Vera Kholodnaya

Vera Vasilyevna Kholodnaya (née Levchenko; ; 5 August 1893 – 16 February 1919) was an actress of Russian Empire cinema. She was the first star of Imperial Russian silent cinema. Only five of her films still exist, and the total number she acted in is unknown, with speculation ranging from 50 to 100. Early life Born in Poltava (Russian Empire, now Ukraine), she went to live in Moscow with her widowed grandmother at the age of 2. As a girl, she dreamed of a career in classical ballet and enrolled at the Bolshoi Theatre ballet school. From early childhood. Vera participated in family theatricals. When she was age 10, Vera was sent to the famous Perepelkina's grammar school. Personal life At the graduation prom she met Vladimir Kholodny, who was then a student, an editor of a daily sport newspaper and a race-driver, said to be one of the early Russian car racers. They got married in 1910 despite disapproval of both families. Vera often accompanied him in races, which resulted in road accidents. She also adopted his surname, which translates to "the cold one". Later, many took it for a well-chosen pseudonym. Their daughter Evgeniya was born in 1912, and they adopted a girl, Nata, a year later. Career rise