Stella Arbenina
Encyclopedia
Stella Arbenina was a Russian-born English actress.
Born Stella Zoe Whishaw in St. Petersburg, Russia
into an English family who had mader their home in Russia for several generations, she was married in 1907 to Baron Paul Meyendorff Captain in the Horse Guards and Aides-de-camp to Tsar Nicholas II in 1907 and then later Colonel in his Military Secretariat. Arbenina and Meyendorff had three children.
During the Russian Revolution the family suffered greatly under the Bolsheviks. Their possessions were seized and they were imprisoned. Through efforts by the Baltic Germans Committee they were released from prison and finally permitted to leave Russia at end of 1918. They settled briefly in Estonia
where they lived on a remnant of the family estates. Arbenina acted in theatres in Tallinn
and Tartu
, and also in Berlin, in from 1921 to 1922. In 1923 she arrived with children to London
, where she permanently settled, appearing in English stage and film roles.
In 1930, she released her memoirs, Through Terror to Freedom, which describes her experiences during the Russian Revolution.
Born Stella Zoe Whishaw in St. Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
into an English family who had mader their home in Russia for several generations, she was married in 1907 to Baron Paul Meyendorff Captain in the Horse Guards and Aides-de-camp to Tsar Nicholas II in 1907 and then later Colonel in his Military Secretariat. Arbenina and Meyendorff had three children.
During the Russian Revolution the family suffered greatly under the Bolsheviks. Their possessions were seized and they were imprisoned. Through efforts by the Baltic Germans Committee they were released from prison and finally permitted to leave Russia at end of 1918. They settled briefly in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
where they lived on a remnant of the family estates. Arbenina acted in theatres in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
and Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, and also in Berlin, in from 1921 to 1922. In 1923 she arrived with children to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she permanently settled, appearing in English stage and film roles.
In 1930, she released her memoirs, Through Terror to Freedom, which describes her experiences during the Russian Revolution.
Selected filmography
- The Last WitnessThe Last Witness (1925 film)The Last Witness is a 1925 British silent crime film directed by Fred Paul and starring Paul, Isobel Elsom, and Stella Arbenina. A barrister prosectues his own wife, who has recently had an affair with a Member of Parliament, for murder. It was based on a novel by F. Britten Austin.-Cast:* Fred...
(1925) - The Secret KingdomThe Secret Kingdom (film)The Secret Kingdom is a 1925 British silent fantasy film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Matheson Lang, Stella Arbenina and Eric Bransby Williams. It is an adaptation of the novel The Hidden Fire by Bertram Atkey...
(1925) - A Woman RedeemedA Woman RedeemedA Woman Redeemed is a 1927 British crime film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Joan Lockton, Brian Aherne and James Carew. A secret society uses a young woman to try and steal some sensitive information. It was based on the novel The Fining Pot is for Silver by F. Britten Austin.-Cast:* Joan...
(1927) - StamboulStamboul (film)Stamboul is a 1931 British drama film directed by Dimitri Buchowetzki and starring Warwick Ward, Rosita Moreno, Margot Grahame and Garry Marsh. It is based on a play by Pierre Frondaie. In the lead up to the First World War, a French military attaché falls in love with the wife of a prominent...
(1931) - What Happened Then? (1934)
- Colonel BloodColonel Blood (film)Colonel Blood was a British film written and directed by W.P. Lipscomb. It was a dramatised account of Thomas Blood, a 17th-century adventurer in England.-Plot:...
(1934) - Fine Feathers (1937)