European leading lady with dark hair and slightly sharp, Mediterranean features, in English language films from 1948 with "The Glass Mountain". Cortese married "House on Telegraph Hill" (1951) co-star Richard Basehart in 1951 and enjoyed a prolific career in international cinema spanning over 50 years. She was especially notable as the older actress in Francois Truffaut's affectionate, insightful, endlessly reflexive film about filmmaking, "Day for Night" (1973).
