Olga Chekhova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Olga Chekhova
Ольга Чехова
Born	Olga Konstantinovna Knipper (1897-04-14)14 April 1897 Aleksandropol, Erivan Governorate, Russian Empire (today Gyumri, Armenia)
Died	9 March 1980(1980-03-09) (aged 82) Munich, West Germany
Nationality	Russian
Other names	Olga Tschechowa
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1926–1974
Spouse(s)	Michael Chekhov ​ ​ (m. 1914; div. 1917)​ Frederick Yaroshi ​ ​ (m. 1920; div. 1921)​ Marcel Robbins ​ ​ (m. 1936; div. 1938)​
Children	Ada Tschechowa
Relatives	Lev Knipper (brother) Olga Knipper (aunt) Anton Chekhov (uncle) Marina Ried (niece) Vera Tschechowa (granddaughter)

Olga Konstantinovna Chekhova (born Knipper; Russian: Ольга Константиновна Чехова; 14 April 1897 – 9 March 1980) was a famous Russian-German actress. In Germany, she was known as Olga Tschechowa. She starred in many films, including the main female role in Alfred Hitchcock's movie Mary (1931).

Early Life and Career

Olga Konstantinovna Knipper was born on April 14, 1897. Her father, Konstantin Knipper, was a railway engineer. Her mother was Yelena Luise "Lulu" Knipper. Both her parents were of German background and followed the Lutheran faith.

Olga was the niece of Olga Knipper, who was married to the famous writer Anton Chekhov. She went to school in Tsarskoye Selo. After seeing the actress Eleonora Duse perform, Olga decided to become an actress herself.

She joined the Moscow Art Theatre's studio. In 1914, she met Mikhail Chekhov, who was Anton Chekhov's nephew. They got married that same year, and she took his last name, Chekhova. Their daughter, also named Olga, was born in 1916. This daughter later became an actress known as Ada Tschechowa.

Moving to Germany

In 1917, during the October Revolution in Russia, Olga Chekhova divorced her husband. However, she kept his last name. She joined a small theater group called Sorokonozhka, which means "The Little Centipede." She also got roles in silent movies like Anya Kraeva and The Last Adventure of Arsène Lupin.

Olga managed to get a special passport from the Soviet government. This allowed her to leave Russia. She traveled to Vienna and then moved to Berlin, Germany, in 1920. In Germany, she quickly started her film career. Her first movie role there was in F. W. Murnau's silent film Schloß Vogelöd (1921).

She also worked in plays produced by Max Reinhardt at UFA, a major German film studio. Olga successfully moved from silent films to movies with sound.

Rise to Stardom

In the 1930s, Olga Chekhova became one of the biggest stars in Germany. She was admired by many, including Adolf Hitler. She appeared in various films, such as The Hymn of Leuthen, but she preferred acting in comedies.

During this time, she married for the third time in 1936 to Marcel Robbins. They divorced in 1938.

Olga had some contact with Joseph Goebbels, who was the Minister of Propaganda in Germany. He described her in his personal diaries as "a charming lady." A photo of her sitting next to Hitler at an event made some people think she had close ties with him.

Later Years and Legacy

Olga Chekhova had a very successful career in movies. She acted in, directed, or produced 138 films between 1917 and 1974.

After World War II, she lived in the part of Berlin controlled by the Soviet Union. She later managed to move away from her Soviet contacts. In 1949, she moved to Munich, Germany. There, she started her own cosmetics company called Olga Tschechowa Kosmetik.

Even with her new business, she continued acting. She took on smaller roles in more than 20 films. She mostly stopped acting in the 1970s after writing a book about her life. After she passed away, her letters with other Russian actresses, Olga Knipper and Alla Tarasova, were published.

Olga Chekhova's family also had many talented actresses. Her niece, Marina Ried, and her granddaughter, Vera Tschechowa, both became actresses as well.

Selected Filmography

Images for kids

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  Olga Chekhova at the Göttinger film festival in October 1953, sitting with Walter Janssen.

See also

In Spanish: Olga Chéjova para niños