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Vilma BankySilent film actress
Date of Birth: 09.01.1898
Country:  Hungary |
Content:
- A Hungarian Sensation in Hollywood: The Life of Vilma Bánky
- International Stardom and German Success
- The Call to Hollywood
- Hollywood Career and Rise to Stardom
- Marriage and Personal Life
- Decline of Her Career with the Advent of Sound
- Later Career and Legacy
A Hungarian Sensation in Hollywood: The Life of Vilma Bánky
Origin and Early CareerVilma Bánky Koncsics was born on January 9, 1901, in a devout Roman Catholic family in the village of Nagydorog, Hungary. Her father, János Bánky Koncsics, worked as a civil servant and later became a police officer in Budapest. Her mother, Katalin Ulbert, was an actress. Vilma, her older brother Victor, and sister Gizella were taught the values of modesty and honesty from a young age.
The family moved to Budapest shortly after Vilma's birth and lived in a modest house on Prater Street in the Józsefváros district. Vilma attended grammar school and then enrolled in a commercial school, excelling academically and earning a reputation as a quiet and unassuming student. After graduating, she took courses in stenography and later enrolled in the film school of Géza Bolváry and Ilonka Mattyasovszky. There, she showcased her talent and became a protégé of Arthur Somlayi, leading to her debut as an actress in the "Central Theatre."
International Stardom and German Success
Bánky's first major role came in 1920, when she starred in a German film in Berlin. She continued to appear in several international films, gaining recognition for her performance in the now-lost "In letzter Stunde" (1920). In 1921, she returned to Hungary to star in Hungarian silent films, but her popularity abroad began to soar.
Her allure as a love-struck ingenue was evident in films like "In the Peril of Hell" (1921), where she played opposite Svetislav Petrovic. Based primarily in Berlin but frequently traveling for shoots in other cities, including Vienna, Bánky's international career was on the rise.
The Call to Hollywood
In 1925, Samuel Goldwyn of the newly established Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio traveled to Europe in search of talented actors. Bánky's name and photographs had caught his attention, and their meeting sealed her fate as the latest sensation in Hollywood. Defying her parents' objections, she left Europe to embark on a journey that would make her one of MGM's most prominent actresses.
Hollywood Career and Rise to Stardom
Upon arriving in America, Bánky was dubbed the "Hungarian Rhapsody" and quickly became a household name. MGM's marketing strategy positioned her as a fragile, blonde beauty with piercing blue-green eyes and a petite stature of 5'4".
Her early success in films such as "The Eagle" (1925) and "The Son of the Sheik" (1926), where she starred alongside Rudolph Valentino, cemented her status as a screen siren. Romantic leading roles became her forte, and her chemistry with costar Ronald Colman in "The Dark Angel" (1925) rivaled that of Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.
Marriage and Personal Life
In 1927, Bánky married Rod La Rocque, a lesser-known American actor, and they remained together until his death. Their wedding, orchestrated by MGM, was a grand affair that captured the attention of Hollywood. In 1928, the couple briefly visited Hungary, where Bánky's newfound status as an "American" caught the attention of the press.
Decline of Her Career with the Advent of Sound
With the advent of sound films, Bánky's career came to an abrupt end. Her strong Hungarian accent made it difficult for her to transition to talkies, and her popularity with American audiences waned. After a series of unsuccessful films, she announced her retirement from acting.
Later Career and Legacy
Following her Hollywood departure, Bánky spent many years performing on Broadway alongside her husband, with her final stage appearance in 1933. In the 1930s, she turned to business and real estate ventures. She also founded a charitable trust, the Bánky-La Rocque Foundation, which continues to support various causes, including amateur sports for children and animal welfare.
Bánky's home in Hollywood became a cultural hub for Hungarians, where she welcomed her countrymen and helped them pursue their talents. Ferenc Molnár, László Bus-Fekete, and Menyhért Lengyel were among those she supported.
The Second World War severed her ties with her family in Hungary, and she was unable to provide financial assistance or visit her aging parents. They died impoverished in 1947, having never seen their daughter again after 1928.
In the 1950s, Bánky achieved a brief resurgence in the tabloids as an avid female golfer. She continued to play golf well into her 80s.
Following the death of her husband in 1969, Bánky retired from public life. She maintained a close relationship with her sister-in-law, Monica, who cared for her in her later years. On March 18, 1991, she died of heart failure at the age of 90 in Hollywood Hospital. Reportedly, she had been declining invitations to see friends and requested that her lawyer not disclose her death date. Her ashes, along with her husband's, were scattered at sea.
