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Celia Lovsky (born Cäcilia Josefina Lvovsky, February 21, 1897 – October 12, 1979) was an Austrian-American actress. On the original ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' she played the Vulcan matriarch T'Pau, and on ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...
'' she played the aged daughter of an eternally youthful Hollywood actress.


Early years

Lovsky was born in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, daughter of Břetislav Lvovsky, a minor Czech opera composer and his wife, Vallee, a cellist. She studied theater, dance, and languages at the Austrian Royal Academy of Arts and Music.


Life and career

Lovsky married journalist Heinrich Vinzenz Nowak in 1919. By 1925, they were apparently estranged and she was romantically involved with playwright Arthur Schnitzler. She later moved to
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, where she acted in the surrealist plays ''Dream Theater'' and ''Dream Play'' by Karl Kraus. There, in 1929, she met
Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, active first in Europe and later in the United States. Known for his timidly devious characters, his appearance, and accented vo ...
, who had seen her in a production of Shakespeare's ''
Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...
'' near Vienna. The couple traveled to Paris, London, and the United States. Lovsky was instrumental in bringing Lorre to the attention of
Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), better known as Fritz Lang (), was an Austrian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety Obituari ...
, leading eventually to Lorre's appearance in the film '' M'' (1931) directed by Lang. They lived together for five years before their marriage. They married in 1934 and divorced in 1940 or 1944. After the couple settled in
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, Lorre had not wished Lovsky to work, believing he should be the breadwinner and she should remain at home. For the rest of Lorre's life, she was his publicist, manager, secretary, financial planner, nurse and confidant. After their divorce, she started taking roles in American movies and television. She made a name for herself playing roles including the deaf-mute mother of Lon Chaney in '' Man of a Thousand Faces'' (1957) with
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
and as
Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
Princess Saba in the 1955 film '' Foxfire'' starring Jane Russell and Jeff Chandler. As she grew older, she was given dowager roles, such as a Spanish matriarch in an episode of ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...
'' titled "The Spanish Grant" (1960) and '' Have Gun Will Travel'' titled "The Man Who Wouldn't Talk" (1958) (with Charles Bronson), Romany matriarchs, elderly Native American women such as in the ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...
'' episode "A Man Called Horse", expatriate Russian princesses, and a role as the widowed mother of Reinhard Schwimmer, one of the victims in the film '' The St. Valentine's Day Massacre'' (1967). Her final movie appearance was of the "Exchange Leader" in '' Soylent Green'' (1973). She delivers the final confirmation to Edward G. Robinson's character Sol about Soylent Green's true ingredient. One of her television appearances were in the '' Twilight Zone'' episode " Queen of the Nile" (1964), in which she played the elderly daughter of a never-aging actress (played by
Ann Blyth Ann Blyth (born Anne Marie Blythe; August 16, 1928) is an American retired actress and singer. She began her career in radio as a child before transitioning to Broadway, where she appeared in Lillian Hellman, Lillian Hellman’s ''Watch on the R ...
); another was as the Vulcan matriarch T'Pau who presides at Mr.
Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
's wedding in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' episode " Amok Time" (1967).


Death

On October 12, 1979, Lovsky died at her home in Los Angeles, aged 82.


Partial filmography

* 1930 '' Twice Married'' as Fraulein Koch * 1930 ''Der Hampelmann'' as Unknown * 1947 '' The Foxes of Harrow'' as Minna Ludenbach (uncredited) * 1948 '' Letter from an Unknown Woman'' as Flower Vendor (uncredited) * 1948 '' Sealed Verdict'' as Emma Steigmann * 1948 '' The Snake Pit'' as Inmate Gertrude (uncredited) * 1949 '' Flaming Fury'' as Bertha Polacheck * 1949 '' Chicago Deadline'' as Mrs. Schleffler (uncredited) * 1950 ''
Captain Carey, U.S.A. ''Captain Carey, U.S.A.'' is a 1950 American crime film, crime thriller film, thriller film noir directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Alan Ladd and Wanda Hendrix. An American returns to post–World War II Italy to bring a traitor to justice. ...
'' as Countess Francesca de Cresci * 1950 '' Bright Leaf'' as Dressmaker (uncredited) * 1950 '' The Killer That Stalked New York'' as Mrs. Kowalski (uncredited) * 1951 '' The Scarf'' as Mrs. Barrington (uncredited) * 1951 '' Night Into Morning'' as Mrs. Niemoller * 1951 '' The People Against O'Hara'' as Mrs. Korvac (uncredited) * 1952 '' Because You're Mine'' as Mrs. Rossano * 1953 '' The Story of Three Loves'' as The Governess On Ship (segment "The Jealous Lover / Mademoiselle") (uncredited) * 1953 ''
The Blue Gardenia ''The Blue Gardenia'' is a 1953 American film noir starring Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Ann Sothern. Directed by Fritz Lang from a screenplay by Charles Hoffman, it is based on the novella ''The Gardenia'' by Vera Caspary. An indepe ...
'' May, The Flower Woman (uncredited) * 1953 '' Champ for a Day'' as Gladys Macrowitz (uncredited) * 1953 '' The Big Heat'' as Lagana's Mother In Portrait (uncredited) * 1954 '' Rhapsody'' as Frau Sigerlist * 1954 '' Make Haste to Live'' as Mother * 1954 '' Three Coins in the Fountain'' as Baroness (uncredited) * 1954 '' The Last Time I Saw Paris'' as Mama * 1955 '' New York Confidential'' as Mama Lupo * 1955 '' Foxfire'' as Princess Saba * 1955 '' Duel on the Mississippi'' as Celeste Tulane * 1955 '' Texas Lady'' as Mrs. Gantz (uncredited) * 1956 '' While the City Sleeps'' as Miss Dodd * 1956 '' The Opposite Sex'' as Lutsi (uncredited) * 1956 '' Death of a Scoundrel'' as Mrs. Sabourin, Clementi's Mother * 1956 '' Rumble on the Docks'' as Anna Smigelski * 1957 '' The Garment Jungle'' as Tulio's Mother * 1957 '' Trooper Hook'' as Señora Sandoval * 1957 '' Man of a Thousand Faces'' as Mrs. Chaney * 1958 '' Crash Landing'' as Mrs. Ortega * 1958 '' Twilight for the Gods'' as Ida Morris * 1958 '' Have Gun Will Travel'' ("The Man Who Wouldn't Talk") as Aunt Anna * 1958-1960 ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
'' as First Woman / Madam Guibert / Elsa Lindnow / Mrs. Schwimmer * 1959 '' I Mobster'' as Mme. Arle * 1959 ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...
'' (Season 4 Episode 25: "The Kind Waitress") as Sara Mannerheim * 1959 '' The Gene Krupa Story'' as Mother * 1962 ''
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
'' as Frau Angelika Raubal * 1962 '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (Season 1 Episode 9: "The Black Curtain") as Mrs. Fisher, Apartment Complex Manager * 1963 '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (Season 1 Episode 22: "Diagnosis: Danger") as Mrs. Dominic Chitava * 1963 '' The New Phil Silvers Show'' ("Little Old Gluemaker, Me") as Frieda * 1964 ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...
'' (" Queen of the Nile") as Viola Draper * 1965 '' 36 Hours'' as Elsa * 1965 ''
The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film, epic List of religious films, religious film that retells the Biblical account of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity of Jesus, Nativity through to the Ascension of J ...
'' as Woman Behind Railings (uncredited) * 1965 ''
Harlow Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a Planned community, new town in 1947, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire, and occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the ...
'' as Marie Ouspenskaya * 1966 “ The Big Valley" ("Hide the Children") as Gypsy Grandmother * 1966 " The Doomsday Flight" (continuing her
Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his Anthology series, anthology television series ''The Twilight Zone (1 ...
connection) as Passenger * 1967 '' The St. Valentine's Day Massacre'' as Josephine Schwimmer * 1967 ''
The Flying Nun ''The Flying Nun'' is an American fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series about a community of nuns, which included one who could fly when the wind caught her cornette. It was produced by Screen Gems for American Broadcasting Comp ...
'' ("Wailing in a Winter Wonderland") as Sister Olaf * 1967 ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' (Season 2 Episode 1: " Amok Time") as T'Pau * 1968 '' The Power'' as Mrs. Hallson * 1970 ''
Airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
'' as Mrs. Williams, Passenger (uncredited) * 1973 '' Soylent Green'' as The Exchange Leader


Notes


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lovsky, Celia 1897 births 1979 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century Austrian actresses Actresses from Berlin Actresses from Vienna Austrian stage actresses American film actresses American television actresses Austrian emigrants to the United States Naturalized citizens of the United States