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Taina Elg |
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Taina ElgFilmography pages are here: Born 9 March 1930 in Helsinki, Finland. So far, Taina Elg is the biggest Finnish Hollywood star there's ever been. She had a sharp screen presence, danced remarkably well and oozed kittenish innocense and cat-like menace and mystery. She was always ladylike, powerful and sexy. Never a big star, she did have some leading parts. Taina Elg entered Hollywood after an injury to her ankle falling down a flight of stairs backstage a theater ended her ballet career in 1953. Her seven years as a contract player at MGM took place at the worst possible time for a ballet-trained musical performer. In 1955 the eight major Hollywood companies' output totalled 215 features, the lowest in the industry's history. At a weekly average of 45.8m US cinema attendances dropped to their lowest since 1923. This was the year of Rebel Without a Cause, Marty and Rock Around the Clock. Traditional Hollywood was definitely dying, new, rougher times were approaching, and Taina Elg, at 23, was already sweetly old-fashioned even before her career began, with her ladylike poise and her not very Stanislawskian acting technique. She had a year of, and judging by the results excellent, acting and speech training, before MGM put her in her first Hollywood production, which started her resume of exotic foreign ladies. Taina Elg: Tiptoes Out Into The Wide World Taina Elg was born at the Boije Hospital on the Boulevard in Helsinki, but the family moved soon to Turku. Taina's mother was a Russian emigrant pianist, named Helena (Lola) Dobroumova, her father was a pianist named Åke Elg. They were divorced when Taina was three years old. Taina and her mother moved to Sortavala, then to Suojärvi, then to Impilahti, where Taina's maternal grandparents had a big villa. From there they moved to Helsinki, from Helsinki to Mariehamn, from there to Viborg. Then the Winter War began and they were evacuated to Rantasalmi. After that they moved back to Helsinki, where Taina started balet classes at the age of 10 in 1940. Taina Elg's autobiography was published in 1991. She wrote the original manuscript in English and it was translated into Finnish by Pirkko Huhtanen and published by the Finnish WSOY publishing house. Taina Elg dedicated her memoirs to her son Raoul. The book describes her childhood and her years as a balet dancer and she ends her book in Paris in 1953, before her first marriage or her Hollywood career. The foreword (translation): "I was 12 years old when I left for the wide world for the first time, as I was evacueted from war-torn Finland to Denmark in 1942. Since then I spent only short intervals in Finland and became a vagabond, a globetrotter. But I always had a focal point in my home country: my mother, to whom I diligently reported my whereabouts and my latest news. Reporting is the right word, as I always found writing letters distasteful and my mother tended to scold me for my too laconic memos. [...] When I think about my mother and father and about Finland, I feel enormous
yearning and nostalgia. I grew up in Finland and my ties to my native
country are so close that whenever I land on the Seutula airport my
heart starts pounding. The emotion is almost mystical; from abobe I
see the harsh, rocky terain, I feel the clean air, the wind that blows
in the pine trees. I don't want to linger on the negative aspects of
my home country, the materialism which is creeping into people's lives
as it does all around the world. I want to preserve and protect old-fashioned
values, which I still face in Finland when I meet my family, friends
and strangers, the values that warm me wherever I reside, in America,
in Italy or somewhere else. For me they are echoes from somewhere far
away - from my roots." All Movie Guide biography:Finnish actress Taina Elg's earliest professional engagements were as a dancer with the Sadler's Wells and Marquis de Cuevas troupes. She was brought to Hollywood in the wake of the success of fellow Scandinavian Anita Ekberg. Elg's first film role was in MGM's The Prodigal (1955) and she went on to play worthwhile roles in such MGM efforts as Les Girls (1957), which gave her an opportunity to display her dancing skills, and Imitation General (1959). More recently, Taina Elg was seen as "Nemesis" in the 1970 muscleman spoof Hercules in New York, which starred the inimitable Arnold Strong (aka Schwarzenegger). ~ Hal Erickson Finnish YLE TV2 Biography (translation): Finnish dancer and actress, who performed in Hollywood movies in the
1950s. She started her career as a student and later a member of the
ballet troupe of the Finnish National Opera in 1940-46. Later she danced
in Gothenburg and in Monter Carlo, and in the ballet of Marquis de Cuevas.
In 1953 she signed a movie contract with MGM and acted in eight American
and British films. After her contract she has been a freelancer with
infrequent film and TV roles. Inquirer News ServiceBallet dancers in Hollywood
Worked With (listed by MSN
Entertainment) Awards:Golden Globes FAMILYSpouses: Rocco Caporale 1982- Son:
New North Star in the Hollywood Sky By Peer J. Oppenheimer in Family Weekly Sunday News Magazine
Hollywood will do it every time! Petite Taina Elg of Helsinki, Finland, was discovered in London by producer Edwin Knopf and signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as the year's most exciting dancing discovery. Rushed to Hollywood for the second female lead in "The Prodigal," Taina (pronounced "tynah") found the part called for all her talents except the one for which she was chosen - dancing! But Taina doesn't mind. "I want to become a good dramatic actress," she says in perfect English. And once she makes up her mind, nothing can stop her. Just look at her career so far: On her sixth birthday, when her parents took her to the ballet, Taina decided to become a ballet dancer. Her mother and father considered this a childish whim, but Taina's persistence convinced them she was serious. In 1940, during the Russo/Finnish War, the Reds confiscated the Elg estate and the family moved to Helsinki. A week later, Taina tried on her first ballet shoes. Her progress was so rapid that before long she went on tour, and in 1947 won a scholarship to study with the Sadler's Wells ballet in London. But on graduation Taina was refused a permit to dance professionally in England, so she decided to audition the top Marquis de Cueva Ballet in Monte Carlo. She didn't have the money to get there, so she borrowed just enough for a one-way ticket and a three-day stay. When she got to Monte Carlo she had no trouble arranging for an audition, but her appointment was set for a week later. While waiting she ate one meal a day and promised the "pension" proprietor that she'd pay her rent when she got the job. It never occurred to her that she might not qualify. On the eight day, Taina passed the audition, signed a contract, and received an advance large enough to enable her to pay her debts. She traveled with the troupe for four years until she tore a ligament in her foot, temporarily forcing her to give up her career in favor of modeling jobs. That was when she met Edwin Knopf. Her trip to the U.S. was not her first - three years ago she performed in New York with the ballet. Today she frankly admits that she prefers New York to Sourthern California, because "it is more cosmopolitan, and it offers four seasons a year instead of just one." About two years ago, Taina was married to importer Carl Gustav Björkenheim, whom she had known as a child but had not seen as an adult until a week before she accepted his proposal. In marriage, as in her career, she knew exactly what she wanted! PICTUREGOER April 27 1957 - cover and article. Our cover girl knows it doesn't pay to be shy. Hollywood's shyest girl is shaking Hollywood. Cold and cultured was the way they tagged Finnish ballet star, Taina Elg. Now watch out for flying ice. The way she's cutting capers in "Les Girls" proves the thaw is setting in - fast. She arrived as one of Europe's top ballerinas. Strictly for highbrows was Hollywood's first reaction. MGM gave her roles - ladylike, shy and cultured - in "The Prodigal," "Diane" and "Gaby." Then she decided to come out of her shell with a bang. "Les Girls" gives her SEX - she's one of three girls fighting over Gene Kelly (Kay Kendall and Mitzi Gaynor are the others); SONGS - the kind Cole Porter fashions are better box office than ballet; SIZZLE - she wriggles a mean hip as a French cabaret dancer. Three sure steps to stardom - where, if you want to be noticed, it doesn't really pay to be shy. Elokuva-Aitta 19/1965 - Finnish movie magazine interview, translation: By Annikki Arni Lady from top to toe We met Taina Elg in Finland, training ballet with Thomas Enckell in a TV studio preparing for their new show. Taina dances both classical ballet and modern jazz as gracefully as ever. Taina Elg has lived in the U.S. for 10 years now and she has experienced plenty: success as well as set-backs. But: success has never got into her head nor have the setbacks sharpened her elbows, unlike for many others in the furious struggle for roles. Taina is still the same charming person: well balanced, bright and cultured, a real lady from top to toe. Taina Elg sits comfortable on a sofa and talks in a lively manner, often with a humorous twinkle in her eyes, about her "wandering years". The film "Les Girls" was a big turning point, as were her many successful musical tours across America. "I consider Les Girls to be my finest film", Taina says. "And we became such good friends with Kay Kendall while filming it. She was a wonderful person, so open and cheerful. She married Rex Harrison during that time and then she died about two years later of leukemia. We had no idea that she was ill during the filming, but we did notice that she got tired doing the dancing scenes much quicker than the rest of us." Taina's last film is the Italian "Le bacchanti", after which she has worked in national musical tours and on TV. She enjoys the musicals because she's allowed to dance in them, and dancing is how she begun her career in the Finnish National Opera. "Filming in America is well organized, everything works according to plans and there is no excess waiting. In Italy everything is so haphazard that when the filming begins there is not always even a finished script. - By the way, I'd like to tell you what I was surprised to hear from the producer Betty Fox on my way back here when I visited London. She told me that the film The 39 Steps has brought in much more money than their other recent films. It's that color film in which I played with the funny and bouncy Kenneth Moore. I think it's even been seen here in Finland." Taina says that she moved from Los Angeles to New York mainly because of her son Raoul's education. She thinks that the schools on the west coast are too lax in discipline, and the children grow to be loud and obnoxious. "Naturally it's good that my son isn't too shy and that he's able to have a relaxed conversation with adults. But I don't want him to become too easygoing and too "American"." Taina has appeared in many stage musicals, like "Redhead", "Silk Stockings" based on the film Ninotchka, "Can-Can" and finally the hugely successful "Irma la Douce". The composer Rogers himself wanted Taina to get the role of Maria in the national tour of his "Sound of Music" but unfortunately Taina wasn't available at the time. "Including the rehearsals we worked for Irma la Douce one whole year. As we were categorized to be a 'national tour', which means a first class production, we performed only in big cities. Usually we flew and only the shortest journeys we took by train. We were very successful and houses were full wherever we went." "I had the most adorable leading man, the English Denis Quailley, who has acted for example in the Old Vic theater. He has a fantastic voice. But even so, it was something tiresome to be repeating the same thing over and over. New cities brought change of course as did the receptive audiences. I tried to sleep a lot so that my voice and my strength wouldn't fail me. We also had two matinees every week and only one free night per week, as the law demands. - I can't understand how some actors are able to work like that for several years. It's lethal!" As Raoul was still under school age at the time, he was allowed to follow his mother on the tour and thus he saw America from coast to coast. In the troupe there were some musicians whose wives Taina paid to look after Raoul while she was rehearsing or performing. Raoul seems to be quite a little gentleman as there were no problems whatsoever. Later he has even crossed the Atlantic on his own to spend summers with his father's family the Björkenheims. In Washington DC Taina bumped into her old dancing pal Leila Lampi, who's now the wife of the Finnish embassy press attache. Leila has been busy taking elocution lessons so that she'd be able to give lectures about Finland in different functions and ladies' clubs. All around Finns have come to greet Taina and sent her flowers and gifts and invited her to their homes. "It's touching how Finns in America so often have a strong affiliation to their native country", Taina says. When Taina for the first time left for the wide world, it happed with a ballet company. She was allowed to dance with the Monte Carlo Ballet and she got attention as a lyrical and musical ballerina with a feather light appearance and a soulful face. One day there happened an accident during a rehearsal: Taina twisted her ankle, and her doctor ordered her months of total rest. But the feisty girl decided that she had to keep working. So she applied and was admitted to model for the biggest French magazines. Her photos have been on the cover of for example Elle and Vogue. Then she met Mel Ferrer, who too had started his career as a dancer, and by his recommendation she got a screen test - and the rest is history. Mel is a lot of fun", Taina says. "He loves dancing both privately and on the stage. We often went to 5 o'clock tea dances. We didn't talk much, we just danced, and we both enjoyed that. Later on, when Mel started to date Audrey Hepburn, I learned to know her too." Recently at a party in London Taina met the famous Nurejev, maybe the most famous dancer of our time, whom some consider a Nijinsky reborn. "He is a phenomenal dancer", Taina says and confesses that when she saw the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" he was so entranced by Nurejev's dancing that she almost forgot to watch Margot Fonteyn, whom she greatly admires. "Shirley McLaine was at that same party, and we three 'ballet
people' talked about ballet, teachers, choreography, training and so
on. We compared our legs and their positions when suddenly we realized
that everyone was quiet and watching us. Shirley was discovered while
she was in the chorus line as a corps-de-ballet dancer in a musical.
The prima donna fell ill and Shirley was the only one who dared to take
her role with little rehearsing. And so she got her break. "Oh, no. First I went to see my mother, who is in Italy and was seriously ill. And while in Europe and came to Helsinki and I was offered work so I decided to stay here at least until Christmas. Raoul has been going to the French school in New York, so he's been having no problems at the French school here in Helsinki." Taina explains that Raoul did have some difficulties because he speaks no Finnish. The Björkenheim family speak Swedish at home. But now he has found friends among the boys in the same building and he's been so happy about this that sooner or later he'll be learning Finnish. "My first engagement here will be on October the 3rd, when I'll be hosting the Miss Scandinavia pageant. (Isn't that how you call it in Finland nowadays?) My friend Hannele Keinänen has promised to help me with the pantomime. I have four dancer boys. One of them is the recently back to Finland returned Thomas Enckell and another one is a Spanish dancer who has previously danced with Antonio's ballet. I'll perform a couple of songs and dances, but not too many, as the show is broadcast live from the Kaivohuone ballroom." Later this fall there'll be two "Taina Elg shows" (working title). It's not quite settled yet who'll be writing the final script, but Taina has already received some good suggestions. "How about the future? Will you be returning to New York?" "So far I still keep my apartment there, but I have rented it out. I don't know yet. If one wants to make movies, one has to live in Los Angeles, London, Paris or Rome. It's not enough just to have an agent there. You have to remind people of your existence. You have to be seen "where the important people mingle". You must always be ready to jump into a role. New York has plenty of opportunities for stage musicals but not for TV, contrary to the common belief. All TV shows are shot in Los Angeles. Taina confesses that she's superstitious and maybe she's now waiting for a sign about which road to take next. Now she's just happy to be back home in Finland, to be able to meet her old friends and stroll down her old home street, the Boulevard of Helsinki. INTERVIEW: SEATTLE GAY NEWS 1999 The Women of Titanic; the Mark Finley Interviews
"To live without you? Absolutely not!" - Mrs. Isidor (Ida) Strauss,
1st Class Passenger, R.M.S. Titanic Most of us have heard the story
of the woman who refused her seat on the lifeboat to remain behind with
the husband she loved and still loves. This is Mrs. Isidor - Ida - Strauss,
one of the most courageous people that inhabited the fatal "Ship of
Dreams," the R.M.S. Titanic. Deciding that a life without her husband
wouldn't be worth living and disregarding her family at home. This is
a strong woman, a classy woman, a woman of her own will. Who better
to play her than the grandeur that is the actress, Taina Elg? I first
saw Ms. Elg as a child. She was starring with Gene Kelly and Mitzi Gaynor
in a little MGM jewel called Les Girls. Her dancing was phenomenal,
and why not? She is a trained ballerina from Paris. While arranging
for my interviews with the stars of Broadway's Titanic, coming to the
Fifth Avenue Theatre this month, I heard that Ms. Elg would be in the
cast. I had to talk to her! Not only did I have this indelible image
of her from my childhood, but in early adulthood, while waiting for
the job offers to magically appear in New York, I came to know her as
Olympia Buchannan from One Life To Live. Such a strong woman! And just
for icing on this multilayered confection, she played Mama in Maury
Yeston's Nine, a show that changed the way I view theatre. Tuesday rolled
around and my dear friend, Gayle Roberts of GRPR, and I couldn't seem
to get the Mountain Time Zone correct. We couldn't remember which was
forward and which was back. Not to mention that the cast members themselves
were in a state of flux having just arrived in Denver for the second
stop in this first national tour! At first we thought we had the time
right, then a while later we weren't quite sure. Have you ever had one
of those days when you just wake up on the "stupid" side of the bed?
This is most assuredly where we were. After several games of missed
calls and phone tag, my phone rang and I heard the most sweet and unsure
voice. It spoke with refinement and a slight accent.
'Titanic' actress turned to TV and the stage after film career faded Call her the unsinkable Taina Elg For those who know Taina Elg only from her Hollywood days -- she was
one of Gene Kelly's costars in the 1957 musical "Les Girls"
-- or as a crossword puzzle clue, the Finnish-born actress has a couple
of things to report. INTERVIEW IN THE FINNISH OHO! -MAGAZINE 2003 Taina Elg became a permanent fixture among American actors. The only Finnish Hollywood star Taina Elg left out into the wide world as a young woman and made a breakthrough both in films, television and on the stage. Her unprecedented success story as a Finn in Hollywood has not slowed down even at the age of 72. Taina Elg has achieved an unprecedented career for a Finn as a ballet
dancer and an actress. She is without doubt our most famous Hollywood
star. She has lived in New York for the past 30 years, and she's always
been a globetrotter. Even as a child she was sent to Sweden and Denmark
for years to be safe from the Finnish-Soviet war. In both these countries
she managed to continue her favorite pastime since the age of ten: ballet.
This pastime took the young ballerina abroad at the tender age of 16.
That was also the age she received her first marriage proposal. SCHWARZENEGGER WAS CUTE Taina left Hollywood when big productions dwindled after the onslaught
of television. Taina fell in love with the cosmopolitan New York, which
was quite a contrast to the at the time still quite provincial California.
One of the brightest memories of her years in her new home town was
performing in Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie debut Hercules in New
York. I MISS THE FINNISH SUMMER Taina has been married for the past 21 years to the Italian-American
sociology professor Rocco Caporale. It's her second marriage. NO TIME FOR RETIREMENT Taina is at home on the stage. She has appeared in plays, musicals
and cabaret performances on Broadway and off. Her latest production
was Requiem for William at the Connelly Theater, a play based
on the writings of William Inge. Veli Kojonen in OHO! -magazine 12/2003 (19.03.2003) |
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