Nadia Gray (born Nadia Kujnir; 23 November 1923 – 13 June 1994) was a

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

n film actress.

Biography

Gray was born into a Jewish family in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north o ...

. Her father moved to Romania from

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

, and her mother was from Akkerman (

Bessarabia Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds o ...

). She left Romania for

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

in the late 1940s to escape the Communist takeover after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. Her film debut was in ''L'Inconnu d'un soir'' in 1949. Perhaps her best-known role was in the

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most ...

film '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960). She played a guest role in an episode of the television series ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'' ("

The Chimes of Big Ben "The Chimes of Big Ben" is an episode of the allegorical British science fiction TV series, ''The Prisoner''. It was written by Vincent Tilsley and directed by Don Chaffey and fifth to be produced. It was the second episode to be broadcast in t ...

", 1967).

Personal life

She was first married to N. Goldenberg (later Herescu), a wealthy businessman from

Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ), also known as Kishinev (russian: Кишинёв, r=Kishinjóv ), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the middle of the ...

, then to Constantin Cantacuzino, a Romanian aristocrat who was one of Romania's top

fighter ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

s of the war. They were married from 1946 to his death in 1958. Her third husband was

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

attorney Herbert Silverman. They were married from 1967 to her death in 1994. She died in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Partial filmography

Most of Gray's films were non-English language productions. * ''L'inconnu d'un soir'' (1949) - Édith aka Marie-Ange * '' The Spider and the Fly'' (1949) - Madeleine Saincaize * ''Monseigneur'' (1949) - La duchesse de Lémoncourt * ''

Night Without Stars ''Night Without Stars'' is a 1951 British black-and-white dramatic thriller film, starring David Farrar, Nadia Gray and Maurice Teynac. The screenplay was written by Winston Graham based upon his eponymous 1950 novel. The film was direct ...

'' (1951) - Alix Delaisse née Malinay * ''

Valley of Eagles ''Valley of Eagles'' (US release title ''Valley of the Eagles'') is a 1951 British thriller film written and directed by Terence Young and starring Jack Warner, Nadia Gray and John McCallum.Wife for a Night ''Wife for a Night'' ( it, Moglie per una notte) is a 1952 Italian film starring Gina Lollobrigida. It was based on the play ''The Dazzling Hour'' by Anna Bonacci, which was later updated for the Billy Wilder film ''Kiss Me, Stupid''. Plot The la ...

'' (1952) - Geraldine * '' Inganno'' (1952) - Anna Comin * ''

Top Secret Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to kn ...

'' (1952) - Tania * '' Puccini'' (1953) - Cristina Vernini * ''La vierge du Rhin'' (1953) - Maria Meister * ''

Ivan, Son of the White Devil ''Ivan, Son of the White Devil'' ( it, Ivan, il figlio del diavolo bianco, also known just as ''Ivan'') is a 1953 Italian adventure film written and directed by Guido Brignone and starring Paul Campbell and Nadia Gray.Anonimo. "Ivan, il figlio ...

'' (1953) - Principessa Alina * ''

Finalmente libero! ''Finalmente libero!'' (i. e. "Finally free!") is a 1953 Italian comedy film written and directed by Mario Amendola and Ruggero Maccari and starring Carlo Dapporto and Nadia Gray.Ezio Colombo. "Finalmente libero!" (review). ''Festival'' (71). 8 M ...

'' (1954) - Carla * ''

100 Years of Love ''100 Years of Love'' ( it, Cento anni d'amore) is a 1954 Italian anthology film directed by . It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti. It was shot at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The film's sets were designed by the art director Art director is the ...

'' (1954) - Countess Muriella di Lucoli (segment "Pendolin") * ''Gran Varietà'' (1954) * ''

Pietà per chi cade ''Pietà per chi cade'' (i. e. ''Compassion for those who fall'') is a 1954 Italian melodrama film written and directed by Mario Costa and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Antonella Lualdi and Nadia Gray.Arturo Lanocita. "Pietà per chi cade" (review). '' ...

'' (1954) - Anna Savelli * ''Melody of Love'' (1954) - Nadia Sandor * '' Neapolitan Carousel'' (1954) - Pretty tramp * ''

The Women Couldn't Care Less ''The Women Couldn't Care Less'' or ''Dames Get Along'' (French: ''Les femmes s'en balancent'') is a 1954 French crime film directed by Bernard Borderie and starring Eddie Constantine, Nadia Gray and Dominique Wilms. It features Peter Cheyney's ...

'' (1954) - Henrietta Aymes * '' Crossed Swords'' (1954) - Fulvia * ''

House of Ricordi ''House of Ricordi'' ( it, Casa Ricordi) is a 1954 French-Italian historical melodrama film based on the early history of the Italian music publishing house Casa Ricordi. It is directed by Carmine Gallone and stars Märta Torén, Marcello Mastroi ...

'' (1954) - Giulia Grisi * '' The Two Orphans'' (1954) - Diane de Vaudrey - countess de Linières * '' Cardinal Lambertini'' (1954) - Isabella di Pietramelara * ''

I cinque dell'Adamello ''I cinque dell'Adamello'' (i. e. "The Five from the Adamello") is a 1954 Italian war drama film written and directed by Pino Mercanti and starring Fausto Tozzi and Nadia Gray.Alberto Albertazzi. "I cinque dell'Adamello". ''Intermezzo'' (10/11). 15 ...

'' (1954) - Magda * '' Casta Diva'' (1954) - Giuditta Pasta * ''

Le avventure di Giacomo Casanova ''Le avventure di Giacomo Casanova'' (a.k.a. ''The Sins of Casanova'') is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti, Corinne Calvet and Irène Galter. Famed horror film director Lucio Fulci wrote the script, one o ...

'' (1955) - Margherita Teresa von Kleinwert * '' The Last Five Minutes'' (1955) - Valeria Roberti, moglie di Filippo * ''La moglie è uguale per tutti'' (1955) - Lea * '' Music in the Blood'' (1955) - Gina Martelli * ''Il falco d'oro'' (1955) - Ines della Torre * ''Agguato sul mare'' (1955) - Circe * ''Hengst Maestoso Austria'' (1956) - Gräfin Marika Szilady * ''Folies-Bergère'' (1956) - Suzy Morgan * ''Parola di ladro'' (1957) * '' The Black Devil'' (1957) - Duchessa Lucrezia * ''Sénéchal le magnifique'' (1957) - La princesse Marida Ludibescu * ''

La Parisienne LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

'' (1957) - La reine Greta * '' Vacanze a Ischia'' (1957) - Carla Occhipinti * ''Meine schöne Mama'' (1958) - Mathildes Mutter Maria * ''

The Captain's Table ''The Captain's Table'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Jack Lee based upon a novel by Richard Gordon. It stars John Gregson, Donald Sinden, Peggy Cummins and Nadia Gray, and featured Maurice Denham, Joan Sims, John Le Mesurier, ...

'' (1959) - Mrs. Porteous * ''Violent Summer'' (1959) - (uncredited) * ''Muerte al amanecer'' (1959) - Victoria Costa * '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) - Nadia * '' Le signore'' (1960) - Tatiana Becker * ''

Letto a tre piazze ''Letto a tre piazze'' (translation: ''The King-Sized Bed'') is a 1960 Italian Totò comedy film directed by Steno. The film marked the last collaboration between Totò and Lucio Fulci, author of the script and initially chosen as director. Cas ...

'' (1960) - Amalia * '' Maria, Registered in Bilbao'' (1960) - Berta * ''

Candide ou l'optimisme au XXe siècle ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, The ...

'' (1960) - La dame de compagnie / Dame * '' Mr. Topaze'' (1961) - Suzy * ''Le pavé de Paris'' (1961) - Monique * ''Gioventù di notte'' (1961) - Fulvia * ''Mourir d'amour'' (1961) - Patricia * ''Les croulants se portent bien'' (1961) - Thérèse * ''Le jeu de la vérité'' (1961) - Solange Vérate * ' (1962) - Hilde Goetz * ' (1963) - Comtesse * ''

Maniac Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior. Maniac may also refer to: Film * '' ...

'' (1963) - Eve Beynat * ''Zwei Whisky und ein Sofa'' (1963) - Mrs. Button * '' Encounter in Salzburg'' (1964) - Felicitas Wilke * ''

The Crooked Road ''The Crooked Road'' is a 1965 British film directed and co-written by Don Chaffey. It stars Stewart Granger, Robert Ryan, and Janet Munro. The film is based on the 1957 novel ''The Big Story'' by Morris West. An American journalist ( Robert ...

'' (1965) - Cosima * ''

The Adventurer of Tortuga ''The Adventurer of Tortuga'' ( it, L'avventuriero della tortuga) is a 1964 Italian historical film directed by Luigi Capuano, released in 1965. It is based on the novel by Emilio Salgari Emilio Salgari (, but often erroneously ; 21 Augus ...

'' (1965) - Dona Rosita * '' Winnetou and Old Firehand'' (1966) - Michèle Mercier * ''

The Oldest Profession ''The Oldest Profession'' (french: Le Plus Vieux Métier du monde) is a 1967 internationally co-produced comedy film. It features contributions from six different film directors, each one doing a segment on prostitution through the ages. Plot ...

'' (1967) - Nadia (segment "Aujourd'hui") * '' Two for the Road'' (1967) - Francoise Dalbret * '' The Naked Runner'' (1967) - Karen Gisevius

References

External links

* *
Nadia Gray papers, 1930s-1977
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts {{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Nadia 1923 births 1994 deaths Romanian film actresses French people of Romanian-Jewish descent Romanian Jews 20th-century Romanian actresses Romanian emigrants to France French emigrants to the United States American people of Romanian-Jewish descent