| Tamara Shayne | |
|---|---|
 Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne in Jolson Sings Again (1949) | |
| Born | Tamara Veniaminovna Olkenitskaya (1902-11-25)25 November 1902 Perm, Russian Empire |
| Died | 23 October 1983(1983-10-23) (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1932–1961 |
| Spouse |
Akim Tamiroff
(m. 1932; died 1972) |
Tamara Shayne (25 November 1902 – 23 October 1983), also known as Tamara Nikoulina, was a Russian-born actress and long-time resident in the United States.
Early life
Tamara Shayne was born Tamara Veniaminovna Olkenitskaya on 25 November 1902 in Perm, Russia, to the family of a Jewish actor Veniamin Olkenitsky-Nikulin (aka Benjamin Nikulin). Her older brother Konstantin was also an actor.
Career
Shayne appeared in European films before migrating to the United States in 1927 with her future husband, the actor Akim Tamiroff; the couple married in February 1933.
Her first role (uncredited) in an American film was in The Captain Hates the Sea (1934). She also appeared uncredited in Ninotchka (1939) as Anna, the cellist roommate of the titular character portrayed by Greta Garbo. Shayne appeared in nearly two dozen films from 1934-61, and is possibly best remembered as Moma Yoelson in The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again (1949).
Personal life
Shayne remained married to Akim Tamiroff until his death in 1972, and she retired at that time. She died from complications following a heart attack on 23 October 1983.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | The Captain Hates the Sea | General's Wife | Uncredited |
| 1935 | George White's 1935 Scandals | Russian Girl - Old Southern Custom | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Ninotchka | Anna - Moscow Roommate | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Somewhere I'll Find You | Mama Lugovska | Uncredited |
| 1943 | Mission to Moscow | Russian Nurse | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Song of Russia | Mme. Orlova | |
| 1946 | The Jolson Story | Mrs. Yoelson | |
| 1947 | It Happened in Brooklyn | Mrs. Kardos | |
| 1947 | Northwest Outpost | Olga Natalia's Maid | |
| 1947 | Pirates of Monterey | Filomena | |
| 1948 | Walk a Crooked Mile | Mrs. Ecko, Landlady | Uncredited |
| 1948 | The Snake Pit | Ward 33 Inmate | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Jolson Sings Again | Moma Yoelson | |
| 1949 | Black Magic | Maria Balsamo | |
| 1949 | Thieves' Highway | Parthena Garcos | |
| 1949 | The Red Danube | Helena Nagard | |
| 1951 | I Can Get It for You Wholesale | Mrs. Cooper | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Tonight We Sing | Customer | Uncredited |
| 1955 | Mr. Arkadin | Woman in Apartment | |
| 1956 | Anastasia | Zenia | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Romanoff and Juliet | Evdokia Romanoff |
References
- John Walker (ed) Halliwell Who's Who in the Movies, London: HarperCollins, 1999 (13th edition), p. 375 suggests her year of birth was 1897
- Doug McClelland Blackface to blacklist: Al Jolson, Larry Parks, and The Jolson story, Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1998, pg. 154
- ^ "Tamara Shayne, 80, Actress; Was Jolson's Mother in Films", The New York Times, 27 October 1983.
- Marriage date. "Ancestry.com". Ancestry.com.
- "Biography for Tamara Shayne", TCM.com; accessed 20 June 2017.