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Olga Baclanova

Olga Baclanova

Actor

Born August 16, 1893 in Moscow, Russian Empire [now Russia]

Died September 6, 1974

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Biography

From Wikipedia

Ólga Vladímirovna Baclanova (19 August 1893 – 6 September 1974) was a Russian-born actress and operatic singer, who achieved prominence during the silent film era and was often billed under her last name only, as Baclanova, similarly to the surname-only nomenclature assigned to fellow countryman Nazimova.

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.

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 a career in the United States. 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 (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horror movie, which featured actual carnival freaks, was highly controversial and screened only briefly before being withdrawn.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.

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.

After her retirement she settled in Vevey, Switzerland, where she died in 1974.

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Freaks 1932 Trailer | Tod Browning

TOD BROWNING'S FREAKS - (1931) Trailer

Freaks 1932 Trailer

The Docks of New York (1928) by Josef von Sternberg

The Docks of New York (von Sternberg, 1928) — 1080p

Filmography

Actor

38

Type

Year

717 Feature Film2019Self

Schlitzie: One of Us Poster

Schlitzie: One of Us Documentary2018Self

Tod Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow Cinema Poster

Tod Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow Cinema Documentary2004Cleopatra

Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City TV Series1953Unknown

Man Against Crime Poster

Man Against Crime TV Series1949The Gypsy

Kraft Theatre Poster

Kraft Theatre TV Series1947Unknown

Claudia Feature Film1943Madame Daruschka

The Double Crossky Short Film1936The Singer

Telephone Blues Short Film1935Olga Bacanova - Vocalist

The Singing Silhouette Short Film1935

The Billion Dollar Scandal Poster

The Billion Dollar Scandal Feature Film1933Anna aka GoGo

Downstairs Poster

Downstairs Feature Film1932Baroness Eloise von Burgen

Freaks Feature Film1932Cleopatra

The Great Lover Poster

The Great Lover Feature Film1931Mme. Savarova

Are You There? Poster

Are You There? Feature Film1930Countess Helenka

Cheer Up and Smile Poster

Cheer Up and Smile Feature Film1930Yvonne

A Dangerous Woman Poster

A Dangerous Woman Feature Film1929Tania Gregory

The Man I Love Poster

The Man I Love Feature Film1929Sonia Barondoff

The Wolf of Wall Street Poster

The Wolf of Wall Street Feature Film1929Olga

Avalanche Poster

Avalanche Feature Film1928Grace Stillwell

Forgotten Faces Poster

Forgotten Faces Feature Film1928Lilly Harlow

Komsomoliya Short Film1928

Street of Sin Poster

Street of Sin Feature Film1928Annie

The Czarina's Secret Short Film1928Catherine the Great - The Czarina

The Docks of New York Poster

The Docks of New York Feature Film1928Lou -- Wife of Andy

The Man Who Laughs Poster

The Man Who Laughs Feature Film1928Duchess Josiana

The Woman Disputed Poster

The Woman Disputed Feature Film1928Countess

Three Sinners Poster

Three Sinners Feature Film1928Baroness Hilda Brings

The Dove Poster

The Dove Feature Film1927Bit

Bread Feature Film1918

Tsvety zapozdalye Poster

Tsvety zapozdalye Short Film1917Maruska

Tot, kto poluchaet poshchechiny Poster

Tot, kto poluchaet poshchechiny Feature Film1916L'écuyère Consuella, qu'il tue par amour

Lyubov pod maskoy Feature Film1915

Po trupam k schastyu Feature Film1915

The Great Magaraz Feature Film1915

Zhenshchina vampir Poster

Zhenshchina vampir Feature Film1915Title Role

Simfoniya lyubvi i smerti Feature Film1914

When the Strings of the Heart Sound Feature Film1914

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