Bella Darvi
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Bella Darvi (born Bajla Węgier; 23 October 1928 – 11 September 1971) was a Polish film
actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
and stage performer who was active in France and the United States.


Biography


Early life

Darvi was born Bajla Węgier to Jewish parents Chajm Węgier, a baker, and his wife, Chaja (née Zygelbaum) in Sosnowiec, Poland. She had three brothers, Robert, Jacques, and Jean-Isidore, and a sister, Sura. Darvi's family settled in France when she was one year old. When the Germans invaded France during World War II, Darvi's mother fled to southern France with her sister and two brothers. Darvi decided to stay in Paris for her education along with her brother Robert. Both were eventually jailed by the
Vichy government Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against ...
due to their Polish background. She was fifteen years old. Robert died in a
concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...
. "I had the usual experiences of hunger and humiliation, and I try not to think of them and discuss them but I can never forget them," she later said. Darvi's mother secured her release after three years, in 1943. She went to stay with her mother near Toulouse. "We were always under threat on account of us being Polish," she said. She married a businessman, Alban Cavalcade, on October 7, 1950 and traveled with him to
Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...
.


Darryl and Virginia Zanuck

While on the French Riviera she became associated with
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
and Darryl Zanuck. She was separated from Cavalcade at the time. The Zanucks invited her to come to Los Angeles and in 1952 she moved there to live with them. She shared a room with Zanuck's second daughter, Susan.Bella Darvi Deems Grooming and Clothes Equally Important Lane, Lydia. Los Angeles Times 7 Feb 1954: C14. She changed her name to Bella Darvi, Darvi being a combination of the first names of Zanuck and his wife, Virginia. She took acting lessons. In February 1953 it was announced she had signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox.
Hedda Hopper Elda Furry (May 2, 1885February 1, 1966), known professionally as Hedda Hopper, was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, more than 35 million people read her columns. A strong supporter of the Hous ...
called her "an exciting new personality". Eventually, she became Zanuck's mistress, although she reportedly linked to other men, including Brad Dexter around this time.


Hollywood career

She starred opposite
Richard Widmark Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, ''Kiss of Death (1947 film ...
in Sam Fuller's film '' Hell and High Water'' (1954) which started filming in April 1953. She was injured during filming when knocked over. In March 1953 Leonard Goldstein was reportedly writing ''The Daughter of Mata Hari'' as a vehicle for her.First Film Will Tell if Bella's Cinderella: Bella May Be Cinderella Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 8 Mar 1953: D1. In December 1953 she was announced for the role of Nefer, the seductive
Babylon Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
ian
courtesan A courtesan is a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Historically, the term referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudal society, the co ...
, in '' The Egyptian'' (1954) over
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...
. Hedda Hopper predicted Darvi would be one of the "stars of 1954" and "make a splash" in her first film. The International Press of Hollywood announced she was one of their "stars of tomorrow" along with
Hugh O'Brian Hugh O'Brian (born Hugh Charles Krampe; April 19, 1925 – September 5, 2016) was an American actor and humanitarian, best known for his starring roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC Western (genre), Western television series ' ...
, Pat Crowley, Steve Forrest, Barbara Rush and Richard Egan. ''Hell and High Water'' came out in February. The ''New York Times'' said Darvi "does not succeed convincingly." From February to June 1954 she made ''The Egyptian''. Fox then announced her for ''The Racers''. ''The Racers'' started filming in September 1954. In November 1954 she left Hollywood to return to Paris. "I was guilty of egomania," Zanuck later said about trying to build Darvi into a star.


European career

According to Ephraim Katz, her "three disappointing Hollywood films" were followed by a "number of undistinguished French and Italian productions". She made a film in France with Eddie Constantine, '' Je suis un sentimental'' (1955). Zanuck left his wife for Darvi, but left her when he discovered that she was
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
. In 1956, she reportedly lost $1,000 in two minutes at the casino then $65,000 in two days. She made '' I'll Get Back to Kandara'' (1956) in France. Darvi returned to Hollywood briefly to make her TV debut in "Blind Drop: Warsaw" an episode of the show '' Conflict'' with Keith Andes. In 1957, she was supposed to make a film with
George Raft George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...
called '' Morning Call'', (which in America was called 'The Strange Case of Dr. Manning'), but filming was put on hold when Raft pulled out, unhappy with the script. They were replaced by Ron Randell and Greta Gynt. Instead, she was in '' Sinners of Paris'' (1958) (''Rafles sur la ville''), '' The Mask of the Gorilla'' (1958) with
Lino Ventura Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura (14 July 1919 – 22 October 1987), known as Lino Ventura, was an Italian-born actor and philanthropist, who lived and worked for most of his life in France. He was considered one of the greatest leading men ...
, and '' Pia of Ptolomey'' (1958). In January 1958, she was announced for '' The Lovers of Tomorrow'' with
Edith Piaf Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English word , meaning ''wealth'' or ''prosperity'', in combination with the Old English , meaning '' strife'', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian lang ...
. Instead, she made ''
The Enigma of the Folies-Bergere ''The Enigma of the Folies-Bergere'' (French: ''Enigme aux Folies-Bergère'') is a 1959 French crime film directed by Jean Mitry and starring Bella Darvi, Frank Villard and Dora Doll. The police investigate a series of murders at the Folies-Bergè ...
'' (1959), and ''
Lipstick Lipstick is a cosmetics, cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick ...
'' (1960). Darvi later very publicly dated women as well as men. Despite liaisons with extremely wealthy men, she was unable to establish a permanent relationship or to curb her gambling habit. Zanuck was still paying off her debts as late as 1970. She would win and lose up to £30,000 a night. In February 1959, she was injured in a car crash in Paris when a taxi she was riding in was hit by another car. She was in '' Jules' Breadwinner'' (1960) and '' The Woman of Ice'' (1960).


Later life

On November 13, 1960, Darvi married Claude Rouas, a restaurant waiter, in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
; the marriage was annulled less than a year later. She did '' The Roar of the Bolidi'' (1961) in Italy. In 1961 Hedda Hopper reported Darvi was living in Monte Carlo "gambling like mad, and losing every night, but is still wearing fabulous furs and jewels." In early 1962 she guest starred on an episode of '' The Dick Powell Theatre'', "View from the Eiffel Tower". In August 1962 she was found unconscious in her hotel room in Monte Carlo after taking an overdose of barbiturates. She eventually recovered. In 1968 she was found again after an overdose of barbiturates.Actress Bella Darvi's Death in Monaco Apparent Suicide Los Angeles Times 17 Sep 1971: 3. Her final roles were in '' Le bourgeois gentil mec'' (1969) and '' Good Little Girls'' (''Les Petites Filles Modèles'') (1971).


Death

On September 11, 1971, after several failed attempts, Darvi committed suicide, in
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
by gas. Her body remained undiscovered for more than a week.MONACO POLICE TELL BELLA DARVI DEATH Los Angeles Times 18 Sep 1971: a7.


Filmography


References


External links

* *
Bio on Darvi
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Darvi, Bella 1928 births 1971 suicides 20th Century Studios contract players 20th-century American actresses 20th-century French actresses 20th-century Polish actresses American expatriates in Monaco American film actresses American gamblers French expatriates in Monaco Polish bisexual women French bisexual actresses American bisexual actresses Polish LGBTQ actors New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners French film actresses French gamblers Polish Holocaust survivors Jewish American actresses Actresses from Silesian Voivodeship Polish emigrants to the United States Polish film actresses Polish gamblers 20th-century Polish Jews Suicides by gas Suicides in Monaco Bisexual Jews 1971 deaths Jewish LGBTQ women