Elena Miramova
Encyclopedia
Elena Miramova was a Russian-born actress and playwright.
(currently, Volgograd
, Russia
), and emigrated to New York City
with a brother who died when she was eleven years old. She worked at a nightgown factory to support herself until a wealthy family with an interest in theatre discovered her and helped put her through school; she graduated from the University of California and then attended the experimental Cornish School in Seattle. Her training there formed the basis of a successful theatrical career. Nellie Cornish
, founder of the school, legally adopted her as her daughter.
While at the Cornish School she met the Russian singer and director, Vladimir Rosing
, who had come there to teach a four-week master class. The close relationship with Rosing would continue in New York, London and later in California.
She played Bianca in the 1931 play Anatol, which played 16 January 1931 to Feb 1931 at London's Lyceum Theatre to mixed reviews. Later that year, she appeared for three weeks in the play Grand Hotel at the Adelphi Theatre
, after the lead Eugenie Leontovich
fell ill and left the production for a short rest. Despite Miramova's brief time in the role, she was spotlighted as "outstanding in a cast of clever players," and her portrayal of the Russian ballerina Grusinskaya was hailed as "a thing of sheer beauty."
In the following year she appeared in another Russian leading role in London. The Stage (3 Nov. 1932) praised her "impassioned and most spirited" Vera Levine, a Russian-Jewish émigrée returning to the U.S.S.R., in F. L. Lucas's
The Bear Dances (Garrick Theatre, Oct.-Nov. 1932), the first dramatisation of the Soviets on the West-end stage.
Returning to New York after her husband died, she found that her strong Russian accent typecast her as a "Continental actress" in the American theatre and limited the roles she was offered; her fortunes took a downward turn, and she recalled during a later interview how she had been barred from a hotel room for non-payment while rehearsing a show.
, beginning 31 January 1934. Her next appearance was in Scarborough, New York in the play Short Story in September 1934. The next year, she played Marianne Pentland in the drama Times Have Changed, from 25 February 1935 to March 1935. She then went to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Ann Arbor Festival in May 1937, where she played in the comedy Tovarich, and that same year, starred in Lucrezia Borgia, which opened 9 August 1937 at the Wharf Theatre in Provincetown.
By the time she appeared as Mrs. Carroll in the 1937 drama The Two Mrs. Carrolls, at Pittsburgh's Nixon Theatre, Miramova had already "pretty much taken London by storm" in past performances of the play. She then performed briefly in Ogunquit, Maine in the show Fata Morgana, during the week of 11 July 1938. Afterwards, she starred in the two-person show Close Quarters, which opened 6 March 1939 and ran for six shows at the John Golden Theatre
in New York. Finally, she appeared in the Berkeley Theatre Festival in April 1941.
, her long-time friend with whom she had shared Grand Hotels starring role in 1931, she wrote the comedy Dark Eyes and submitted the script to producer Ben Hecht
for an opinion. The play went into production in 1942, premiered in January 1943, and enjoyed a six-month run at the Belasco Theatre
in New York. In March 1943, Warner Brothers purchased the film rights to the play. Miramova earned $250,000 in the transaction, but the planned movie was never made.
In addition to its theatrical success, Dark Eyes also provided a rare insight into Miramova's psyche. She played the character Tonia Karpova, and during a 1943 interview with The New York Times, she described both herself and her stage alter-ego as "not a plate of sex appeal, but kind, metaphysical, and trying very hard to keep a belief in God"; the interviewer characterized Miramova, like Tonia, as delicately feminine, intelligent, strong, and enduring.
She began work on a second play in 1944, a comedy about a mother and daughter, but this work apparently was never completed.
to train their first pilots. During the year that Miramova spent in Iceland, she was a regular visitor to the house of Halldór Laxness
, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature
in 1955. Miramova gave at least one private reading of her "new play" at Laxness' house. In her memoirs, Laxness' wife Auður fondly remembers Miramova, whom she calls "one of those enchanting women one can never forget".
Elena Miramova Moore died in Ventura, California on 8 July 1992, at the age of 92.
Beginnings and training
Elena Miramova was born in 1901 in Tsaritsyn, Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(currently, Volgograd
Volgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
), and emigrated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with a brother who died when she was eleven years old. She worked at a nightgown factory to support herself until a wealthy family with an interest in theatre discovered her and helped put her through school; she graduated from the University of California and then attended the experimental Cornish School in Seattle. Her training there formed the basis of a successful theatrical career. Nellie Cornish
Nellie Cornish
Nellie Centennial Cornish was a pianist, teacher, writer, and founder of the Cornish School in Seattle, Washington. She was influenced by the pedagogical ideas of Maria Montessori as well as Calvin Brainerd Cady's ideas about teaching broader values through music education...
, founder of the school, legally adopted her as her daughter.
While at the Cornish School she met the Russian singer and director, Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing , aka Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in England and the United States...
, who had come there to teach a four-week master class. The close relationship with Rosing would continue in New York, London and later in California.
Early performances
She married the producer Frederic Theodore Rolbein and traveled through Europe with him, winning acclaim with several roles she performed in England and in continental Europe.She played Bianca in the 1931 play Anatol, which played 16 January 1931 to Feb 1931 at London's Lyceum Theatre to mixed reviews. Later that year, she appeared for three weeks in the play Grand Hotel at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
, after the lead Eugenie Leontovich
Eugenie Leontovich
Eugenie Leontovich was a Russian-born stage actress with a distinguished career in theatre, film and television. She was described as "[o]ne of the most colourful figures of the 20th-century theatre, a successful actress, producer, playwright and teacher."...
fell ill and left the production for a short rest. Despite Miramova's brief time in the role, she was spotlighted as "outstanding in a cast of clever players," and her portrayal of the Russian ballerina Grusinskaya was hailed as "a thing of sheer beauty."
In the following year she appeared in another Russian leading role in London. The Stage (3 Nov. 1932) praised her "impassioned and most spirited" Vera Levine, a Russian-Jewish émigrée returning to the U.S.S.R., in F. L. Lucas's
F. L. Lucas
Frank Laurence Lucas was an English classical scholar, literary critic, poet, novelist, playwright, political polemicist, and Fellow of King's College, Cambridge....
The Bear Dances (Garrick Theatre, Oct.-Nov. 1932), the first dramatisation of the Soviets on the West-end stage.
Returning to New York after her husband died, she found that her strong Russian accent typecast her as a "Continental actress" in the American theatre and limited the roles she was offered; her fortunes took a downward turn, and she recalled during a later interview how she had been barred from a hotel room for non-payment while rehearsing a show.
Later roles
Despite the above concerns, she was next cast as Theodora in the comedy Theodora, the Quean (the word "quean" meaning "harlot"), which had five performances at Philadelphia's Forrest TheatreForrest Theatre
The Forrest Theatre is a live theatre venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is managed by The Shubert Organization.The Forrest Theatre was built in 1927. It was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp and has a seating capacity of 1,851. It was named after the 19th century actor Edwin Forrest, who...
, beginning 31 January 1934. Her next appearance was in Scarborough, New York in the play Short Story in September 1934. The next year, she played Marianne Pentland in the drama Times Have Changed, from 25 February 1935 to March 1935. She then went to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Ann Arbor Festival in May 1937, where she played in the comedy Tovarich, and that same year, starred in Lucrezia Borgia, which opened 9 August 1937 at the Wharf Theatre in Provincetown.
By the time she appeared as Mrs. Carroll in the 1937 drama The Two Mrs. Carrolls, at Pittsburgh's Nixon Theatre, Miramova had already "pretty much taken London by storm" in past performances of the play. She then performed briefly in Ogunquit, Maine in the show Fata Morgana, during the week of 11 July 1938. Afterwards, she starred in the two-person show Close Quarters, which opened 6 March 1939 and ran for six shows at the John Golden Theatre
John Golden Theatre
The John Golden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 252 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan. Designed in a Moorish style along with the adjacent Royale Theatre by architect Herbert J. Krapp for Irwin Chanin, it opened as the Theatre Masque on February 24 1927 with the play Puppets of Passion...
in New York. Finally, she appeared in the Berkeley Theatre Festival in April 1941.
Miramova the writer
Frustrated with her career difficulties and pondering the quirks of the Russian character, Miramova decided in 1940 to write her own play, with custom-tailored roles for herself and two of her fellow Russian-American actresses. In collaboration with Eugenie LeontovichEugenie Leontovich
Eugenie Leontovich was a Russian-born stage actress with a distinguished career in theatre, film and television. She was described as "[o]ne of the most colourful figures of the 20th-century theatre, a successful actress, producer, playwright and teacher."...
, her long-time friend with whom she had shared Grand Hotels starring role in 1931, she wrote the comedy Dark Eyes and submitted the script to producer Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, and novelist. Called "the Shakespeare of Hollywood", he received screen credits, alone or in collaboration, for the stories or screenplays of some 70 films and as a prolific storyteller, authored 35 books and created some of...
for an opinion. The play went into production in 1942, premiered in January 1943, and enjoyed a six-month run at the Belasco Theatre
Belasco Theatre
The Belasco Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 111 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architect George Keister for impresario David Belasco, the interior featured Tiffany lighting and ceiling panels, rich woodwork and expansive murals by American artist...
in New York. In March 1943, Warner Brothers purchased the film rights to the play. Miramova earned $250,000 in the transaction, but the planned movie was never made.
In addition to its theatrical success, Dark Eyes also provided a rare insight into Miramova's psyche. She played the character Tonia Karpova, and during a 1943 interview with The New York Times, she described both herself and her stage alter-ego as "not a plate of sex appeal, but kind, metaphysical, and trying very hard to keep a belief in God"; the interviewer characterized Miramova, like Tonia, as delicately feminine, intelligent, strong, and enduring.
She began work on a second play in 1944, a comedy about a mother and daughter, but this work apparently was never completed.
Marriage and final years
In May 1945, she married army captain Byron Carr Moore in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her theatrical career seems to have ended at this time, as no further mention of her in print sources in English can be found. She spent the winter of 1946-7 in Iceland, where her husband had been hired by the recently founded Icelandic airline LoftleiðirLoftleiðir
Loftleiðir HF, internationally known as Icelandic Airlines or Loftleiðir Icelandic, was a private Icelandic airline headquartered on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík, which operated mostly trans-atlantic flights linking Europe and America, pioneering the low-cost flight business...
to train their first pilots. During the year that Miramova spent in Iceland, she was a regular visitor to the house of Halldór Laxness
Halldór Laxness
Halldór Kiljan Laxness was a twentieth-century Icelandic writer. Throughout his career Laxness wrote poetry, newspaper articles, plays, travelogues, short stories, and novels...
, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
in 1955. Miramova gave at least one private reading of her "new play" at Laxness' house. In her memoirs, Laxness' wife Auður fondly remembers Miramova, whom she calls "one of those enchanting women one can never forget".
Elena Miramova Moore died in Ventura, California on 8 July 1992, at the age of 92.