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Nazimova
major rediscovery, this full-scale biography profiles Nazimova, the electrifying Russian-born actress who brought Stanislavsky and Chekhov to American theatre--a legend of the stage and screen for 50 years, and then strangely forgotten. With exclusive access to her unpublished memoirs, letters, and notes, Lambert gives readers a brilliant portrait of this extraordinary woman. 120 photos.
420 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 1997
6 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Gavin Lambert
46 books25 followersGavin Lambert was a British-born screenwriter, novelist and biographer who lived for part of his life in Hollywood. His writing was mainly fiction and nonfiction about the film industry.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 29, 2018
This book was a real find for me. Nazimova is one of the most mysterious of silent film stars, and one of my favorites. I saw her Salome when I was in my early twenties and I became obsessed. Finding an entire biography on her was a dream come true. First, I have to give ENORMOUS props to the author. The research on this book is insane. Not only is it difficult to find information on many silent stars, but in this case Nazimova was born in a time when the records were not as voluminous as they are now--even finding birth certificates can be a struggle. Still, the author managed to find much, much more. Many actual records of her life from her childhood on --that is no mean feat. Nazimova also had a nomadic childhood (to say the least) and he still managed to track down quite a bit of information on that time of her life. Also, special credit for exploring as much information as he could access on Nazimova's Jewish heritage.
The book covers her fascinating stage career, her mysterious love life, her very traumatic childhood and her silent film career and goes all the way to her final, sad years. Nazimova was a well known bisexual (though she favored women more when it came to relationships) and it touches on her more significant relationships with both men and women. It also exposes how much true information was lost when her long term partner Glesca decided to re-write history to "protect" Nazimova's legacy). The book is also filled with tons and tons of pictures from childhood til her later years (this part is a huge blessing to collectors like me). Highly recommend.
The book covers her fascinating stage career, her mysterious love life, her very traumatic childhood and her silent film career and goes all the way to her final, sad years. Nazimova was a well known bisexual (though she favored women more when it came to relationships) and it touches on her more significant relationships with both men and women. It also exposes how much true information was lost when her long term partner Glesca decided to re-write history to "protect" Nazimova's legacy). The book is also filled with tons and tons of pictures from childhood til her later years (this part is a huge blessing to collectors like me). Highly recommend.
February 6, 2018
After reading this detailed biography, I was reminded of how fleeting is fame. Even though Nazimova was famous for over 40 years, today she is practically unknown. In a hundred years she went from wealth, adulation & power to a minor footnote in other people's biographies.
Over the years, I have read snippets about her in other books about Hollywood & Broadway, which made me curious to learn more about her. I'm grateful that Lambert researched and wrote this thorough examination of Nazimova's life. She did so much in her life, I was shocked when I found out she died at only 65. She crammed about 150 years of living into that 65.
Nazimova's life and career can be separated into several distinct periods. First, her youth in Russia, where she studied with Stanislavsky just as he was formulating his acting training beliefs that later turned into Method Acting. Next, she moved to America and worked with top producers and actors on Broadway and became a huge success. The beginning of the film industry lured her to Hollywood for about a decade where she became a silent film star and bought the famous mansion The Garden of Allah. Back to Broadway for another ten years or so before returning to finish up her life in Hollywood, playing small supporting roles in movies.
I enjoyed reading about all the random famous people that were a part of her life at various points. Emma Goldman the anarchist helped raise money and supported Nazimova's first acting troupe because Goldman had a crush on the head of that theater group! That was a weird cameo. Hey, even radical, anarchist feminists need to be entertained sometimes, I guess.
Another odd famous person in Nazimova's life was Nancy Reagan. Yes, that Nancy Reagan. Nazimova was her godmother! So random. An 18 year old Monty Clift had his first theater role in a play starring her. Of course, throughout the biography, Nazimova works with and/or befriends a long list of legendary people in the entertainment industry. Yet, today she is forgotten and others like Charlie Chaplin and Grata Garbo are remembered. Why?
Over the years, I have read snippets about her in other books about Hollywood & Broadway, which made me curious to learn more about her. I'm grateful that Lambert researched and wrote this thorough examination of Nazimova's life. She did so much in her life, I was shocked when I found out she died at only 65. She crammed about 150 years of living into that 65.
Nazimova's life and career can be separated into several distinct periods. First, her youth in Russia, where she studied with Stanislavsky just as he was formulating his acting training beliefs that later turned into Method Acting. Next, she moved to America and worked with top producers and actors on Broadway and became a huge success. The beginning of the film industry lured her to Hollywood for about a decade where she became a silent film star and bought the famous mansion The Garden of Allah. Back to Broadway for another ten years or so before returning to finish up her life in Hollywood, playing small supporting roles in movies.
I enjoyed reading about all the random famous people that were a part of her life at various points. Emma Goldman the anarchist helped raise money and supported Nazimova's first acting troupe because Goldman had a crush on the head of that theater group! That was a weird cameo. Hey, even radical, anarchist feminists need to be entertained sometimes, I guess.
Another odd famous person in Nazimova's life was Nancy Reagan. Yes, that Nancy Reagan. Nazimova was her godmother! So random. An 18 year old Monty Clift had his first theater role in a play starring her. Of course, throughout the biography, Nazimova works with and/or befriends a long list of legendary people in the entertainment industry. Yet, today she is forgotten and others like Charlie Chaplin and Grata Garbo are remembered. Why?
February 10, 2008
Gavin Lambert is a mesmerizing writer. He chronicles Nazimova's hellish childhood (which shaped all that followed, I believe), her dramatic rise on the stage (where she did her best work) her Hollywood years and beyond. I find it sad that her stage performances exist only in the memories of those who were lucky enough to see her back in the day, and those people are leaving us very quickly. Nazimova strikes me as a woman who could be infuriating, frustrating, difficult, kind, generous, funny, certainly her own worst enemy at times, and sometimes all of the above in the same moment. The fun she would have during performances made me laugh out loud, and the stupid choices she made for film made me say "no, don't DO that" to the pages of this meticulously researched book. About her sister and niece, I have no kind words whatsoever, and I can thoroughly understand why Lambert dismissed anything the niece had to say. I can't wait to read the other film-related books that Gavin Lambert has written - I'm so glad I started with this one.
This one grabbed me from the first page and I found it all fascinating. Great for film and theater buffs, people who are interested in womens' issues, and survivors of child abuse. Alla Nazimova was a fascinating, frustrating woman and I'm glad I got to spend this time with her.
This one grabbed me from the first page and I found it all fascinating. Great for film and theater buffs, people who are interested in womens' issues, and survivors of child abuse. Alla Nazimova was a fascinating, frustrating woman and I'm glad I got to spend this time with her.
August 24, 2013
This is the only biography I can find on Nazimova and it was well worth the read. I find her fascinating and her film Salome is one of my favorite silent films ever! She led a very colorful life after growing up in a very dysfunctional family environment. From her "lavender" marriage to her risque and daring film choices that were ahead of their time,this novel was an intriguing and compelling read.
January 23, 2020
I first discovered Nazimova in a Kevyn Aucoin makeover book. When I saw her beautiful film Camille I was entranced and started seeking her out, disappointed that so few of her films are available. This book is a treasure because it presents a comprehensive history of an important actress who unfortunately has faded away as time has passed.
Like Chaplin's autobiography's depiction of his childhood, the beginning of this book is heartbreaking and fascinating the way literature is. Once it starts focusing on her stage career it becomes more clinical, but also possibly more accurate as it is less reliant on Nazimova's own diaries and more on primary resources.
It is frustrating to know how many times Nazimova was tested for parts in Hollywood only to turn them down or to be turned down. She was wonderful on the screen and I wish more of her performances could have been preserved that way. The idea of her playing Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca is tantalizing.
This is an impressive biography considering how much of Nazimova’s work can only be judged by her contemporaries, many of whom were dead when this book was published. Lambert recognizes that much of the information about Nazimova herself was colored by her lover and heir Glesca’s hand.
Like Chaplin's autobiography's depiction of his childhood, the beginning of this book is heartbreaking and fascinating the way literature is. Once it starts focusing on her stage career it becomes more clinical, but also possibly more accurate as it is less reliant on Nazimova's own diaries and more on primary resources.
It is frustrating to know how many times Nazimova was tested for parts in Hollywood only to turn them down or to be turned down. She was wonderful on the screen and I wish more of her performances could have been preserved that way. The idea of her playing Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca is tantalizing.
This is an impressive biography considering how much of Nazimova’s work can only be judged by her contemporaries, many of whom were dead when this book was published. Lambert recognizes that much of the information about Nazimova herself was colored by her lover and heir Glesca’s hand.
April 24, 2019
This was a really interesting book. Because I'm not super interested in silent film or that industry, there was a lot that I skimmed through. Alla Nazimova's life, however, was fascinating.
April 7, 2008
Fascinating biography of one of the great movie stars of the silent era. Nazimova starred in and ptoduced her own movies, and (although usually uncredited) often wrote and directed them as well.
September 19, 2024
My review is no reflection on the author and the tremendous research that has been done here. I am pleased this book exists. Sadly most of Nazimova's work on screen has been lost, so it is good to have this biography.
I found this book difficult to engage with, predominantly in the middle section and probably because I'm not that educated in the theatre, so it just was not sinking in and felt like hard work to read, which isn't normally the case when I read a biography of someone from the movies.
Enjoyed the chapters about Nazimova's early life in Russia and when the book moved on to talk about the silent and sound era. Don't let my two stars put anyone off reading this book, you should always read a book yourself and make up your own opinion
I found this book difficult to engage with, predominantly in the middle section and probably because I'm not that educated in the theatre, so it just was not sinking in and felt like hard work to read, which isn't normally the case when I read a biography of someone from the movies.
Enjoyed the chapters about Nazimova's early life in Russia and when the book moved on to talk about the silent and sound era. Don't let my two stars put anyone off reading this book, you should always read a book yourself and make up your own opinion
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January 13, 2021had high hopes for this biography .. and the first 100 pages were great ... but it turned into a bit of a slot, sort of like the career of its subject.
January 2, 2023
Fascinating read for silent film fans!
June 14, 2025
I used to wonder what they meant when the print on the commercial read, "real people, not actors." Then I read this...
June 17, 2012
This was a decent biography of one of the great actresses of the early 20th Century. Unfortunately, it was written so long after her death that a lot of her biographical information was simply not available. Lambert is an expert on Hollywood, however and wrote a very compelling narrative of the strange but talented Nazimova.
April 12, 2008
I don't own the book, but I have read some pages of it, and reviews about it. I really want to own this book, about the life of an amazing woman.
June 3, 2008
some people were just too cool for history
July 29, 2016
An enjoyable read
April 8, 2017
Nazimova was for the most an actress of the theatre and of silent films so in spite of her immense influence in her time she is mostly forgotten today. She actualized major roles in Ibsen, Checkov and O'Neil. The performances of these classics today still are influenced by her styles of acting. Unfortunatly she chose to direct most of her own silent films and those that survive mosly lack stature. This book is well worth reading even if your interests do not include theater.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews