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Vera Ralston

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
27

Gender
Female

Birthday
July 12, 1920 (106 years old)

Place of Birth
Prague, Tchécoslovaquie

Vera Ralston

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vera Ralston (born Věra Helena Hrubá) was a Czech figure skater and actress. She later became a naturalized American citizen. She worked as an actress during the 1940s and 1950s.

As a figure skater, she represented Czechoslovakia in competition under her birth name Věra Hrubá. She competed at the 1936 European Figure Skating Championships and placed 15th. Later that season, she competed at the 1936 Winter Olympics, where she placed 17th. During the games, she personally met and insulted Adolf Hitler. Hitler asked her if she would like to "skate for the swastika." As she later boasted, "I looked him right in the eye, and said that I'd rather skate on the swastika. The Führer was furious." Hrubá competed at the 1937 European Figure Skating Championships and placed 7th. She emigrated to the United States in 1941 and became a naturalized citizen in 1946.

She moved to Hollywood with her mother and signed a contract in 1943 with Republic Pictures. During her career she was known as Vera Hrubá Ralston and later Vera Ralston. She normally played an immigrant girl, because of her limited English skills. Among the 26 films Ralston starred in were: Storm Over Lisbon; Dakota; I, Jane Doe; The Fighting Kentuckian; A Perilous Journey; and Fair Wind to Java. She retired from films in 1958.

In 1952, Ralston married Republic studio head Herbert Yates. Yates was nearly 40 years her senior, and had left his wife and children to be with Ralston. Yates used his position to obtain roles for Ralston, and at one point was sued by studio shareholders for using company assets to promote his wife. Yates died in 1966, leaving his $8 million estate to Ralston. She suffered a nervous breakdown shortly thereafter, remarried, and lived quietly in southern California.

She died on February 9, 2003, in Santa Barbara, California, after a long battle with cancer. For her work in films, Ralston has a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A registered Republican, she supported Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Vera Ralston, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Acting

1958The Man Who Died Twiceas Lynn Brennon
1958The Notorious Mr. Monksas Angela Monks
1957Gunfire at Indian Gapas Cheel Palmer
1957Spoilers of the Forestas Joan Milna
1956Accused of Murderas Ilona Vance
1955Timberjackas Lynne Tilton
1954Jubilee Trailas Florinda Grove
1953A Perilous Journeyas Francie Landreaux
1953Fair Wind to Javaas Kim Kim
1952Hoodlum Empireas Marte 'Marty' Dufour Gray
1951The Wild Blue Yonderas Lt. Helen Landers
1951Belle Le Grandas Daisy Henshaw / Belle Le Grand
1950Surrenderas Violet Barton
1949The Fighting Kentuckianas Fleurette De Marchand
1948Angel on the Amazonas Christine Ridgeway
1948I, Jane Doeas Annette Dubois / Jane Doe
1947The Flameas Carlotta Duval
1947A Week in the Quiet Houseas Sieglová
1947Wyomingas Karen Alderson
1946The Plainsman and the Ladyas Ann Arnesen
1946Murder in the Music Hallas Lila Laughton
1945Dakotaas Sandy Poli
1944Lake Placid Serenadeas Vera Haschek
1944Storm Over Lisbonas Maria Mazarek, aka Maritza
1944The Lady and the Monsteras Janice Farrell
1942Ice Capades Revueas Vera Hruba - Ice-Capades Skater
1941Ice-Capadesas Ice-Capades Skater

Production