Sunday, February 5, 2023

FORGOTTEN ONES: AHNA CAPRI

Ahna Capri who you may ask? The name is not familiar now, but she was a true beauty in the 1970s. Capri was born Anna Marie Nanasi July 6, 1944 in Budapest, Hungary. She made her film debut in the Western Outlaw's Son. Her younger brother Louis, who used the stage name Peter Robbins, was the original television voice of the Peanuts character Charlie Brown. Ahna achieved her greatest enduring popularity as the enticing Tania in the exciting martial arts cult classic Enter the Dragon. Capri gave an excellent and impressive performance as country singer Rip Torn's snobby, fed-up girlfriend Mayleen in the terrific Payday.

Ahna's other memorable movie roles include the terrified Nicky in the creepy Devil worship horror winner The Brotherhood of Satan; feisty wildlife photographer Terry in Piranha; and luscious assassin Londa Wyeth in the tacky Crown International exploitation romp The Specialist. Among the many TV shows Capri guested were "Ms. Columbo," "Baretta," "Kojak," "Police Story," "Cannon," "Mannix," "Ironside," "Adam-12," "The Mod Squad," "The Invaders," "The Wild, Wild West," "I Spy," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Branded," "Leave It to Beaver," and "Maverick."

During the filming of Enter the Dragon, Capri became close friends with co-stars Bob Wall, Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly. Wall, closest to Ahna in the days before her passing, explained that anyone who came into contact with her knew he was in the presence of someone very special. “She brought a light to our experience while filming Enter the Dragon and she will be missed greatly,” Wall said.


She made her last film in 1979.

A longtime resident of the San Fernando Valley, she never married.

Her death was the result of an auto accident in North Hollywood on August 9, in which a 5-ton truck driven by a 22-year-old female driver collided with her car. She was in a coma on life support for 11 days, and passed away with family members at her side.

She was survived by her sister Rose and brother Peter...


2 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing Ahna Capri, David! I'd never heard her name, but I've definitely seen a few of her films. What a tragic ending.

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  2. Unfortunately, Peter Robbins died on January 18th, 2022, from suicide.

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