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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taina Elg, Actress in ‘Les Girls' and ‘The 39 Steps,' Dies at 95
Taina Elg, the Finland-born actress and dancer who starred opposite Gene Kelly in the colorful 1957 George Cukor musical Les Girls and with Kenneth More in the 1959 remake of the spy thriller The 39 Steps, has died. She was 95. Elg died May 15 in an assisted care facility in her native Helsinki, her family told the Helsinki Times. More from The Hollywood Reporter Paris Gaming Studio Amplitude, Newly Independent From Sega, Raises $13.5 Million HBO's 'Harry Potter' Series Finds Its Harry, Ron and Hermione James McEachin, Star of 'Tenafly' and Perry Mason Telefilms, Dies at 94 On Broadway, Elg worked alongside Raul Julia in the 1974-75 revival of Frank Loesser's Where's Charley? — she earned a Tony nomination for best featured actress in a musical for that — and in the 1982-84 original production of Tommy Tune's Nine, where she played the mother of his character, Guido. Her breakthrough in Hollywood came with her turn as cabaret dancer Angèle Ducros in MGM's Les Girls, which also starred Mitzi Gaynor and Kay Kendall and featured music from Cole Porter. She and Kendall shared the Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy for their work. In the Rank Organisation's remake of The 39 Steps, Elg portrayed the schoolteacher Miss Fisher, who inadvertently gets involved with a British diplomat (More's Richard Hannay) out to decipher and break up a sinister plot against England. (The 1935 original, of course, was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starred Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll.) The daughter of pianists, Taina Elisabeth Elg was born in Helsinki on March 9, 1930. She appeared in her first film at age 10, danced with the Finnish National Ballet in Helsinki and went on to study ballet in Sweden in Stockholm and Gothenburg and in London with the Royal Ballet. She was discovered in London by American film producer Edwin H. Knopf and, in the wake of the Hollywood success enjoyed by fellow Scandinavian Anita Ekberg, signed to a seven-year contract by MGM. Elg appeared alongside Lana Turner in The Prodigal (1955) and Diane (1956), then received a Golden Globe for best female foreign newcomer for her performance in Gaby (1956), starring Leslie Caron. In her follow-up to Les Girls, she starred as a Frenchwoman who owns a farm in the war comedy Imitation General (1958), starring Glenn Ford and Red Buttons. Her last movie under contract at MGM was the African adventure Watusi (1959), starring George Montgomery. With her film career waning, Elg moved to the stage and starred as the title character in a touring production of Irma La Douce in 1962. In 1970, she made the first of her seven Broadway appearances, portraying a nun in Josh Logan's Look to the Lillies, based on the 1963 Sidney Poitier film Lilies of the Field. Later, she toured with Gigi in 1984-85 and with Titanic in 1999-2000. In 1980-81, Elg stood out as Olympia Buchanan, the banished first wife of Texas tycoon Asa Buchanan (Philip Carey), on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. Her character memorably falls over a balcony at a costume party to her death. Her résumé included the films The Bacchantes (1961), Hercules in New York (1970), Liebestraum (1991) and Barbra Streisand's The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) and the soap operas The Doctors, Guiding Light, The Edge of Night and Loving. Her son is jazz guitarist Raoul Björkenheim. Elg was married to economist and importer Carl 'Poku' Björkenheim from 1953 until their 1958 divorce and to educator Rocco Caporale from 1982 until his death in 2008, when she left New York after more than three decades to return to her home country. Four years earlier, she received the prestigious Order of the Lion from Finland. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Pink Villa
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who Was Taina Elg? Golden Globe-Winning Star of Les Girls and The 39 Steps Passes Away at 95
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to an individual's death. Taina Elg, the Finland-born actress and dancer best known for her roles in Les Girls and the 1959 version of The 39 Steps, has died at the age of 95. Her family confirmed that she passed away on May 15 at an assisted care facility in Helsinki, her hometown, according to the Helsinki Times. Born on March 9, 1930, in Helsinki to pianist parents, Taina Elisabeth Elg began her career in the arts as a child. She danced with the Finnish National Ballet and later studied ballet in Sweden and London. Her talent caught the eye of American film producer Edwin H. Knopf, leading to a seven-year contract with MGM. Elg's breakout Hollywood role came in the 1957 musical Les Girls, directed by George Cukor and starring Gene Kelly. She played Angèle Ducros, a cabaret dancer, alongside Kay Kendall and Mitzi Gaynor. Elg and Kendall shared the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for their performance. The film also featured music by Cole Porter. In 1956, she won the Golden Globe for Best Female Foreign Newcomer for her role in Gaby, where she starred opposite Leslie Caron. Her other MGM credits include The Prodigal (1955), Diane (1956), Imitation General (1958), and Watusi (1959). Elg also starred in the 1959 remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps. She played schoolteacher Miss Fisher, opposite Kenneth More as Richard Hannay. The role marked one of her most notable appearances outside the musical genre. After her film career slowed, Elg found success on stage. She appeared in the 1974-75 Broadway revival of Where's Charley? with Raul Julia, earning a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. From 1982 to 1984, she starred in the original Broadway run of Nine, portraying the mother of the lead character Guido, played by Tommy Tune. Elg made several TV appearances, including on One Life to Live (1980–81) as Olympia Buchanan, and on other soap operas like The Doctors, Guiding Light, The Edge of Night, and Loving. Her later film credits included The Bacchantes (1961), Hercules in New York (1970), Liebestraum (1991), and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), directed by Barbra Streisand. She was married to Carl 'Poku' Björkenheim from 1953 to 1958 and later to educator Rocco Caporale from 1982 until his death in 2008. She had one son, jazz guitarist Raoul Björkenheim. Elg returned to Finland in 2008 and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Lion of Finland in 2004 for her contributions to the arts. ALSO READ: Who Was Presley Chweneyagae? South African Actor Part of Oscar Winning Film Tsotsi Dies at 40
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gene Kelly's co-star and award winner Taina Elg dies as fans pay tribute
Les Girls star and Golden Globe winner Taina Elg has died at the age of 95. The star's family confirmed that she died on 15 May in a care facility in Helsinki, where she spent her final years. The actress was best known for starring alongside Gene Kelly in Les Girl - for which she won the Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy. She went onto appear in The 39 Steps, Hercules in New York and The Mirror Has Two Faces. Taina also took the theatre world by storm, working alongside Raul Julia in the 1974 revival of Rank Loesser's Where's Charley?. She received a Tony nomination for her performance in the role and later did so for her performance in a production of Nine. The Finnish star was also best known for her roles in 1955's The Prodigal as well as her performance in 1956's Gaby, for which she received her first Golden Globe nomination. In the '80s, Taina took on the role of Olympia Buchanan in American soap One Life to Live - with her time on the show coming to an end when her character fell to her death from balcony during a costume party. Taina was married twice in her life: first to economist and importer Carl 'Poku' Bjorkenheim from 1953 until their divorce in 1958. She wed a second time to educator Rocco Caporale in 1982, with the pair staying together until his death in 2008. After living in New York for over three decades, she chose to return to Finland after the death of her second husband. She is survived by her son Raoul Bjorkenheim - a Finish-American jazz guitarist.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Taina Elg dead at 95: Double Golden Globe-winning actress who starred next to Gene Kelly in Hollywood's golden age dies
The iconic star also appeared opposite Kenneth More STAR GONE Taina Elg dead at 95: Double Golden Globe-winning actress who starred next to Gene Kelly in Hollywood's golden age dies Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DOUBLE Golden Globe-winning star Taina Elg has died aged 95. Taina Elg, a Finland-born actress and dancer who starred alongside Gene Kelly in the 1957 musical Les Girls, sadly passed away on May 15. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Taina Elg has sadly died aged 95 Credit: Her family confirmed she died in an assisted care facility in Helsinki, as reported by the Helsinki Times. The iconic star also appeared opposite Kenneth More in the 1959 remake of spy film The 39 Steps. 3 The iconic star appeared opposite Kenneth More in the 1959 remake of spy film The 39 Steps Credit: 3 She starred alongside Gene Kelly in the 1957 musical Les Girls Credit: Pacific Coast News More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Taina Elg dead at 95: Double Golden Globe-winning actress who starred next to Gene Kelly in Hollywood's golden age dies
DOUBLE Golden Globe-winning star Taina Elg has died aged 95. Taina Elg, a Finland-born actress and dancer who starred alongside Gene Kelly in the 1957 musical Les Girls, sadly passed away on May 15. 3 Her family confirmed she died in an assisted care facility in Helsinki, as reported by the Helsinki Times. The iconic star also appeared opposite Kenneth More in the 1959 remake of spy film The 39 Steps. On Broadway, Taina earned a Tony nomination for best featured actress in a musical for her work alongside Raul Julia in the 1974 to 75 revival of Frank Loesser's Where's Charley? She was nomination again for the same award after her role in the 1982 to 84 original production of Tommy Tune's Nine. 3 3 .
