Barbara Bouchet

Barbara Bouchet (born Bärbel Gutscher; 15 August 1943) is a German-Italian actress, dancer, and model, active in the United States and Italy. She is regarded as a sex symbol in genre films of the 1960s and 1970s.

Born in German-occupied Czechoslovakia, Bouchet's family emigrated to the United States after the Second World War. She began her acting career in the '60s, appearing in small roles in films such as In Harm's Way and guest parts on television series such as Star Trek and The Virginian. She had more prominent film roles in Casino Royale (1967), in which she played Miss Moneypenny, and Sweet Charity (1969).

Bouchet moved to Italy in the 1970s, becoming an Italian citizen and starring in a large number of genre films, including thrillers (gialli), crime films (poliziotteschi), and sex comedies (commedia sexy all'italiana). Her best known appearances in Italian cinema include the films Don't Torture a Duckling (1972), The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972) and Caliber 9 (1972).

Bouchet effectively retired from acting in the early 1980s, transitioning to a career producing fitness videos and books and opening a gym in Rome. She has since made some further appearances acting in film and television, including a small role in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002).

Early life

Bärbel Gutscher was born in Reichenberg, Sudetenland, in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia (today Liberec in the Czech Republic). She had four siblings. Her father, Fritz, was a photographer, and her mother, Ingrid, was an actress.

After World War II, her family was placed in a resettlement camp in the American occupation zone in Germany. They were granted permission to emigrate to the United States under the humanitarian provisions of the Displaced Persons Act of 1948.