Lya Lys
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Lya Lys (born Nathalie Margoulis; May 18, 1908 – June 2, 1986) was a German-born American actress.


Biography

Lya Lys was born in Berlin on May 18, 1908U.S. Naturalization Records August 7, 1933 to a Russian banker and French pediatrician who moved to Paris when she was about seven."Actress Lya Lys Dies at Age 78." ''Los Angeles Times', June 8, 1986. pg. 24 Her mother was Ina Löscht (''née'' Blumenfeld), who later served at a French field hospital during the early months of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. 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 Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American 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 his success in American fi ...
, André Berley, and Mona Goya, who were brought to Hollywood by
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
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 An ocean liner is a type of passenger ship primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). The ...
to return to Europe. In 1930, Lys returned to Paris to star in
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...
and
Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish and Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians and directors to be one of the greatest and ...
's
surrealist Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...
film, '' L'Age d'Or'' (1930), considered by many as her most memorable performance. She then returned to America. 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. Lys took US citizenship in 1933. Just prior to the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, 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 obtain passage on a passenger ship from France and was advised to travel north to a less crowded
Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
n port. This meant crossing through
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
where Lys, by then an American citizen, was detained by German 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 is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...
films. Lys was finally allowed to leave after having her luggage searched and travel money confiscated. Some months later she appeared in the American anti-Nazi film '' Confessions of a Nazi Spy''.Pryor, Thomas M. "Miss Lys and The Lingerie." ''New York Times'', April 23, 1939. 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 Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
, who was also in the scene, joined Morgan in the serenade. Lys' early Hollywood career was hampered by her thick accent. By the time she appeared in Paramount's ''The Great Gambini'' (1937) and toured in the play ''Night of January 16'', it had become barely noticeable. She appeared in films with Ronald Reagan, was a friend of Clark Gable, and a frequent guest at the Hearst estate. For much of the time, she lived on Park Avenue near Central Park in New York City, enjoying the city's lifestyle. In 1940, she married John Gunnerson, a
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
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 1943, some nine months after she'd suffered a
nervous breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
."Watch Me Soar Again." ''San Antonio Light'', June 6, 1943. pg. 67. On the same day she filed for divorce, with no request for alimony. She never returned to acting. Her last film was ''Murder in the Air'' (1940) opposite
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
. Lys' name continued to appear in the papers for a few years in columns giving fashion advice. In 1954 she married George Feit. Lya was one of the first people to raise and show champion
Afghan Hound The Afghan Hound is a hound distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat, and a tail with a ring curl at the end. The breed originates in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. Its local name is () or (). Other names for this breed are Tāzī, Balkh ...
s at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
. Lya Lys Feit died on June 2, 1986, at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, from heart failure at the age of 78. She was survived by George Feit, her husband of 32 years, daughter Joyce Morton, grandson Randy Caruso, Author, Marisa Rudder and two granddaughters.


Legacy

Jacqueline Susann's play, ''The Temporary Mrs. Smith,'' is a story about a likable, but less than talented singer whose search for a rich husband is complicated by her former husbands, was in part based on the life of Lya Lys. At one time the two were neighbors at the Hotel Navarro near New York's
Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
. 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'Or'' as the greatest surrealistic woman in the history of film'."Ava Gardner: Love Is Nothing By Lee Server (no page #)


Filmography

*1929: ''Maman Colibri'' as La jeune femme *1930: '' Morals at Midnight'' as Nora *1930: '' L'Age d'Or'' as Young Girl *1930: ''Soyons gais'' *1931: ''Casanova wider Willen'' *1931: ''Buster se marie'' *1933: '' Clear All Wires!'' as Eugenie Smirnova *1933: '' The Big Brain'' as Minor Role (uncredited) *1933: '' Jimmy and Sally'' as Pola Wenski *1933: ''Enemies of Society'' *1934: ''
The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' ( ) is an operetta by the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The Libretto, librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein (writer), Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's ...
'' as Newswoman (uncredited) *1935: '' The Lives of a Bengal Lancer'' as Girl on Train (uncredited) *1935: ''
George White's 1935 Scandals ''George White's 1935 Scandals'' is an American musical film, written by Jack Yellen, directed by George White and Harry Lachman, and produced in 1935 by Fox Film Corporation. It was a follow-up to (but not a sequel to) the 1934 release, ' ...
'' as French Girl - Old Southern Custom (uncredited) *1935: '' Vagabond Lady'' as Pat, Tony's friend *1937: '' The Great Gambini'' as Luba *1937: '' My Dear Miss Aldrich'' as The Queen (uncredited) *1938: '' The Young in Heart'' as Lucille (uncredited) *1939: '' Confessions of a Nazi Spy'' as Erika Wolf *1939: '' The Return of Doctor X'' as Angela Merrova *1940: '' Murder in the Air'' as Hilda Riker, aka Mrs. Steve Swenko (final film role)


References


External links

*
Glamour Photograph of Lya Lys NYPL Digital Gallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lys, Lya 1908 births 1986 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses Emigrants from the German Empire Immigrants to France Immigrants to the United States Actresses from Berlin Actresses from Greater Los Angeles German people of Russian descent German people of French descent University of Paris alumni 20th-century American actresses