Visconti companion Helmut Berger dies

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 18 - Helmut Berger, the Austrian actor who starred in several films by the late great Italian film director Luchino Visconti and was his long-time companion, has died 11 days before his 79th birthday, his family said Thursday.
    Berger, known for his portrayal of narcissistic and sexually-ambiguous characters, was one of the stars of European cinema in the late 1960s and 1970s, and is regarded as a sex symbol and pop icon of that period.
    He is most famous for his work with Luchino Visconti, particularly in his performance as King Ludwig II of Bavaria in Ludwig, for which he received a special David di Donatello award, and his performance in The Damned for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. (ANSA).