Scilla Gabel (born Gianfranca Gabellini; 4 January 1938) is an Italian film, television and stage actress. She appeared in 50 films and multiple television programs between 1954 and 1988.
Scilla Gabel
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Gabel in 1959
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| Born | Gianfranca Gabellini (1938-01-04) 4 January 1938 (age 86)
Rimini, Kingdom of Italy
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1954–1988 |
| Spouse |
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 1 |
Born in Rimini, Italy, one of five children, Gabel entered the cinema industry as Sophia Loren's body double. Between 1957 and 1967 she appeared, often as the female lead actress, in dozens of films, but failed to emerge because of the stereotyped roles.[1] Starting from late sixties she focused her activity on stage and television, in which she found most significant roles and critical appreciation.[1]
Gabel married Piero Schivazappa in 1968; they had one child.[2]
On 8 May 1999 Gabel's 87 year-old father Giuseppe Gabellini was murdered. He was landlord to a number of tenants at his villa on the via Campi di Torre Flavia two blocks from Ladispoli's beach, about 35 km west of Rome. One tenant, 65 year old Elisa Santilli owed Gabellini Lit. 900,000 ($785 in 2022) for several months rent, which she refused to pay. Santilli had also refused a Lit. 3,000,000 ($2,820 in 2022) buyout from Gabellini to leave the apartment voluntarily.[3][4]
At 10:15 on the morning of Friday, 8 May Gabellini returned to via Campi di Torre Flavi to reason with Santilli one last time before informing her that he had scheduled her evictionbycarabiniere for 25 May. After a brief argument at the threshold, during which she accepted the buyout, Santilli returned to her kitchen where she retrieved a large kitchen knife. She sprang at the elderly man and stabbed him in the chest without a word. After Gabellini fell to the floor of the corridor she pounced on his stricken body. There she stabbed him fourteen more times, stopping only after she broke off the tip of her knife in one of her landlord's vertebrae. She then stood back, apparently to watch Gabellini die.[5]
Gabel's father died at the scene in his daughter's arms.[3][4] Santilli moved out of the apartment one week later, after being placed on house arrest awaiting trial. She moved 70 km northwest, to Pescia Romana.[6]