Olga Baclanova
| Olga Baclanova | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Olga Vladimirovna Baklanova 19 August 1896 Moscow, Russian Empire |
| Died |
6 September 1974 (aged 78) Vevey, Switzerland |
| Other names |
Baclanova Olga Baklanova |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1914–1943 |
| Spouse(s) |
Vlademar Zoppi (m. 1922–29) 1 child Nicholas Soussanin (m. 1929–39) 1 child Richard Davis (m. 1939 – ?) |
| Relatives | Gleb Baklanov |
Ólga Vladímirovna Baclanova, (Russian: О́льга Влади́мировна Бакла́нова; 19 August 1896 – 6 September 1974[1][2][3]) was a Russian actress, who achieved prominence during the silent film era and was often billed under her last name only, as Baclanova.
She was billed as the "Russian Tigress" and remains most noted by modern audiences for portraying Cleopatra in Tod Browning's horror movie Freaks (1932), which features a cast of actual carnival sideshow freaks.
Early life
Born in Moscow, Russia,[2] Baclanova was the daughter of Vladimir Baklanoff and his wife Alexandra,[2] herself an actress in early Russian films. Baclanova studied drama at the Cherniavsky Institute[2] before being accepted into the prestigious Moscow Art Theatre in 1912. Over the next decade she appeared in Russian films, and also performed extensively on stage, touring and performing in many countries of the world.
Career
Baclanova first came to New York City with the 1925 touring production of the Moscow Art Theatre's Lysistrata. Though the rest of the company returned to Russia in 1926, she stayed to pursue career in the United States.[2] A statuesque blonde, Baclanova quickly established herself as a popular actress in American silent movies and achieved a notable success with The Docks of New York (1928), directed by Josef von Sternberg. Later that year, she also appeared in The Man Who Laughs as Duchess Josiana, the femme fatale love interest to Conrad Veidt's disfigured hero.
The introduction of talking films proved difficult for Baclanova, as audiences did not respond to her heavy Russian accent. She no longer secured leading roles, and was relegated to supporting parts. Her career was in decline when she was offered the role of the cruel circus performer Cleopatra in Tod Browning's film Freaks[4] (1932) This horror movie, which featured actual carnival freaks, was highly controversial and screened only briefly before being withdrawn. It would be 30 years before Freaks gained a cult following. The movie did not revive Baclanova's film career, which ended in 1943.
Baclanova worked extensively on stage in London's West End and in New York, for about 10 years starting in the mid-1930s. In 1943 she appeared in "Claudia" at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington.
Personal life
Baclanova was married three times and bore two sons with her first and second husbands. The birth of her second son with actor Nicholas Soussanin was front page news and covered quite extensively in the press in 1930.
Later years
After her retirement she settled in Vevey, Switzerland, where she died in 1974.
Selected filmography
- The Dove (1927)
- The Czarina's Secret (1928)
- The Man Who Laughs (1928)
- Three Sinners (1928)
- Street of Sin (1928)
- The Docks of New York (1928)[4]
- The Wolf of Wall Street (1929)
- The Man I Love (1929)
- A Dangerous Woman (1929)
- The Great Lover (1931)
- Freaks (1932)
- Downstairs (1932)[4]
- Billion Dollar Scandal (1933)
- Claudia (1943)[4]
Notes
- ↑ Mank, Gregory W. (1999). Women in horror films, 1930s, p. 118. McFarland, ISBN 978-0-7864-0553-4
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Meienberg, L. Paul. "Olga Baclanova Biography". Retrieved 2009-06-07.
- ↑ Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). Silent film necrology, p. 25. McFarland, ISBN 978-0-7864-1059-0
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Meienberg, L. Paul. "Olga Baclanova--The Ultimate Cinemantrap!". Retrieved 2009-06-07.
External links
- Olga Baclanova at the Internet Movie Database
- Olga Baclanova at Find a Grave
- Olga Baclanova at Virtual History
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