The filmmakers had cast French actress Claudine Auger for the role of Domino, a change that allowed Terence Young rewrite Ian Fleming's original red haired Irish villainess, Fiona Kelly, as an Italian, now named Fiona Volpe. Vo
Luciana as Jole Scarpa in
However, it is for her role in the James Bond film Thunderball (1964) that she is best remembered. The search for an actress to play the Bond girl, Domino, in Thunderball took a long time. A huge number of actreses tried for the part including Luciana Paluzzi. "I tested for the role of
Luciana Paluzzi became an actress by accident when a friend of her father's came to dinner. The man knew that film director Jean Negulesco could not find an actress for a small part in Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) which was filmed in Rome. Luciana was sent to Negulesco and she soon found herself employed. "I went on set and thought that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life."
Luciana Paluzzi was born in Rome in 1937. Her father was a colonel in the Italian army and her mother was a mistress of Benito Mussolini, leader of Fascist Italy.
She went on to appear in many movies, some made in her native Italy, and occasionally being credited as Luciana Paoluzzi. Her early films included the WW2 adventure Tank Force (1958) with Victor Mature & Anthony Newley, the comedy Carlton-Browne of the FO (1959) with Terry Thomas & Peter Sellers and Muscle Beach Party (1964) with Frankie Avalon.
has also made appearances in several TV series' - Five Fingers (1959), Bonanza (1962), Burke's Law (1964) and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1965).
The part in Thunderball brought Luciana much fame and recognition, but it also meant that she found other roles harder to come by. She played
Luciana Paluzzi married actor Brett Halsey in 1960 and the co-starred together as two newly-weds in R
It was really great to meet Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi at Autographica in Birmingham in April 2008.
I had a chat to her at the guest reception and had my photo taken with her along with Thunderball girls Martine Beswick and Mollie Peters.
Luciana signed my Thunderball litho, my Bond Girls book, several photographs and a 007 First Day Cover.
Best of all, I sat next to her at the Gala Dinner, and talked to her a lot about Bond! I got a big hug and a kiss from her before I left!!
Luciana with Adolfo Celi in Thunderball
Luciana with Paul Stassino in Thunderball
Luciana as Fiona Volpe in Thunderball
Luciana with Sean Connery in Thunderball
Luciana Paluzzi & Cameron Mitchell
Rome's Trevi Fountain
Domino...I arrived in London, and there were about a hundred girls, I couldn't believe how many people there were in the make-up room! I did the test for the leading role, and then I went back to Rome. Two months went by and I didn't hear anything from anybody. Then I got a call one day from the Director Terence Young who said, 'I have good news and I have bad news....the bad news is that you can't play the role of Domino, but he good news is that you're going to play the role of Fiona'.
The 'bad girl' part was more fun to play."
Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe
turns her when dancing with her at the Kiss Kiss Club so that she is shot in the back by a bullet meant for 007.
Volpe eventually dies when Bond (Sean Connery)
With Martine Beswick, Luciana Paluzzi & Mollie Peters
Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe in Thunderball
Veronica in the Western Chuka (1967) with Rod Taylor and John Mills, Dr Lisa Benson in the sci-fi drama The Green Slime (1968), and Trixie in another Terence Young directed film The Klansman (1974) with Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. Luciana acted alongside fellow Bond girl Ursula Andress in The Sensuous
in The Klansman
Luciana as Dr Lisa Benson
The Sensuous Nurse
Nurse (1975), one of her last films before retiring from acting three years later. She
in The Green Slime
Luciana signed her picture in my Bond Girls book
The One Eyed Soldiers
Luciana signed this photo to me of her as Fiona Volpe in
in Thunderball
Ian Fleming Centenary stamps - first day cover signed by Luciana
Return To Peyton Place (1961). They had a son, Christian, but divorced in 1962. Since 1980, she has been married to Michael Soloman and they live in Los Angeles.
Luciana as Gava Berens in
Click on a name below to take you to that page
Luciana Paluzzi