THE HAT SQUAD: ARGENTINA BRUNETTI

I know this is going to sound wrong of me, but I think the main reason Ms. Brunetti's death received the attention that it did was because she died so close to Christmas. And perhaps her main claim to fame was that she played Mrs. Martini in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life", which has come to be so closely associated with the holiday over the years.

She passed away in Italy where she had been living, as did Vincent Schiavelli, who died about a week after she did. They appeared together in at least one movie filmed over there, and I would not be surprised if there were several pictures they made together. American actors who could speak Italian and who were already living in the country were probably few in number.

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

TV SERIES
"General Hospital" (1963) TV Series .... Filomena Soltini (1985-1986)

TV PILOTS
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980) (TV)

TV MOVIES
Evita Peron (1981) (TV) .... Old woman
Black Market Baby (1977) (TV) .... Aunt Imelda
Flight to Holocaust (1977) (TV) .... Woman in Elevator

TV GUEST ROLES
"That's Life" playing "Aunt Rose" in episode: "Saint Bernadette" (episode # 1.9) 25 November 2000
"Everybody Loves Raymond" playing "Zia Sarina" in episode: "Mia Famigila" (episode # 2.14) 12 January 1998
"Booker" playing "Grandma Petrelli" in episode: "Mobile Home" (episode # 1.21) 29 April 1990
"1st & Ten" in episode: "Rona's Fling" (episode # 1.11) 1985
"Joanie Loves Chachi" playing "Aunt Gina" (episode # 2.10) 24 May 1983
"The Quest" in episode: "He Stole-A My Art" (episode # 1.3) 5 November 1982
"Fantasy Island" playing "Teresa" in episode: "The Appointment/Mr. Tattoo" (episode # 2.9) 18 November 1978
"Quincy" playing "Mrs. Maggiore" in episode: "Matters of Life and Death" (episode # 3.14) 20 January 1978
"Wonder Woman" playing "Manageress" in episode: "The Return of Wonder Woman" (episode # 2.1) 16 September 1977
"Kojak" playing "Christina" in episode: "Deadly Innocence" (episode # 3.21) 15 February 1976
"Temperatures Rising" in episode: "The Night Shift" (episode # 2.8) 20 November 1973
"To Rome with Love" playing "Josie" in episode: "Rome Is Where You Find It" (episode # 2.6) 20 October 1970
"The High Chaparral" playing "Duena" in episode: "A Time to Laugh, A Time to Cry" (episode # 3.2) 26 September 1969
"The Flying Nun" playing "Consuelo Gomez" in episode: "The Lottery" (episode # 2.26) 10 April 1969
"The Flying Nun" playing "Woman #2" in episode: "The Convent Gets the Business" (episode # 2.24) 27 March 1969
[Most likely, "Woman #2 was Consuelo Gomez.]
"Ironside" playing "Rita's Aunt" in episode: "The Sacrifice" (episode # 2.4) 3 October 1968
"I Spy" playing "Chica" (as Argentine Brunetti) in episode: "Carmelita Is One of Us" (episode # 3.25) 8 April 1968
"The Big Valley" playing "Maria" in episode: "Devil's Masquerade" (episode # 3.24) 4 March 1968
"Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." playing "Cara" in episode: "Gomer, the Good Samaritan" (episode # 4.16) 22 December 1967
"The Invaders" playing "Luz" in episode: "The Mutation" (episode # 1.2) 14 January 1967
"The Andy Griffith Show" playing "La Farona" in episode: "The Gypsies" (episode # 6.23) 21 February 1966
"The F.B.I." playing "Tia Rodriguez" in episode: "Special Delivery" (episode # 1.19) 23 January 1966
"The Fugitive" playing "Mexican Woman" in episode: "Stroke of Genius" (episode # 3.20) 2 January 1966
"Gunsmoke" playing "Louise Danby" in episode: "Gold Mine" (episode # 11.15) 25 December 1965
"Ben Casey" playing "Mrs. Sanchez" in episode: "Journeys End in Lovers Meeting" (episode # 4.27) 19 April 1965
"The Gallant Men" playing "Mother Superior" in episode: "A Place to Die" (episode # 1.12) 21 December 1962
"The Rifleman" playing "Mrs. Ramirez" in episode: "Guilty Conscience" (episode # 4.27) 2 April 1962
"Miami Undercover" playing "Mrs. Alemada" in episode: "The Victims" (episode # 1.31) 21 August 1961
"The Lawless Years" in episode: "Blood Brothers" (episode # 3.14) 11 August 1961
"Route 66" playing "Senora Maria Otero" in episode: "Trap at Cordova" (episode # 1.27) 26 May 1961
"Wagon Train" playing "Lisa Canevari" in episode: "The Chalice" (episode # 4.34) 24 May 1961
"Checkmate" playing "Berta" in episode: "Dance of Death" (episode # 1.29) 22 April 1961
"Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond" playing "Maria Gonzalez" in episode: "Person Unknown" (episode # 3.20) 7 February 1961
"Tales of Wells Fargo" in episode: "The Border Renegade" (episode # 5.13) 2 January 1961
"Wanted: Dead or Alive" playing "Juanita Domingo" in episode: "Surprise Witness" (episode # 3.7) 2 November 1960
"Thriller" playing "Mrs. Romano" in episode: "The Guilty Men" (episode # 1.6) 18 October 1960
"The Deputy" playing "Evita" in episode: "The Fatal Urge" (episode # 2.4) 15 October 1960
"Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond" playing "Margarita Castera" in episode: "The Storm" (episode # 2.39) 21 June 1960
"Rawhide" playing "Rosa Patines" in episode: "Incident of the One Hundred Amulets" (episode # 2.26) 6 May 1960
"Bonanza" playing "Bruja's Helper" in episode: "Dark Star" (episode # 1.31) 23 April 1960
"The Untouchables" playing "Mrs. Swoboda"
in episode: "The Unhired Assassin: Part 2" (episode # 1.21) 3 March 1960
in episode: "The Unhired Assassin: Part 1" (episode # 1.20) 25 February 1960
"General Electric Theater" playing "Saral" in episode: "The Story of Judith" (episode # 8.22) 28 February 1960
"The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor" playing "Mrs. Moretti" in episode: "Life in the Balance" (episode # 1.12) 1 January 1960
"M Squad" in episode: "The Human Bond" (episode # 3.6) 23 October 1959
"Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" playing "Elena" in episode: "A Diamond for Carla" (episode # 2.1) 14 September 1959
"The Veil" playing "Maria" in episode: "The Doctors" (episode # 1.4) 1958
"Panic!" playing "Tina D'Alessio" in episode: "Nightmare" (episode # 1.7) 16 April 1957
"The Adventures of Jim Bowie" playing "Tri Rosa" in episode: "Spanish Intrigue" (episode # 1.23) 8 February 1957
"Navy Log" playing "Mme. Deschamps" in episode: "The Pilot" (episode # 2.7) 28 November 1956
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" playing "Mrs. Salvatori" in episode: "Alibi Me" (episode # 2.7) 11 November 1956
"Telephone Time" in episode: "Felix the Fourth" (episode # 1.11) 17 June 1956
"Celebrity Playhouse" in episode: "The Foreigner" (episode # 1.22) 21 February 1956
"Matinee Theatre" in episode: "Light and Shadow" (episode # 1.63) 27 January 1956
"The 20th Century-Fox Hour" playing "Mrs. Rosa Hernandez" in episode: "Yacht on the High Sea" (episode # 1.8) 11 January 1956
"TV Reader's Digest" playing "Mrs. Barrett" in episode: "When the Wise Men Appeared" (episode # 2.10) 19 December 1955
"Letter to Loretta" playing "Mrs. Nardo" in episode: "Gino" (episode # 3.5) 25 September 1955
"Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre" playing "Mrs. Adams" in episode: "Technical Charge of Murder" (episode # 1.1) 30 August 1955
"The Lone Ranger" playing "Maria" in episode: "The Lost Chalice" (episode # 4.23) 10 February 1955
"Lux Video Theatre" in episode: "Waiting for Onorio" (episode # 4.32) 10 June 1954
"The Public Defender" playing "Mrs. Derek" in episode: "Step Child" (episode # 1.12) 27 May 1954
"Letter to Loretta" playing "Mrs. Farenzi" in episode: "Nobody's Boy" (episode # 1.24) 7 March 1954
"Waterfront" in episode: "Tuna Clipper" (episode # 1.29)
"Racket Squad" playing "Mrs. Scarpita" in episode: "The Christmas Caper" (episode # 3.15) 25 December 1952
"Hopalong Cassidy" playing "Senora Soledad" in episode: "Blind Encounter" (episode # 1.10) 1 December 1952