Born in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Peterburg, Russia). After she and her family excaped from Russia, her birth papers were left behind and never recovered, and her false papers were later confiscated. Expressive, flamboyant character actress in almost fifty European and occasional American films. Resided in France from 1928. Began acting on screen in 1953 in WEG OHNE UMKEHR / NO WAY BACK (W. Germany). Spoke Russian, French, English and some German and Italian. She won an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her performance as Madame Hortense, Anthony Quinn's love interest, in ALEXIS ZORBAS / ZORBA THE GREEK (1964), and later won a Tony® Award for her performance of the same role in the revival of the Broadway musical Zorba.  Supporting Actress 1964: ALEXIS ZORBAS (ZORBA THE GREEK) 1 nomination, 1 Award