Ursula Pearson
Encyclopedia
Ursula Pearson Bellah was a German
-born, American
actress, author, and businesswoman, most famous for her role of Hilda in Teenagers From Outer Space
and her autobiographical perspective on Nazi Germany
Surviving the Judas Factor: A Childhood Entombed in Nazi Germany.
, Germany
, the girl who went by "Ulli" had a tough time growing up. Brainwashed by the propaganda of Adolf Hitler
at a very young age, Ulli allowed herself to be subjugated by the Nazis' totalitarian regime until personal tragedy and wisdom of age forced her to realize the atrocities they had committed. Her father, Hermann, was a captain in the 8th SS Cavalry Division
, also known as the Florian Geyer
. Both he and her much-loved older brother were killed in combat, forced to continue fighting even after their superiors had fled.
troops, Ursula left Germany for America. After a chance whirlwind romance with former BBC
& theatre actor Bryan Pearson in the mid 50's, the couple moved to Los Angeles
in the hopes of reinvigorating Bryan's career. Unfortunately Bryan's first investment was the funding of Tom Graeff
's ill-fated flop Teenagers From Outer Space
, in which he starred as the villain Thor, and Ursula, changing her last name to the more American-friendly "Hansen" was featured as a secretary named Hilda.
The film failed at the box office and after a drawn out legal dispute the couple decided to leave the entertainment industry. A few years later the Pearson divorced, and Bryan Pearson moved to Hawaii
to pursue business interests.
Royal Air Force
pilot James Warner Bellah
.
Towards the end of her life, Ursula was inspired by her daughter's desires to see her story written for future generations to write an autobiography of her life growing up in Nazi Germany
. The book served as a warning to all about the dangers of blindly following a leader; a pied piper leading a nation into the darkness. While not a professionally-written book by any means, the honest and deeply personal account is incredibly moving and Ursula confronts her past with both anger and regret.
She planned to write a sequel to her book, which would have detailed the resurrection of Germany and her life after the war, but she died before it was finished; her children have dedicated themselves to finding the book and publishing it.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, author, and businesswoman, most famous for her role of Hilda in Teenagers From Outer Space
Teenagers from Outer Space
Teenagers from Outer Space is a 1959 science-fiction film about an extraterrestrial space ship landing on Earth to use it as a farm for its food supply. The crew of the ship includes teenagers, two of whom oppose each other in their activities. The independent film was originally distributed by...
and her autobiographical perspective on Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Surviving the Judas Factor: A Childhood Entombed in Nazi Germany.
Life in Nazi Germany
Born Ursula Gadischke in 1929 in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the girl who went by "Ulli" had a tough time growing up. Brainwashed by the propaganda of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
at a very young age, Ulli allowed herself to be subjugated by the Nazis' totalitarian regime until personal tragedy and wisdom of age forced her to realize the atrocities they had committed. Her father, Hermann, was a captain in the 8th SS Cavalry Division
8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
The 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer was a Waffen-SS cavalry Division during World War II. It was formed in 1942 from a cadre of the SS Cavalry Brigade which was involved in anti partisan operations behind the front line and was responsible for the extermination of tens of thousands of the...
, also known as the Florian Geyer
Florian Geyer
Florian Geyer , also known as "Florian Geier from Giebelstadt", was a Franconian nobleman, diplomat and knight...
. Both he and her much-loved older brother were killed in combat, forced to continue fighting even after their superiors had fled.
First Marriage & Teenagers from Outer Space
After the liberation of Germany by AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops, Ursula left Germany for America. After a chance whirlwind romance with former BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
& theatre actor Bryan Pearson in the mid 50's, the couple moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the hopes of reinvigorating Bryan's career. Unfortunately Bryan's first investment was the funding of Tom Graeff
Tom Graeff
Thomas Lockyear "Tom" Graeff was an American screenwriter, director and actor. He is known for the 1959 b-movie Teenagers from Outer Space.-Early life:...
's ill-fated flop Teenagers From Outer Space
Teenagers from Outer Space
Teenagers from Outer Space is a 1959 science-fiction film about an extraterrestrial space ship landing on Earth to use it as a farm for its food supply. The crew of the ship includes teenagers, two of whom oppose each other in their activities. The independent film was originally distributed by...
, in which he starred as the villain Thor, and Ursula, changing her last name to the more American-friendly "Hansen" was featured as a secretary named Hilda.
The film failed at the box office and after a drawn out legal dispute the couple decided to leave the entertainment industry. A few years later the Pearson divorced, and Bryan Pearson moved to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to pursue business interests.
Writing & Later life
After her marriage with Bryan, Ursula married Charles Kapple, an experienced sailor of the high seas (her Cap). After the early passing of Cap, Ursula married author James Bellah, son of author & World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot James Warner Bellah
James Warner Bellah
James Warner Bellah was a popular American Western author from the 1930s to the 1950s...
.
Towards the end of her life, Ursula was inspired by her daughter's desires to see her story written for future generations to write an autobiography of her life growing up in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The book served as a warning to all about the dangers of blindly following a leader; a pied piper leading a nation into the darkness. While not a professionally-written book by any means, the honest and deeply personal account is incredibly moving and Ursula confronts her past with both anger and regret.
She planned to write a sequel to her book, which would have detailed the resurrection of Germany and her life after the war, but she died before it was finished; her children have dedicated themselves to finding the book and publishing it.