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France
Conficences, Nous Deux Flash, France Dimanche, Paris Match, Saga, Télé Guide, Télé Hebdo, Télé 7 Jours
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Spain
Fotogramas, Hola, Interviu, Pronto, Semana
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UK
Films Illustrated, Photoplay, Weekend, Woman
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USA
Good Housekeeping, McCall's, Midnight Globe, Movie Life, National Enquirer, Star

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Australia
New Idea, Women's Weekly

BOOKS

Sophia Loren: Living and Loving - February
Written in the first person the book was actually credited to biographer Aaron E. Hotchner, author of other celebrity biographies. "Sophia Loren: Living and Loving takes on a certain significance we don't usually expect from a star's autobiography. It may be that no other actress working today has her star quality. (James Monaco, New York Times)

Forever Sophia: An Intimate Portrait - March
Alan Levy's book is published in the United States. It is in fact the most intimate biography on Sophia, which is mostly based on nine interviews the journalist had with Sophia between 1969 and 1978. Levy thought he would be the author of Sophia's official biography book but when he learned that Hotchner was the chosen one he decided to gather all his material and publish an unofficial biography at the same time the official biography book was released.

Sophia Loren: In the Camera Eye
Photographer Sam Shaw book is published in the United States and in France. Shaw's book contains pictures from the time Sophia was rehearsing for Pride and the Passion through the production of Matrimonio all'italiana with a famous photo session at the Ponti's rented Beverly Hills home.

TV SHOWS

Today - February 22
Guest appearance on NBC morning show with host Jane Pauley.

Tonight Show - February 27
Guest appearance on NBC talk show starring Johnny Carson.

Phil Donahue Show - March 30
Guest appearance on ABC talk show with host Phil Donahue.

Mike Douglas Show - April 6
Guest appearance on ABC talk show with host Mike Douglas in which Sophia shows her cooking talents. When asked how she maintains her figure, Sophia answers "I eat lots of spaghetti."

The Merv Griffin Show - May 9
Guest appearance on American TV show with host Merv Griffin.

Over Easy - December 3
Guest on PBS talk show with host Hugh Downs

A fondo - December 30
Guest star on Spanish variety show hosted by Joaquín Soler Serrano
on TVE network.

EDITOR'S NOTES

Trial in Rome - January 23
At his trial in Rome, Ponti is sentenced in absentia to 4 years in jail and to $24 million in fines. Sophia and her secretary Ines Brascia are acquitted of charges conspiring with Ponti, as are all the other defendants in the case, including Ava Gardner and Richard Harris. The State seizes the Villa in order to get the back by selling all paintings, drawings and sculptures. The verdict is immediately challenged by Ponti's lawyers. Ponti's sentence is maintained at the Appeal Court on May 5.

Holidays in Orlando - February

Sophia, her two sons and one of their schoolmates spend the first week of February in Florida with a visit to Disney World in Orlando on the 9th.

Plastic Surgery - February 24
Sophia confesses to Spanish magazine Hola that she had plastic surgery.

Jewels Stolen - March 1
<>While in staying in Houston, TX for the shooting of a TV show Sophia has jewels stolen, valued at $10,000 at the Galleria Plaza Hotel.

Ted Kennedy Love Affair -
Rumors about an affair between Sophia and Senator Ted Kennedy.

Dior Model

Sophia poses as a model for Dior and Saint-Laurent at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris.

Serge Lama Love Affair - September

Strong rumors about an affair between Sophia and French singer Serge Lama are published in many magazines, starting with UK's Daily Mirror, after they have been seen together at many social events, including the Paris premiere of Alice Dona Show, on September 21. Serge Lama and Sophia's comments on alleged love affair are published in French newspapers and magazines in October. They are good friends, that'all.

Sophia vs. French Newspaper - October
Sophia wins her case against French weekly Ici Paris which published on November 24, 1977 an article on Sophia and Carlo's private lives. The French newspapers has to pay the Ponti family $22,000.