Lya Lys
Encyclopedia
Lya Lys was a German-born Jewish-American actress of French-Russian decent who had a brief career in Hollywood.
. Her fate during or after the German invasion is unclear. Nathalie was educated in France and Switzerland and later studied language at the Sorbonne
.
In the late 1920s Lya Lys was among a group of French actors that included Charles Boyer
, André Berley
and Mona Goya
who were brought to Hollywood by MGM to work on films intended for the French market. Reportedly, after her contract expired, Lys received a Hollywood movie offer just as she was about to board an ocean liner
to return to Europe. The captain was kind enough to delay departure until her luggage could be retrieved.
Before coming to America Lys starred in Salvador Dalí
and Luis Buñuel
's surrealistic film, L'Age d'Or
(1930); considered by many as her most memorable performance.
In 1931 she married Charles Morton
, a young silent film actor. The couple divorced some months later not long after the birth of their daughter. Later a dispute over alimony payments would see Morton spending a few days behind bars. Her second marriage to Percy Montague, a business manager, in April, 1932 ended in divorce sometime before the end of the decade.
Just prior to the outbreak of World War II Lya Lys was in Paris to perform in the play The King’s Dough. As the possibility of war became more imminent she decided it prudent to return to America. Because of the number of refugees fleeing Europe, Lys was unable to book passage on a passenger ship from France and was advised to travel north to a less crowded Scandinavian
port. This meant crossing through Germany where Lys, by then an American citizen, was detained by Nazi border guards for two or three days. Sometime earlier she’d bluntly turned down an offer by a Nazi official to appear in German propaganda
films. Lys was finally allowed to leave after having her luggage searched and travel money confiscated and being told never to return to Germany. Some months later she appeared in the American anti-Nazi film Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Once while filming a scene in the 1939 film The Return of Doctor X
, actor Dennis Morgan
took Lys by the arm and broke into song when she became upset over blowing her lines. A moment later Humphrey Bogart
, who was also in the scene, joined Morgan in the serenade. Lys' early Hollywood career was hampered by her thick accent that, by the time she appeared in Paramount's
The Great Gambini (1937) and toured in the play Night of January 16, had become barely noticeable.
In 1940 she married John Gunnerson, a Chicago vending machine manufacturer and former husband of actress Anna Q. Nilsson
. Their marriage, which Lys later described as the worst mistake of her life, ended in a Mexican divorce
in the spring, of 1943, some nine months after she'd suffered a nervous breakdown
. On the same day she filed for divorce, with no request for alimony, Lys also declared bankruptcy and subsequently, for reasons unknown here, never returned to acting. Her last film was Murder in the Sky (1940) opposite Ronald Reagan
. Lys' name continued to appear in the papers for a few years in columns giving fashion advice.
In July 1944, Lys’ 15 month-old Afghan Hound, El Mio Bambi of Chamee, won ‘best of breed’ at the Fairfield Dog Show held at Westport, Connecticut
.
Lya Lys Feit died at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, from heart failure at the age of 78. She was survived by her husband of 32 years, George Feit, daughter Joyce and two grandchildren.
play, The Temporary Mrs. Smith, is a story about a likable, but less than talented singer whose search for a rich husband to is complicated by her former husbands, was in part based the life Lya Lys. At one time the two were neighbors at the Hotel Navarro near New York’s Central Park
.
Critic Ado Kyrou wrote of Ava Gardner’s
Pandora in the 1951 film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
. “Ava now belonged in the exclusive pantheon with Lya Lys of Dalí and Buñuel’s L’Age d’Ore ‘as the greatest surrealistic woman in the history of film’.”
Biography
Nathalie Margoulis was born in Berlin to a Russian banker and French pediatrician who moved to Paris when she was around seven. Her father's name is not known here, her mother, Ina (née Blumenfeld) Löscht, later served at a French field hospital during the early months of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Her fate during or after the German invasion is unclear. Nathalie was educated in France and Switzerland and later studied language at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
.
In the late 1920s Lya Lys was among a group of French actors that included Charles Boyer
Charles Boyer
Charles Boyer was a French actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found success in movies during the 1930s. His memorable performances were among the era's most highly praised romantic dramas,...
, André Berley
André Berley
-Selected filmography:* The Passion of Joan of Arc * Juanita * Les mutinés de l'Elseneur * Monsieur Personne...
and Mona Goya
Mona Goya
Mona Goya was a Mexican-born French film actress who rose to fame in the 1930s.-Selected filmography:* The Lady from the Sea * Road to Dishonour * The Price of Things * Juggernaut...
who were brought to Hollywood by MGM to work on films intended for the French market. Reportedly, after her contract expired, Lys received a Hollywood movie offer just as she was about to board an ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
to return to Europe. The captain was kind enough to delay departure until her luggage could be retrieved.
Before coming to America Lys starred in Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
and Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
's surrealistic film, L'Age d'Or
L'Âge d'Or
L'Âge d'or is a 1930 surrealist film directed by Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel and written by him and Salvador Dalí.The film began as a second collaboration with Dalí, but, by the time the film went into production, Buñuel and Dalí had had a falling-out, and so Dalí actually had nothing to do with...
(1930); considered by many as her most memorable performance.
In 1931 she married Charles Morton
Charles Morton
Charles Morton , was an American actor.-Career:Born in Illinois, Charles Morton spent his adolescence in Madison, Wisconsin; receiving his education at Madison High School and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.He made his first stage appearance at the age of seven and later appeared in vaudeville,...
, a young silent film actor. The couple divorced some months later not long after the birth of their daughter. Later a dispute over alimony payments would see Morton spending a few days behind bars. Her second marriage to Percy Montague, a business manager, in April, 1932 ended in divorce sometime before the end of the decade.
Just prior to the outbreak of World War II Lya Lys was in Paris to perform in the play The King’s Dough. As the possibility of war became more imminent she decided it prudent to return to America. Because of the number of refugees fleeing Europe, Lys was unable to book passage on a passenger ship from France and was advised to travel north to a less crowded Scandinavian
Scandinavian
Scandinavian refers to a resident of or something associated with Scandinavia, including:* Scandinavians, a Nordic ethnic group* Scandinavian Airlines , an aviation corporation* Scandinavian Defense, a chess opening...
port. This meant crossing through Germany where Lys, by then an American citizen, was detained by Nazi border guards for two or three days. Sometime earlier she’d bluntly turned down an offer by a Nazi official to appear in German propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
films. Lys was finally allowed to leave after having her luggage searched and travel money confiscated and being told never to return to Germany. Some months later she appeared in the American anti-Nazi film Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Confessions of a Nazi Spy is a 1939 American spy thriller film and the first blatantly anti-Nazi film produced by a major Hollywood studio prior to World War II. The film stars Edward G. Robinson, Francis Lederer, George Sanders, and a large cast of German actors, including some who had emigrated...
Once while filming a scene in the 1939 film The Return of Doctor X
The Return of Doctor X
The Return of Doctor X is a 1939 American science fiction-horror film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane, and Humphrey Bogart as the title character. It was based on the short story "The Doctor's Secret" by William J. Makin...
, actor Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name....
took Lys by the arm and broke into song when she became upset over blowing her lines. A moment later Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
, who was also in the scene, joined Morgan in the serenade. Lys' early Hollywood career was hampered by her thick accent that, by the time she appeared in Paramount's
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
The Great Gambini (1937) and toured in the play Night of January 16, had become barely noticeable.
In 1940 she married John Gunnerson, a Chicago vending machine manufacturer and former husband of actress Anna Q. Nilsson
Anna Q. Nilsson
Anna Quirentia Nilsson was a Swedish born American actress who achieved success in American silent movies.-Background:...
. Their marriage, which Lys later described as the worst mistake of her life, ended in a Mexican divorce
Mexican divorce
In the 1960s, many Americans traveled south to obtain a "Mexican divorce". A Mexican divorce was easier, quicker, and less expensive than a divorce in most states. Celebrities who obtained a Mexican divorce include Johnny Carson, Katharine Hepburn, Richard Burton, Marilyn Monroe, and Don Hewitt. It...
in the spring, of 1943, some nine months after she'd suffered a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
. On the same day she filed for divorce, with no request for alimony, Lys also declared bankruptcy and subsequently, for reasons unknown here, never returned to acting. Her last film was Murder in the Sky (1940) opposite Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Lys' name continued to appear in the papers for a few years in columns giving fashion advice.
In July 1944, Lys’ 15 month-old Afghan Hound, El Mio Bambi of Chamee, won ‘best of breed’ at the Fairfield Dog Show held at Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
.
Lya Lys Feit died at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, from heart failure at the age of 78. She was survived by her husband of 32 years, George Feit, daughter Joyce and two grandchildren.
Legacy
Jacueline Sunsann’sJacqueline Susann
Jacqueline Susann was an American author known for her best-selling novels. Her most notable work was Valley of the Dolls, a book that broke sales records and spawned an Oscar-nominated 1967 film and a short-lived TV series.-Early years:Jacqueline Susann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to...
play, The Temporary Mrs. Smith, is a story about a likable, but less than talented singer whose search for a rich husband to is complicated by her former husbands, was in part based the life Lya Lys. At one time the two were neighbors at the Hotel Navarro near New York’s Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
.
Critic Ado Kyrou wrote of Ava Gardner’s
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
Pandora in the 1951 film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is a 1951 British drama film made by Romulus Films and released by MGM in the United States. It was directed by Albert Lewin and produced by Joe Kaufmann and Albert Lewin from his own screenplay, based on the legend of The Flying Dutchman.It starred Ava Gardner and...
. “Ava now belonged in the exclusive pantheon with Lya Lys of Dalí and Buñuel’s L’Age d’Ore ‘as the greatest surrealistic woman in the history of film’.”