Rosalba Neri

Rosalba Neri (born in Forlì, 19 June 1939), sometimes credited as Sara Bey or Sara Bay, is a retired Italian actress.

Born in Forlì, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Neri was regarded for her beauty even in youth, winning a beauty pageant when she was still young. Eventually pursuing an acting career, she attended il Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (The Center for Experimental Cinematography). She also received an offer to attend the Actors Studio in the United States, but did not accept.

She gave her film debut in 1958 in the film Mogli pericolose. She is uncredited in this comedy which was directory by Luigi Comencini. Her second part was in Roberto Rosselini's prize winning drama Era notte a Roma in 1960. Many sources list some earlier films for her, but this is a confusion with an other Italian actress, Rosalina Neri.

In 1960, she appeared in two sword and sandal films set in the Ancient world. The first was Il Sepolcro dei Re (The Tomb of the King). This film tells the story of Nemorat, an Egyptian pharaoh who was instrumental in the creation of the pyramids of Giza due to the intrigues surrounding his death and entombment.

The second was Raoul Walsh's Esther and the King (1960), starring Joan Collins as the Biblical Jewish Queen. Rosalba played Keresh and was assassinated by someone who mistook her for the Queen. Because of her dark, sultry beauty, Rosalba was often a natural fit to play certain legendary characters. She was Ramses’ intended bride in the Hercules Adventure, Il leone di Tebe (The Lion of Thebes) in 1966. She played Delilah, the Biblical beauty who was the downfall of the Old Testament hero, Samson, in I Grandi Condottieri (The Great Guides).

Although starring roles were few and far between for Rosalba, she worked steadily throughout the 60s and 70s in supporting and sometimes, nondescript roles, such as her turn as a harem girl in (1961’s) El Cid.

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