Virginia Belmont(1921-2014)
- Actress
Obituary: Virginia E. Califano(Virginia Belmont) Virginia Califano, 92,
passed away on May 6, 2014 at her home in Hollywood, CA. The daughter
of Ernestine and Henry Schupp, she was born on September, 20, 1921, in
New York City. She graduated from UCLA where she studied Italian.
Virginia enjoyed a successful movie and stage career in the 1940s and
1950s in the heyday of Hollywood-made westerns and traveling roadshows.
Her stage name was Virginia Belmont. She co-starred in westerns with
Jimmy Wakely, Johnny Mack Brown, and William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy). A
beautiful woman, she traveled throughout the United States as one of
Director Samuel Goldwyn's "Goldwyn Girls." In 1941, she married
Hollywood restaurateur Albert Califano, a native-born Italian and later
naturalized U.S. citizen. He was very instrumental in fostering her
career in Hollywood. They subsequently moved to Rome, Italy, where
Virginia starred in several popular Italian movies, and Albert was a
correspondent for the "Hollywood Reporter." Fluent in Italian, she
transitioned quickly into an expanded and successful acting career in
Italy. Following her retirement in the late 50s, she joined United
Airlines in Sales and Reservations. She was employed by United for 28
years. She and Albert traveled the world. She is survived by her
sister, June Schaefer of Livermore, CA, her daughter-in-law Katharine
Turner of San Jose, CA, and several nephews and nieces. She was
pre-deceased by her husband, Albert, their two children, Diane and
Robert, and her brother, George Schupp. She will be interred at Mt.
Hope Cemetery in a family plot in San Diego, CA.
