**Franca Marzi (Rome, 1910 – 1989)** was an Italian actress, active for over forty years, from the post-World War II period to the 1970s. Known for her powerful stage presence and expressive face, she established herself as the ideal portrayer of passionate, robust, and vital women, often working-class women or female figures of strong character.

Her film career includes highly significant titles. She is unforgettable in the role of Giovanna in Luchino Visconti's **_Ossessione_ (1943)**, a film considered a precursor to Neorealism. She appeared in Neorealist masterpieces such as Roberto Rossellini's **_Rome, Open City_ (1945)** and successful comedies like Luigi Comencini's **_Bread, Love and Dreams_ (1953)** and **_An American in Rome_ (1954)** with Alberto Sordi. Among her numerous appearances, also noteworthy are **_White Nights_ (1957)** and **_The Leopard_ (1963)**, both again directed by Visconti, demonstrating her versatility in character roles.