Sophia Loren Archives - Chronicles 1980

"One of the most beautiful chairpersons that I have ever had in the White House." – Jimmy Carter

Edoardo's Birthday
Paris
Photo: André Sas
06/01/80

White House
Washington, DC
28/01/80

Barthet & Ungaro collections
Paris
Photo: Claude Azoulay
02/80

Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
Photo: Elio Sorci
08/80

Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
Promotion
08/80

Dior Collection
Paris
Photo: Claude Azoulay

02/80

Italian Film Festival
Hotel Negresco, Nice
Photo: Ralph Gatti<>

13/12/80

<>Le Figaro (France)
<> Cover: Reginald Davis
<> 03/09/80
<>

Fiesta Americana
Juan Burgos / "Beni" de Marbella
Puerto Vallarta
21/11/80

Photo session
London
Photo: Harry Langdon

Sophia Loren Tribute
New York City
Photo: Ron Galella
24/09/80

Dior Collection
Paris
Photo: Claude Azoulay
02/80

FILMS AND FILMING

Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
Italy, USA, August-September

FILM PROJECTS

La Casa de Bernarda Alba
Short film to be produced by Rai network under the direction of Valerio Lazarov. Despite Iglesias states in an interview with Bianco and Negro in August that the film is in production, the project is never completed.

MOVIE PREMIERES

USA
Fatto di sangue
New York City (Plaza) February 22 (Blood Feud)
Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
NBC network, USA, October 26 & 27

FRANCE
Firepower
Paris (U.G.C. Danton & Normandie), June 18 (L'arme au poing)
Fatto di sangue
Paris, November 19 (D'amour et de sang)

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Sophia: A Tribute to Sophia Loren (USA)
Carnegie Hall Cinema, New York City, September

World's Most Beautiful Lips (USA)
Voted Most Sensuous Lips by Blistex in their First Annual List of the World's Most Beautiful Lips.

ENDORSEMENTS

Lux Soaps
Printed publicity and TV commercials in Sweden.

Gallo Pasta

Zyloware

Introduction of the Sophia Loren Eyewear collection by Zyloware which is the only licensed product that Sophia has allowed, besides short-lived David Glass cake in the 1990's. It is the first celebrity eyewear to come to market and offers sophisticated styling for women aged 40 and older who consider eyewear to be an important accessory. Zyloware Corp. is an American company based in Long Island City, New York.

Sophia by Coty
Introduction of Sophia's perfume by Coty at the Fashion Institute and promotion launching at Lord & Taylor department store in New York City on September 25. Sophia's deal with Coty is worth a minimum of $ 2.5 million per year against royalties. Leaving movies behind for now, she undertakes a new career as she is expected to participate in the marketing by posing for advertising, appearing in TV commercials, and making promotional tours of department stores around the world. Sophia's perfume is doing so well that by mid-December many retailers are rationing sales to prevent their Christmas stocks from running out. In most Coty publicities to come Sophia wears Spook haute couture and not Dior.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES

French Award for Book - January 8
Sophia is awarded "Prix de la Butte Montmartre" for her book "Sophia Loren: Living and Loving in Paris in the presence of Peter Ustinov and Anatole, the Montmartre's crier, wearing his traditional uniform.

White House - January 28
Sophia meets President Jimmy Carter on January 28 at the White House as the chairperson of the National Alliance for Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Maltreatment. Sophia is quoted saying: "We need help, a lot of help, to awaken the world's consciousness to this sordid and persistent crime." SL

Diana Ross Concert - April 28
Sophia attends a Diana Ross concert at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and meets backstage with the diva whose top-five single hits are "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" at that time. Sophia is also in Las Vegas for business meetings with executives of Coty which introduces the perfume Sophia a few months later.

A Tribute to Sophia Loren - September 23
A Sophia Film Festival called A Tribute to Sophia Loren opens on September 23 at the Carnegie Hall Cinema in New York City with Sophia giving a press conference the next day.

Visit to Panama - November 17
Sophia and Carlo are guests of president Arístides Royo and former head of state Gen. Omar Torrijos who suggests the making of a movie about dethroned Iranian empress Farah Diba with Sophia in the stellar role. The Iranian royal family was on exile for a time earlier during the year on the posh resort island of Contadora before leaving for Egypt. At a press conference, Carlo says he also plans to film a movie about the Panama Canal based on the historical work "Path between the Seas" by David McCullough in which Sophia would play the part of Maria de la Ossa de Amador, the wife of Panama's first president, Manuel Amador Guerrero.

Mexican Holidays - November 20-22
Following their trip to Panamá, Sophia and Carlo fly to Puerto Vallarta and stay at the brand new Fiesta Americana hotel where they are greeted with flowers and mariachis. Breakfast on the next day with state officials and buffet dinner at famous Casa Encantada with the presence of John Huston, who maintains a residence in Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta was made famous in 1964 with Huston film The Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton, which was filmed on the beaches of Mismaloya.

Gala de l'union des artistes - December 6
Sophia attends in Paris the annual French actors guild called "Il était une fois: Le Gala de l'union des artistes" hosted by actor Jean-Claude Brialy.

Italian Film Festival - December 14
Sophia attends the Italian Film Festival in Nice along with Alberto Sordi.

MAGAZINE COVERS

Italy
Oggi

e
West Germany
Die Aktuelle, Bunte, Frau im Spiegel, Neue Post, Quick
e

e
France
Constellation, Elle, Elle et Lui, Façade, Le Figaro, Le Figaro TV, Le Hérisson, Jours de France, Paris Match, Le Soir Illustré, Super Télé, Télérame, VSD
e

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Spain
ABC, Blanco y Negro, Semana, Super Tele
e

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USA
Attenzione, Buenhogar, Globe, Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar, Hollywood Studio Magazine, Midnight Globe, National Enquirer, Star, Television, TV Guide

TV SHOWS

John Davidson Show - October 21
Guest star on American CBS show co-hosted by Jay Leno.

The Merv Griffin Show - October 23
Guest appearance on WNEW with host Merv Griffin.

EDITOR'S NOTES

Work of Art Collection - February
Sophia loses a bid to reclaim the art collection - including canvases by Canaletto, Rubens, De Chirico, Braque and Picasso - valued at $3.8 million confiscated by airport Roman customs officials in March 1977.

Fashion Collections - February
Pictures of Sophia appear in many magazines with her new spring-summer wardrobe and hats designed by Ungaro, Spook, Scherrer, Azzaro, Saint-Laurent, Dior and Barthet.
Nude in Saint-Tropez -
Italian weekly magazine "Gente" publishes nude photos of Sophia sunbathing in the summer of 1979 on a private beach in Saint-Tropez. The magazine and its chief editor are sued by Sophia.

Robbery on the Highway - July 19
Sophia has her purse snatched in Ladispoli while she and her mother are changing a flat tire. The thieves got away with $120, Sophia's passport and part of the script Sophia: Her Own Story. Sophia and her mother were heading north of Rome to visit Sophia's sister, Maria when a tire blew.

Sophia Loren: Her Own Story
Sophia's book Living and Loving is such a success that producer Peter Katz decides to base a television film on it. While promoting her book around the world, Sophia spends weeks in Italy and California, starting in July, shooting the scenes for the movie. Romilda asks to be technical supervisor which is refused by Sophia.

Sophia Agrees to Jail - September 10
Sophia announces that she will go to the authorities after completing work on her autobiographic movie, saying that if she went now it would cause serious financial problems for the film. Sophia did not file an Italian income tax return in 1963 because she was incorrectly advised that she did not have to do so since she had been working abroad during the year. ''I intend to accept the decision of the judges of my country, which has all my affection, so I will return to Italy and hand myself over as soon as I have completed my obligations with the film company.” Sophia is sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $12,000.

Sophia in St. Louis - September 30
Sophia sweeps into riverboat restaurant St. Louis Ragtimers on behalf of Coty cosmetics to introduce her new fragrance. She visits two department stores the next day.

Coty and Her Own Story Premiere
The film premieres on NBC network in the USA with spot commercials of her perfume shown throughout the broadcast. The movie is a total fiasco because it does not find lucrative markets outside the USA.