Salka Viertel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salka Viertel
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| Born |
Salomea Steuermann
15 June 1889 Sambor, Austro-Hungarian Empire
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| Died | 20 October 1978 (aged 89) Klosters, Switzerland
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| Occupation | Actress/Screenwriter |
| Years active | 1929–1959 |
| Spouse(s) |
Berthold Viertel
(m. 1918; div. 1947) |
| Children | 3, including Peter Viertel |
Salka Viertel (born June 15, 1889 – died October 20, 1978) was an actress and screenwriter from Austria. She was Jewish and became famous in Hollywood. From 1933 to 1937, Salka Viertel worked for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio. She helped write many movie scripts, especially for her close friend, the famous actress Greta Garbo. Some of these movies include Queen Christina (1933) and Anna Karenina (1935). Salka Viertel also acted alongside Greta Garbo in a German version of the movie Anna Christie in 1930.
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Early Life and Acting Career
Salka Viertel was born Salomea Sara Steuermann in a city called Sambor. This city was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but today it is in western Ukraine. Her father, Joseph Steuermann, was a lawyer and even the mayor of Sambor. However, he had to leave his job because of unfair treatment against Jewish people.
Salka started her acting career in theaters in Austria-Hungary. In 1911, she worked briefly in Berlin. Then, in 1913, she moved to Vienna to act on a new stage. There, she met Berthold Viertel, who was a writer and director. They got married in 1918 and had three sons: Hans, Peter, and Thomas. They later divorced in 1947.
In 1928, Salka and her family moved to Hollywood, California. This happened because Berthold Viertel got a job with Fox Film Corporation. Many artists and writers from Europe, especially from Germany, moved to America around this time. They were trying to escape from the difficult political situation in Europe, especially with the rise of leaders like Hitler.
Even though Salka was a successful stage actress in Europe, she didn't have as much success in movies. She felt she wasn't "pretty or young enough" for film roles. However, she did get a notable role as Marthy in the German version of Anna Christie. Greta Garbo herself asked Salka to play this part. Salka became a close friend and mentor to Greta Garbo. She helped write scripts for many of Garbo's famous films, like Queen Christina and Anna Karenina.
Helping Others and Fighting for Justice
The Viertel family first came to the United States in 1928, planning to stay for four years. They lived in Los Angeles and then in Santa Monica, California. When Hitler gained power in 1932, they decided to stay in Santa Monica for good. Their home became a popular meeting place for artists, writers, and thinkers from Europe who had also moved to America. Famous guests included Charlie Chaplin and Thomas Mann.
Salka Viertel was very active in helping people. She raised money for a movie project called Que Viva Mexico!. She also helped many artists find work in Hollywood.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Salka Viertel worked hard to fight against the Nazi party. She helped create the European Film Fund. This group helped European artists get jobs in Hollywood. These jobs allowed them to get special visas, which helped them escape from the Nazis.
Later, during the Cold War and a time called the McCarthy era, some people in Hollywood were suspected of being communists. Salka Viertel was one of the writers who was prevented from working in the film industry during this time. This was known as being "blacklisted."
Later Life and Legacy
After her divorce in 1947, Salka Viertel continued to live in California. In 1953, she moved to Klosters, Switzerland. Her son Peter and his wife, actress Deborah Kerr, later lived there too.
In 1969, Salka Viertel wrote her life story in a book called The Kindness of Strangers.
Salka Viertel passed away in Klosters, Switzerland, on October 20, 1978, when she was 89 years old.
Movies Salka Viertel Was In
As an Actress
- Seven Faces (1929), playing Catherine the Great
- Anna Christie (1930, German version), playing Marty Owens
- The Mask Falls (1931)
- The Sacred Flame (1931)
Movies Salka Viertel Wrote For
As a Screenwriter
- Queen Christina (1933)
- The Painted Veil (1934)
- Anna Karenina (1935)
- Conquest (1937)
- Two-Faced Woman (1941)
- Deep Valley (1947)
- Loves of Three Queens (1954)
- Prisoner of the Volga (1958)
See also
In Spanish: Salka Viertel para niños
