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Elissa Landi is a Actor Autrichienne born on 6 december 1904 at Venice (Italie)

Elissa Landi

Elissa Landi
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Birth name Elizabeth Marie Christine Kühnelt
Nationality Austria
Birth 6 december 1904 at Venice (Italie)
Death 21 october 1948 (at 43 years) at Kingston (USA)

Elissa Landi (December 6, 1904 – October 21, 1948) was an Italian born actress who was popular in Hollywood films of the 1920s and 1930s. Rumoured to be a descendant of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, she was noted for her aristocratic bearing.

Born Elisabeth Marie Christine Kühnelt in Venice, Landi was raised in Austria and educated in England. From 1928 to 1936, Landi was married to John Cecil Lawrence, and from 1943 to 1948, to Curtis Kinney Thomas (1905-2002).

Her first ambition was to be a writer, and she wrote her first novel at the age of twenty. She would return to writing during lulls in her acting career. She joined the Oxford Repertory Company at an early age, appearing in many British and American stage successes.

During the 1920s she appeared in British, French, and German films before travelling to the United States to appear in a Broadway production of A Farewell to Arms. She was signed to a contract by Fox Film Corporation (later 20th Century Fox) in 1931.

She played the heroine in Cecil B. De Mille's The Sign of the Cross (1932), but was overshadowed by Claudette Colbert who played the flashier role of Poppea. She was paired successfully with some of the major leading men, such as David Manners, Charles Farrell, Warner Baxter, and Ronald Colman in romantic dramas such as Body and Soul (1931) before appearing in the box office hit The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) with Robert Donat.

Her contract with Fox was abruptly cancelled in 1936 as a result of her refusal to accept a particular role. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed her to a contract and after a couple of romantic dramas she played the cousin of Myrna Loy in the very popular After the Thin Man (1936). After only two more films she retired, in 1943.

She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1943, and dedicated herself to writing, producing six novels and a series of poems.

She died from cancer in Kingston, New York, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Elissa Landi has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Motion Pictures, at 1615 Vine Street.

Best films

The Sign of the Cross (1932)
(Actress)

Usually with

Luis Alberni
Luis Alberni
(4 films)
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
(4 films)
Hal Mohr
Hal Mohr
(2 films)
Oscar Apfel
Oscar Apfel
(4 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Elissa Landi (28 films)

Display filmography as detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
1943CorregidorActressDr. Royce Lee Stockman
1937The Thirteenth ChairActressHelen Trent
1936After the Thin ManActressSelma Forrest Landis
1936The Amateur GentlemanActressLady Cleone Meredith
1936Mad HolidayActressPeter Dean
1935Crimson DynastyActressPrincess Aurore
1935Enter MadameActressLisa Della Robbia
1935Without RegretActressJennifer Gage
1934The Count of Monte CristoActressMercedes
1934The Great FlirtationActressZita Marishka
1934Man of Two WorldsActressJoan Pemberton
1933By CandlelightActressMarie
1933The MasqueraderActressEve Chilcote
1933I Loved You WednesdayActressVicki Meredith
1933The Warrior's HusbandActressAntiope
1932The Sign of the CrossActressMercia
1932The Woman in Room 13ActressLaura Ramsey
1932Devil's LotteryActressEvelyn Beresford
1932A Passport to HellActressMyra Carson
1932The Woman in Room 13ActressLaura Ramsey
1931Body and SoulActressCarla
1931WickedActressMargot Rande
1931The Yellow TicketActressMarya Kalish
1930Children of ChanceActressBinnie
1929The InseparablesActressVelda
1928BolibarActressFrançoise-Marie / La Monita
1928UndergroundActressNell
1927LondonActressAlice Cranston