Baroness Veronika von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, also known as Bina Rothschild and Veronika Rothschild (née Countess Katharina Eleonore Veronika Irma Luise Henckel von Donnersmarck; 8 February 1902 – 6 October 1965), was a German aristocrat and actress known for playing the Queen of Transylvania in the 1964 musical film '' My Fair Lady''.

Early life and ancestry

Rothschild was born Countess Katharina Eleonore Veronika Irma Luise Henckel von Donnersmarck on 8 February 1902 in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

to Count Lazarus Herbert Patrik Valentin Henckel von Donnersmarck (1869-1940) and Countess Vera Maria Elisabeth Marequita Maximiliane Charlotte Luise von Kanitz (1875-1962). She was a member of the House Henckel of Donnersmarck, a rich Austro-German noble family that originated in modern-day

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

. Her maternal grandfather, Count Georg von Kanitz, was a prominent statesman in the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

Marriage and issue

In 1925, she married Erich Max Benedikt,

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (1899-1987), the son of Baron Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild and his wife, Baroness Minna Karoline von

Rothschild Rothschild () is a name derived from the German ''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "with the red sign", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by signs ...

(1857-1903). Her husband was a member of the

Goldschmidt Goldschmidt is a German surname meaning "Goldsmith". It may refer to: * Adalbert von Goldschmidt (1848-1906), composer * Adolph Goldschmidt (1863–1944), art historian * Adolphe Goldschmidt (1838–1918), German-British banker * Berthold Goldschm ...

and Rothschild banking dynasties. She gave birth to a son: * Baron Patrick Maximilien von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, (b. 1928); married on 1 July 1967 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

to Annika Roman (b. 1928). They have: ** Baron Eric von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (b. 1 Mar 1970) ** Baroness Kristina von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (b.29 Jul 1973)

Biography

Rothschild played the role of the Queen of Transylvania in the 1964 Lerner and Loewe musical film '' My Fair Lady'', based on

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

's 1913 play ''

Pygmalion Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to: Mythology * Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue Stage * ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau * ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...

''. She was not trained as an actress, and was considered by Cecil Beaton, an artistic director for the film, to be the only non-actress suitable to play the role, stating that she had "impeccable deportment and breeding."

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...

, who directed the film, helped her prepare for the role. Beaton had originally wanted Cukor to cast

Fritzi Massary Fritzi Massary (31 March 1882 – 30 January 1969) was an Austrian-American soprano singer and actress. Early life and career Fritzi Massary was born Friederike Massaryk in Vienna in the Austro-Hungarian Empire on 31 March 1882. She was one o ...

for the role, but she demanded too much pay. The part then went to Rothschild, who was costumed with a triple-pronged tiara and three-tiered diamond necklace designed by Beaton. She died on 6 October 1965, aged 63.

External links

Baroness Rothschild IMDB

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rothschild, Bina 1902 births 1965 deaths Actresses from Berlin Austrian countesses German film actresses German countesses German baronesses Goldsmith family Henckel von Donnersmack Rothschild family