Olga Grey

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Not to be confused with Olga Gray.
Olga Grey
Olga Grey 1916.jpg
From The Photo-Play Journal, 1916.
Born
Anna Zacsek

November 10, 1896
New York city
DiedApril 25, 1973 (aged 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesOlga Gray
OccupationActress
Years active1915 - 1920

Olga Grey (born Anushka Zacsek[1][2] or Anna Zacsek, November 10, 1896 – April 25, 1973[3]) was an American silent film actress, sometimes billed with the alternate spelling of her last name, Olga Gray.[4]

She was born in New York city[5] to Hungarian immigrants. Her father wanted her to become a violinist, so she studied music while harboring dreams of being an actress. She appeared in some amateur productions before joining a Little Theatre in Los Angeles. Her success there paved the way for her work in films.[1]

By her late teens, she was pursuing an acting career in Hollywood. She began working as an extra.[1] Her first film appearance was in the 1915 film His Lesson, in which she had the lead role. She would have twelve film roles that year, including a role (as the actress Laura Keene) in the now classic and controversial film The Birth of a Nation, starring Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, and directed by D. W. Griffith.

In 1916 she appeared in seven films, including the role of "Lady Agnes" in Macbeth. She would have another eleven roles between 1917 and 1920, with a steady decline of quality roles.

She left the business in 1920, and became an attorney under her original name, Anna Zacsek. In 1942 she was one of the defense attorneys in the "Sleepy Lagoon" trials, defending gang members , , and .[6] She was the only woman attorney in the courtroom for these trials.[7]

Anna Zacsek was residing in Los Angeles at the time of her death on April 25, 1973, aged 76.

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1915 The Birth of a Nation Laura Keene Uncredited
1915 The Absentee Ruth Farwell / Justice
1915 The Failure Rose
1915 Double Trouble Madame Leclaire
1916 Macbeth Lady Agnes
1916 A Wild Girl of the Sierras Moll
1916 Pillars of Society Madame Linda Dorf
1916 Intolerance Adultress
1917 The Little Liar Fanny
1917 Jim Bludso Gabrielle
1917 Love's Law Jealousy
1917 The Girl at Home Diana Parish
1917 The Ghost House Alice Atwell
1917 The Woman God Forgot Aztec woman
1917 Fanatics Lola Monroe
1919 When a Man Rides Alone Beatriz de Taos
1919 The Modern Husband Cleo
1919 The Mayor of Filbert Miss Greta Schwartz
1919 Trixie from Broadway Gertie Brown
1920 The Third Eye Zaida Savoy Serial, (final film role)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "A Vamp With a Goulash Name". Photoplay Magazine. XI (3): 73. February 1917. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  2. ^ Slide, Anthony (2010). Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813127088. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  3. ^ Social Security Death Index, listed as Anna Zacsek Accessed April 25, 2009
  4. ^ "Olga Gray". American Film Institute. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  5. ^ Redmond, Jennifer Ann. "Silents of the Vamps: Bad Girls You Don't Know - But Should".
  6. ^ Pagán, Eduardo Obregón (2004). Murder at the Sleepy Lagoon: Zoot Suits, Race, and Riot in Wartime L.A. Univ of North Carolina Press. pp. 77–87. ISBN 9780807862094. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  7. ^ Catherine Sue Ramirez, The Woman in the Zoot Suit: Gender, Nationalism, and the Cultural Politics of Memory (Duke University Press 2008): 99-100.

External links[]

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