Tala Birell

American actress

Romania
Austria

OccupationFilm actressYears active1926–1955

Tala Birell (born Natalie Bierle; 10 September 1907 – 17 February 1958) was a Romanian-born^{[note 1]}^[2]^{[note 2]}^[3] stage and film actress.

Early years

Birell was born Natalie Bierle on 10 September 1907, the daughter of Bavarian businessman Karl Bierle and Stefanie von Schaydakowska, who came from Austro-Hungarian Galicia.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Birell had stage and screen experience in Vienna. She doubled for Marlene Dietrich in German films.

The Oakland Tribune reported that Birell "made her debut in a hit in a Berlin production of Madame Pompadour."^[4] She came to England in 1930 to appear in E. A. Dupont's Menschen im Käfig, the German language version of Cape Forlorn, and later went to America to play in the German version of The Boudoir Diplomat.^[5] Star of the stage in Europe, she became popular in American films, including a small role in Bringing Up Baby (1938).

In 1940 she appeared onstage in My Dear Children at the Belasco Theatre in New York City. She also appeared on Broadway in Order Please (1934).^[6] One of her final on-camera appearances was on the popular 1953 US anthology drama television series Orient Express in the episode titled The Red Sash.^[7]

She is buried in the Bavarian village Marquartstein in a family tomb.

Filmography

Man spielt nicht mit der Liebe (1926) .... Bit Role (as Thala Birell)
Ich habe im Mai von der Liebe geträumt (1927)
The Deed of Andreas Harmer (1930) .... Othmars Valentin's Gattin
Menschen im Käfig (1930) .... Eileen Kell
Liebe auf Befehl (1931) .... Marie-Anne
My Cousin from Warsaw (1931) .... Lucienne
Doomed Battalion (1932) .... Maria Di Mai
Nagana (1933) .... Countess Sandra Lubeska
Let's Fall in Love (1933) .... Rose Forsell
The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) .... Gerta Klargi
Let's Live Tonight (1935) .... Countess Margot de Legere
Air Hawks (1935) .... Renee Dupont
Spring Tonic (1935) .... Lola
Crime and Punishment (1935) .... Antonya Raskolnikov
The Lone Wolf Returns (1935) .... Liane Mallison
White Legion (1936) .... Dr. Sterne
She's Dangerous (1937) .... Stephanie Duval
As Good as Married (1937) .... Princess Cherry Bouladoff
Bringing Up Baby (1938) .... Mrs. Lehman
Invisible Enemy (1938) .... Sandra Kamarov
Josette (1938) .... Mlle. Josette
Seven Miles from Alcatraz (1942) .... Baroness
One Dangerous Night (1943) .... Sonia Budenny
China (1943) .... Blonde
Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) .... Christine
Women in Bondage (1943) .... Ruth Bracken
The Song of Bernadette (1943) .... Madame Leontine Bruat (uncredited)
The Purple Heart (1944) .... Johanna Hartwig
The Monster Maker (1944) .... Maxine
Make Your Own Bed (1944) .... Miss Marie Gruber
Till We Meet Again (1944) .... Mme. Bouchard (uncredited)
Mrs. Parkington (1944) .... Lady Nora Ebbsworth
Jungle Queen (1945, Serial) .... Dr. Elise Bork
The Power of the Whistler (1945) .... Constantina Ivaneska
The Frozen Ghost (1945) .... Valerie Monet
Girls of the Big House (1945) .... Alma, confined murderess
Dangerous Millions (1946) .... Sonia Bardos
Philo Vance's Gamble (1947) .... Tina Cromwell
Philo Vance's Secret Mission (1947) .... Mrs. Elizabeth Phillips
Song of Love (1947) .... Princess Valerie Hohenfels
Women in the Night (1948) .... Yvette Aubert
Homicide for Three (1948) .... Rita Brown
Flash Gordon (1955, TV series) .... Queen of Cygini (final appearance)

Notes

^ The reference book Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins identifies Birell as a Polish-Austrian actress.
^ A feature about Birell that was published in the Oakland Tribune on April 14, 1935, quotes her as saying "I am Viennese—with a dash of Polish."

References

^ Joseph F. Clarke (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 112.
^ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 62. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
^ Rook, Lyle (April 14, 1935). "Truth About Glamour". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. p. 58. Retrieved June 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Many Rivals for 'The Great Garbo'". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. January 3, 1932. p. 59. Retrieved June 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Youngsters To Be Given Opportunity In 1932 Pictures". The Daily Times. Iowa, Davenport. December 19, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved June 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tala Birell". Playbill. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
^ "Classic Images Magazine". Retrieved August 1, 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}