Nina Olivette
Nina Olivette (8 Aug 1910[1][unreliable source?] - October 15, 1993) was an American actress and dancer who was sometimes described as a "dancing comedienne".[2]
Early years
Born in Manhattan, New York, Olivette was the daughter of Edgar[3] and Kazia Prajinska[4] Lachmann.[3] Her father was a cigar manufacturer in his native Germany; in the United States, he became a vice-president in Charles M. Schwab's steel company. Her mother was a ballet dancer in her native Poland;[4] after coming to the United States, she performed in vaudeville.[3]
As a girl, Olivette joined her mother's troupe in ballet performances, but after a leg injury prevented her from maintaining the balance needed to be a ballerina, she turned to combining dancing with comedy.[5]
Career
Entertainment
Olivette worked with Violet Carlson in a vaudeville act billed as the Lachmann Sisters.[3] When she was 12, producers Jones and Green recruited her for one of their shows, taking her away from vaudeville.[6]
On Broadway, Olivette appeared in Music Box Revue, Queen High, George White's Scandals, The Sweetest Little Devil,[6] Captain Jinks, and Hold Everything![7]
Much of Olivette's career was spent in comedic roles. Her first straight role came in Twin Beds (1954).[4] She explained in 1930 that her routines were adaptations of existing dances rather than new creations. Starting with a dance such as the Black Bottom or Charleston, she said that she relaxed her muscles, "then [I] try to give the appearance of falling apart while performing it. The effect always seems to be funny."[8]
Olivette's film debut came in Queen High (1930).[6]
Designing
Olivette designed women's fashion accessories, including handbags, scarves, and stoles. Her products made her "a particularly favorite designer with stage people and television stars".[9] She also was a designer for Your Show of Shows on television in the early 1950s.[9]
Personal life
Olivette was married to Harry Stockwell and was the stepmother of Dean Stockwell and Guy Stockwell.[3]
Death
On October 15, 1993, Olivette died at Polyclinic Hospital following a heart attack. She was 83.[3]
References
- ^ Ancestry.com. New York, New York, Extracted Birth Index, 1878-1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
- ^ Cohen, Harold W. (August 9, 1930). "Miniature Sparks From the Movies". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. p. 8. Retrieved 17 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f "Nina Olivette, 63, Actress, Is Dead". The New York Times. New York, New York City. February 23, 1971. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b c Adams, Marjory (March 7, 1954). "Nina Olivette Much Amused by Audiences at 'Twin Beds'". The Boston Globe. Massachusetts, Boston. p. 70. Retrieved 17 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'New Moon' Star Ballerina at 2; Remained on Stage as Comic". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. July 10, 1948. p. 18. Retrieved 17 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Fanchon-Marco Revue Features Youthful Star". Great Falls Tribune. Montana, Great Falls. July 17, 1932. p. 17. Retrieved 16 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Nina Olivette". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ "Dancer Explains Her Own Method". Detroit Free Press. Michigan, Detroit. October 26, 1930. p. Part Four - 2. Retrieved 17 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Beverly Wolff, Nina Olivette Star In 'Roberta' In Atlanta". The Anniston Star. Alabama, Anniston. March 22, 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 17 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
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