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Narda Onyx

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Estonian-American actress

Narda Onyx
Onyx in an episode of One Step Beyond (1959)
Born(1931-12-20)20 December 1931
Estonia
Died18 March 1991(1991-03-18) (aged 59)
Ventura, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1956–1966
SpouseGeorge Virand

Narda Onyx (20 December 1931 – 18 March 1991) was an Estonian-born naturalized American film and television actress.

Biography

At the age of eleven, Onyx escaped along with her family (her grandparents, mother, and two-year-old brother) through Soviet lines and deceived her would-be German captors near the end of World War II. The Onyx family made their way to the American occupation forces at Bonn, Germany, and sought refuge with the Swedish Red Cross. She and her mother worked as waitresses for the American forces. Later the family moved to Sweden, where Narda resumed her acting career. She travelled to England, where she worked for the Old Vic Company. She moved to Canada in 1951, received a US work permit in 1954, and then received a US residency permit in 1956.

She appeared in dozens of supporting roles on television and in motion pictures during the 1950s and 1960s. Shows in which she appeared include The Beverly Hillbillies, Have Gun – Will Travel, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. In addition, she played Gretl Braun in Hitler (1962) and Maria Frankenstein in Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966).

In 1964, she authored a biography of Johnny Weissmuller entitled Water, World & Weissmuller. In addition to Estonian, Onyx spoke English, Swedish, Finnish, and German.

Personal life

On 20 October 1961, she became an American citizen. While in Canada she met and married George Virand, also an Estonian refuge, and they moved to Hollywood.

References

  1. "FamilySearch: Sign In". FamilySearch.
  2. "Starvation Has Taught Her Value of Good Food Habits". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, VA. August 7, 1957. p. 16. Retrieved March 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Maynard, John (August 25, 1957). "Estonia Was Just a Starter". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, CA. p. 186. Retrieved March 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. "Yccchhh". The Berkeley Gazette. Berkeley, CA. April 20, 1974. p. 26. Retrieved March 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. "Water World Weissmuller by Narda Onyx, Signed - AbeBooks". www.abebooks.co.uk.
  6. "Actress in French Role Is Unable to Speak French". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, KS. November 11, 1956. p. 76. Retrieved November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. "Estonian Actress Becomes U.S. Citizen after 16 Years". The Journal. Sacramento, CA. November 16, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved October 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. "Versatile Narda Onxy: The Blonde Other Woman". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, CA. November 24, 1957. p. 133. Retrieved March 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

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