Vilma Bánky (born Vilma Koncsics;Hungarian civil registration document from Nagydorog, available through LDS records; film number 1793002 Items 4–5 9 January 1901 – 18 March 1991) was a Hungarian-American

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

actress. Although her acting career began in Budapest, and she later worked in France, Austria, and Germany, Bánky was best known for her roles in the American films '' The Eagle'' and '' The Son of the Sheik'' with

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor who starred in several well-known sile ...

, and for several romantic teamings with

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...

Early life

Bánky was born on 9 January 1901 (although some sources inaccurately cite her birth year as 1898 or 1903) to János Bánky Koncsics and Katalin Ulbert, in Nagydorog,

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

. Her father was a bureau chief in

Franz Joseph Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

. Shortly after her birth, her father, a police sergeant, was transferred to

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

, and the family relocated. She had two siblings – an older brother, Gyula (AKA Viktor Bánky), and a younger sister, Gizella (Gizi). After graduation from secondary school, Bánky (as she would later be known) took courses to work as a stenographer, but was offered a role in a film.

Career

She was hailed as "The Hungarian Rhapsody" and was an immediate hit with American audiences. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' remarked in its review of her first American film, '' The Dark Angel'' (1925), that she "is a young person of rare beauty ... so exquisite that one is not in the least surprised that she is never forgotten by Hillary Trent" (the movie's leading male character who decides to allow his family and fiancée to believe him dead rather than place what he perceives as the burden on them of a life caring for a blinded war veteran). Vilmabanky33276u 3

She appeared opposite silent film star

in '' The Eagle'' (1925) and '' The Son of the Sheik'' (1926). Valentino reportedly was fascinated by Vilma, and chose her as the leading lady in the films. She also appeared opposite

in a series of love stories, including ''The Dark Angel'' and '' The Winning of Barbara Worth''. It is commonly believed that her thick Hungarian accent led, with the advent of sound, to her career being cut short; however, she began losing interest in films and wanted to settle down with Rod La Rocque and simply be his wife. In 1930, she announced her retirement. She came out of retirement briefly in 1933 to star in ''The Rebel'' with

Luis Trenker Luis Trenker (born Alois Franz Trenker, 4 October 1892 – 12 April 1990) was a South Tyrolean film producer, director, writer, actor, architect, alpinist, and bobsledder. Biography Early life Alois Franz Trenker was born on 4 October 1892 in ...

. Of her 24 films, eight exist in their entirety (''Hotel Potemkin'', ''Der Zirkuskönig'' (''The King of the Circus'') with Max Linder, ''The Son of the Sheik'', ''The Eagle'', ''The Winning of Barbara Worth'', '' The Night of Love'', '' A Lady to Love'', and ''The Rebel''), and three exist in fragments (''Tavaszi szerelem'' in scattered bits, the first five reels of '' The Magic Flame'', and an incomplete copy of '' Two Lovers'').

Personal life and death

She married actor Rod La Rocque in 1927; they remained married until his death in 1969. She became an accomplished golfer, while La Rocque devoted his time to real estate. The couple had no children, but established the Banky-La Rocque Foundation to fund various educational and artistic endeavors, which donated millions well after Bánky died. Bánky died on 18 March 1991, from cardiopulmonary failure, aged 90, but notice of her death was not made public until the following year. She was reportedly upset that no one had come to visit her in her last years, and directed her lawyer to make no mention of her death. While this is what was reported in the newspapers, she did in fact have many visitors. Her ashes were scattered at sea where her husband's had been consigned. For her contributions to the film industry, Bánky received a motion picture star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

in 1960. Her star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

In popular culture

* Bánky is mentioned by Mr. Burns in ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

'' episode " Homer Defined". *

William Holden William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...

's character Joe Gillis references Bánky in the film

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

. * Bánky is referenced in an episode " Lucy Does the Tango" on ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...

''.

Filmography

Bibliography

*Schildgen, Rachel A. ''More Than a Dream: Rediscovering the Life & Films of Vilma Banky''; .

References

External links

*
Vilma Bánky: Hungarian Rhapsody
vilma-banky.com

szineszkonyvtar.hu
Photographs of Vilma Bánky
film.virtual-history.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Banky, Vilma 1901 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American actresses American silent film actresses American film actresses Hungarian emigrants to the United States Hungarian silent film actresses 20th-century Hungarian actresses People from Tolna County