This is a tough one.

I doubt many people have actually heard of this foreign born actress who actually performed in silent films and then made the transition to talking films.

The transition was not easy.

Her accent was thick, but she used it to her advantage and made a career of being the exotic villain.

Her career was not enough to make her rich.

Yes, she was popular and became well known for her roles, but she was never a leading lady.

She needed to supplement her income and she found a way.

Because of the roles she took, she was a mainstay in horror movies and took advantage of that by recruiting young actresses who starred with her. These were not ordinary actresses.

These were all actresses who were little people. With the exception of a handful of those actresses, most could not earn a steady living acting.

So, our foreign born actress pimped them out to men and women and made a fortune.

She made far more money exploiting the little people than she ever did acting.

It is how she managed to build a massive estate for herself out of the country when she retired.

The people that were hiring these little people were willing to pay a lot of money.

Our foreign born actress also had what she called a family special.

It was pretty sick, but made her a ton of money.

She would offer up a family of little people which consisted of three girls and a boy who were famous, but not famous enough to not need the money.

Those four once wrote a manuscript about their experiences and was supposed to be published a couple of decades ago when the youngest one died, but it never happened.

Olga Baclanova

Family of little people: The Doll Family

Images courtesy of Wikipedia

Olga Baclanova had a notable association with The Doll Family during her involvement in the film “Freaks” (1932). The Doll Family, consisting of siblings Grace, Daisy, Violet, and Harry Earles, were performers with dwarfism who played significant roles in the film. Baclanova’s character, Cleopatra, marries Hans, portrayed by Harry Earles, in the movie.

Who is Olga Baclanova

Olga Baclanova was a Ukrainian-born actress known for her work in the early to mid-20th century. Here are some facts about her:

Olga Baclanova was born on August 19, 1896, in Moscow, Russia, during the time when it was part of the Russian Empire. She began her career as a stage actress in Russia before transitioning to European cinema.

Hollywood Career: Olga Baclanova moved to Hollywood and became known for her roles in silent and early sound films. She was part of the MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) studio during the 1920s and 1930s.

Breakthrough Role: One of her notable roles was as the trapeze artist Cleopatra in the film “Freaks” (1932), directed by Tod Browning. The film is a cult classic and is known for its portrayal of circus performers.

Circus Background: Baclanova’s background in circus-related roles was not limited to “Freaks.” She also appeared in circus-themed films like “The Dancers” (1925) and “The Show of Shows” (1929).

Later Career: After her Hollywood career, she continued acting in European films. She returned to her native Russia in the 1950s and continued working in Soviet cinema.

Personal Life: Baclanova was married several times throughout her life. Her marriages included unions with fellow actors and film industry professionals.

Death: Olga Baclanova passed away on September 6, 1974, in Vevey, Switzerland, at the age of 78.

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