Vilma Bánky (born Vilma Koncsics;[2] 9 January 1901 – 18 March 1991) was a Hungarian-American silent film actress. Although her acting career began in Budapest, and she later worked in France, Austria, and Germany, Bánky was best known for her roles in the American films The Eagle and The Son of the Sheik with Rudolph Valentino, and for several romantic teamings with Ronald Colman.
Bánky was born on 9 January 1901 (although some sources give her birth year as 1898)[2] to János Bánky Koncsics and Katalin Ulbert, in Nagydorog, Austria-Hungary. Her father was a bureau chief in Franz Joseph's Austro-Hungarian Empire. Shortly after her birth, her father, a police sergeant,[clarification needed] was transferred to Budapest, and the family relocated. She had two siblings – an older brother, Gyula and a younger sister, Gizella. After graduation from secondary school, Bánky (as she would later be known) took courses to work as a stenographer, but was offered a role in a film.[3]
CareerEdit
Photo from The Dark Angel, 1925
She was hailed as "The Hungarian Rhapsody" and was an immediate hit with American audiences. The New York Times remarked in its review of her first American film, The Dark Angel (1925), that she "is a young person of rare beauty ... so exquisite that one is not in the least surprised that she is never forgotten by Hillary Trent"[4] (the movie's leading male character who decides to allow his family and fiancee to believe him dead rather than place what he perceives as the burden on them of a life caring for a blinded war veteran).
Vilma Bánky, 1920s
She appeared opposite silent film star Rudolph Valentino in The Eagle (1925) and The Son of the Sheik (1926). Valentino reportedly was fascinated by Vilma, and chose her as the leading lady in the films. She also appeared opposite Ronald Colman in a series of love stories, including The Dark Angel and The Winning of Barbara Worth. It is commonly believed that her thick Hungarian accent led, with the advent of sound, to her career being cut short; however, she began losing interest in films and wanted to settle down with Rod La Rocque and simply be his wife. In 1930, she announced her retirement.[5]
Of her 24 films, eight exist in their entirety (Hotel Potemkin, Der Zirkuskönig (The King of the Circus) with Max Linder, The Son of the Sheik, The Eagle, The Winning of Barbara Worth, The Night of Love, A Lady to Love, and The Rebel), and three exist in fragments (Tavaszi szerelem in scattered bits, the first five reels of The Magic Flame, and an incomplete copy of Two Lovers).[citation needed]
Personal life and deathEdit
Bánky and husband Rod La Rocque in 1927
She married actor Rod La Rocque in 1927; they remained married until his death in 1969. The couple had no children.[6]
Bánky died on 18 March 1991, from cardiopulmonary failure, aged 90, but notice of her death was not made public until the following year. She was reportedly upset that no one had come to visit her in her last years, and directed her lawyer to make no mention of her death.[6][7] Her ashes were scattered at sea where her husband's had been consigned.[citation needed]
vilma, bánky, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, 200. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Vilma Banky news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message The native form of this personal name is Koncsics Vilma This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals Vilma Banky born Vilma Koncsics 2 9 January 1901 18 March 1991 was a Hungarian American silent film actress Although her acting career began in Budapest and she later worked in France Austria and Germany Banky was best known for her roles in the American films The Eagle and The Son of the Sheik with Rudolph Valentino and for several romantic teamings with Ronald Colman Vilma BankyBanky in 1929Born 1901 01 09 9 January 1901 1 Nagydorog Tolna County Austria Hungary now Hungary Died18 March 1991 1991 03 18 aged 90 Los Angeles California U S OccupationActressYears active1919 1933SpouseRod La Rocque m 1927 died 1969 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 In popular culture 5 Filmography 6 Bibliography 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditBanky was born on 9 January 1901 although some sources give her birth year as 1898 2 to Janos Banky Koncsics and Katalin Ulbert in Nagydorog Austria Hungary Her father was a bureau chief in Franz Joseph s Austro Hungarian Empire Shortly after her birth her father a police sergeant clarification needed was transferred to Budapest and the family relocated She had two siblings an older brother Gyula and a younger sister Gizella After graduation from secondary school Banky as she would later be known took courses to work as a stenographer but was offered a role in a film 3 Career Edit nbsp Photo from The Dark Angel 1925She was hailed as The Hungarian Rhapsody and was an immediate hit with American audiences The New York Times remarked in its review of her first American film The Dark Angel 1925 that she is a young person of rare beauty so exquisite that one is not in the least surprised that she is never forgotten by Hillary Trent 4 the movie s leading male character who decides to allow his family and fiancee to believe him dead rather than place what he perceives as the burden on them of a life caring for a blinded war veteran nbsp Vilma Banky 1920sShe appeared opposite silent film star Rudolph Valentino in The Eagle 1925 and The Son of the Sheik 1926 Valentino reportedly was fascinated by Vilma and chose her as the leading lady in the films She also appeared opposite Ronald Colman in a series of love stories including The Dark Angel and The Winning of Barbara Worth It is commonly believed that her thick Hungarian accent led with the advent of sound to her career being cut short however she began losing interest in films and wanted to settle down with Rod La Rocque and simply be his wife In 1930 she announced her retirement 5 Of her 24 films eight exist in their entirety Hotel Potemkin Der Zirkuskonig The King of the Circus with Max Linder The Son of the Sheik The Eagle The Winning of Barbara Worth The Night of Love A Lady to Love and The Rebel and three exist in fragments Tavaszi szerelem in scattered bits the first five reels of The Magic Flame and an incomplete copy of Two Lovers citation needed Personal life and death Edit nbsp Banky and husband Rod La Rocque in 1927She married actor Rod La Rocque in 1927 they remained married until his death in 1969 The couple had no children 6 Banky died on 18 March 1991 from cardiopulmonary failure aged 90 but notice of her death was not made public until the following year She was reportedly upset that no one had come to visit her in her last years and directed her lawyer to make no mention of her death 6 7 Her ashes were scattered at sea where her husband s had been consigned citation needed For her contributions to the film industry Banky received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 Her star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard 8 In popular culture EditBanky is mentioned by Mr Burns in The Simpsons episode Homer Defined Filmography EditFilms Year Title Role Notes1919 Im letzten Augenblick1921 Veszelyben a pokol AuroraTavaszi szerelemGalatea Galathea1922 Schattenkinder des Glucks Helen BlaasKauft Mariett AktienA Halott szerelme Alternative title Das Auge des Toten1923 The Portrait Alternative title L image1924 Die letzte Stunde Mabel Alternative title Hotel PotemkinDas verbotene Land Alternative title Das Leben des Dalai LamaDer Zirkuskonig Ketty Alternative title King of the CircusThe Wonderful Adventure Bessy Ferguson Alternative title Das schone Abenteuer1925 The Dark Angel Kitty VaneSoll man heiraten Alternative title Intermezzo einer Ehe in sieben TagenThe Eagle Miss Mascha Troekouroff Credited as Vilma Banky1926 Son of the Sheik Yasmin Andre s Daughter Credited as Vilma BankyThe Winning of Barbara Worth Barbara Worth1927 The Night of Love Princess MarieThe Magic Flame Bianca the Aerial Artist Lost film although the first five reels are rumored to existDie Dame von Paris Alternative title The Lady from Paris1928 Two Lovers Donna Leonora de Vargas Incomplete filmThe Awakening Marie Ducrot Lost film1929 This Is Heaven Eva Petrie1930 A Lady to Love Lena ShultzDie Sehnsucht jeder Frau Mizzi1933 The Rebel Erika LeroyBibliography EditSchildgen Rachel A More Than a Dream Rediscovering the Life amp Films of Vilma Banky ISBN 978 0 9827709 2 4 References Edit National Archives of Hungary microfilm 30790 image 291 fiche 3 a b Hungarian civil registration document from Nagydorog available through LDS records film number 1793002 Items 4 5 Vilma Banky Hollywood Star With Short but Influential Career The New York Times 1992 12 12 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2023 06 15 The New York Times Directory of Film The Dark Angel film review by Mordaunt Hall 12 October 1925 p 17 Arno Press and Random House USA 1971 https www nytimes com 1930 05 05 archives vilma banky to retire film actress says she will henceforth be mrs html a b Vilma Banky Hollywood Star With Short but Influential Career The New York Times 12 December 1992 Retrieved 13 March 2017 Donnelley Paul 1 June 2003 Fade To Black A Book Of Movie Obituaries 2nd ed Omnibus Press p 108 ISBN 0 7119 9512 5 Hollywood Walk of Fame Vilma Banky walkoffame com Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Archived from the original on 3 April 2016 Retrieved 13 November 2017 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vilma Banky Vilma Banky at IMDb Vilma Banky at AllMovie Vilma Banky Hungarian Rhapsody vilma banky com Archived 2021 06 21 at the Wayback Machine Information on Vilma Banky szineszkonyvtar hu Archived 2015 09 24 at the Wayback Machine Photographs of Vilma Banky film virtual history com Vilma Banky profile NYPL Digital Gallery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vilma Banky amp oldid 1170594213, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
