Laura Gemser (born October 5 1950, Java, Indonesia) is an actress of Indo descent. She is known for her work with director Joe D'Amato. She is sometimes credited as Moira Chen, Laura M. Gemser or Laurette Marcia Gemser. She achieved success as Emanuelle and has starred in the Voyage of the Damned with Orson Welles and James Mason.

Gemser left Indonesia in 1955, at the age of four, and moved with her parents to the Netherlands. She grew up in the Dutch city of Utrecht, where she attended the MULO Regentesseschool, a high school situated in the Hamburgerstraat. After that, she attended the Artibus Art School in Utrecht, where she specialized in fashion design. In 1975 she moved to Italy.

After modelling in various magazines in the Netherlands and Belgium, Gemser began to take part in some soft erotic films. She became internationally recognised after starring in a number of Black Emanuelle films in the 1970s. These films were especially popular as late night fare on the Cinemax cable channel in the USA. Although she appeared in numerous hardcore titles, she always had simulated sex. The "notorious" scenes in Black Emanuelle are hardcore inserts, although the version of that film aired on cable has edited out the majority of such scenes.

Most of her films were directed by Joe D'Amato, and they are now regarded as samples of the Italian erotic/horror cult films. Some of her films are Emmanuelle 2 (1975), Black Emanuelle (1975), Eva nera (1976), Emanuelle in America (1976) and Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (1977), and Caligola: la Storia mai raccontata (1981).

After more than a decade as a sex symbol, Gemser turned to costume design for mainstream film (although she continued taking small roles). Among others, Gemser provided costume design and coordination for the 1990 film Troll 2.

Late 1976 she married the actor Gabriele Tinti. They appeared together in about two dozen movies. Gemser retired from acting after his sudden death in 1991.

Selected filmography

• Emmanuelle 2 (1975) ... as Masseuse
• Emanuelle nera orient reportage (1976) ... as Emanuelle
• Emanuelle in America (1977) ... as Emanuelle
• Suor Emanuelle (1977) ... as Emanuelle
• Emanuelle - perché violenza alle donne? (1977) ... as Emanuelle
• Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali (1977) ... as Emanuelle
• La Via della prostituzione (1978) ... Emanuelle
• Mavri Emmanouella (1979) ... as Black Emmanouella/Emanuelle Brindisi/Victor's wife/Livia's stepmother
• Die Todesgöttin des Liebescamps (1981) ... as The Divine One
• The Bushido Blade (1981) ... as Maria
• La Belva dalla calda pelle (1982) ... as Emanuelle
• Violenza in un carcere femminile (1982) ... as Emanuelle/Laura Kendall
• Horror Safari (1982) ... as Maria
• Endgame - Bronx lotta finale (1983) ... as Lilith
• Déchaînement pervers de Manuela (1983) ... as Manuela/Emanuelle
• Emanuelle fuga dall'inferno (1983) ... as Emanuelle
• L'Alcova (1984) ... as Zerbal
• Il Piacere (1985) ... as Haunani
• Voglia di guardare (1986)
• Riflessi di luce (1988) ... as Diana
• Top Model (1988) ... as Dorothy/Eve
• Undici giorni, undici notti 2 (1990) ... as Jackie Forrest
• Quest for the Mighty Sword ... as Grimilde
• Metamorphosis (1990) ... prostitute
• Una Tenera storia (1992)

Costume designer credits

• Top Model (1988)
• Amore sporco (1988)
• La Stanza della parole (1990)
• Troll 3 (Contamination .7) (1990)
• La Casa (1990)
• Metamorphosis (1990)
• Troll 2 (1990)
• Hot steps - passi caldi (1990)
• Ritorno dalla morte (1991)
• La Donna di una sera (1991)
• Door to Silence (1991)

References

External links

• Laura Gemser at the Internet Movie Database
• (re)Search my Trash - Laura Gemser Biography
• The New York Times - Laura Gemser