Mala Powers (real name Marie Ellen Powers) is an American theater, film and television actress. It became widely known in the 1950s. In 1958, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Debut in the film Cyrano de Bergerac.
For the first time on the screen, the actress appeared in 1942 in the film noir directed by William Knight "Tough As They Come". At the age of 16, she began working at a radio station, where she took part in radio performances.
In the creative biography of the performer there are about 80 roles in films and television projects. She has repeatedly participated in popular documentary series, including: "Mr. Adams and Eve", "Biography", "Women in Cinema: Being in charge", "From Russia to Hollywood".
Biography facts
Marie Helene was born in the United States in the winter of 1931 to a family of journalists who moved to Hollywood after losing their job in San Francisco. Her father was the CEO of United Press.
From an early age, the girl was carried away by creativity. According to her recollections, she first appeared on stage at the age of 7, and then constantly participated in theatrical performances. She literally fell in love with the theater from her first performance and dreamed of becoming a famous actress. Mala attended Max Reinhardt's workshop of dramatic art, specially organized for young children.
During her school years, the girl already played on the professional stage. She played one of the central roles in the play "Tough As They Come".
After completing her primary education, Mala went to Los Angeles. There, the girl began to study acting skills at the university according to the method of the famous actor, director, playwright and teacher Mikhail Chekhov, and also took personal lessons from him.
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Chekhov - the nephew of the writer Anton Chekhov, was a Russian and American dramatic actor, Honored Artist of the Russian Republic, the author of the book "On the Technique of the Actor." In 1928, after a tour in Germany, he decided not to return to Russia. He later moved to America, where he opened his own acting school, Actors Laboratory.
Powers was one of Chekhov's best students. Later, she herself began to lead a teaching activity and taught students to stage skills. The actress was one of the founders of the Mikhail Chekhov National Association and was a leading expert using his acting techniques on stage and in the process of teaching young talents. Malu has been repeatedly invited to lecture and teach acting classes at America's leading universities.
She wrote a book on theater and Chekhov's methodology called "Michael Chekhov on Theater and the Art of Acting: The Five-Hour Master Class" and became his executor. In 2002, she became the host of the documentary project "From Russia to Hollywood" together with the famous Gregory Peck, in which she talked about the great actor, director and teacher and his methods.
While studying at the University, Powers began working in radio, where she took part in the production of several radio plays. There she was first noticed by director Ida Lupino and invited the young actress to her new project.
Film career
Mala got her first minor role in the film "Tough As They Come" by William Knight.
In 1950 she played in the drama of Mark Robson's Edge of Doom. The film tells about a young man who suffers from a mental disorder, he also killed a priest. One of the friends of the murdered man decides to find the criminal so that he will bear a fair punishment.
In the same year, Mala starred in the film noir drama "Insult" directed by Ida Lupino. The psychological drama follows a young woman who is attacked by a rapist. After a terrible event, she cannot come to her senses for a long time and as a result decides to leave the city and settle on a small farm, where she soon has a young boyfriend.
A successful debut allowed the artist to get one of the central roles in the drama "Cyrano de Bergerac", which tells about the love of the famous poet for his cousin Roxana.
Jose Ferrer - the performer of the role of Cyrano, won the Oscar and Golden Globe awards. Mala, who played Roxanne, was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Debut category.
In 1951, having gone on tour to Korea, Powers fell seriously ill and was on the verge of death. She was diagnosed with a blood disease and tried to treat with drugs to which the actress had an allergic reaction. As a result, she spent more than six months in the hospital. After treatment and rehabilitation, Mala returned to her acting career and reappeared on the screen.
Later Powers starred in many famous films and TV series, including: "The City That Never Sleeps", "Disneyland", "Studio 57", "Yellow Mountain", "Cheyenne", "Morning Theater", "Tammy and the Bachelor", Carriage Caravan, Perry Mason, Maverick, Wanted Dead or Alive, Bronco, Bailiff, 77 Sunset Strip, Rawhide, Bonanza, Plant to jail "," Rebel "," Hawaiian detective "," Thriller "," Dr. Kildare "," Hazel "," Swamps "," My wife bewitched me "," Agents of ANKL "," Wild Wild West "," Mission Impossible "," Iron Side "," Man in the City "," Charlie's Angels "," Murder She Wrote "," Tough Boys ".
Personal life
Mala was married twice. The first choice was Monty Max Vanton. They married on October 12, 1954 and lived together for about 8 years. In this union, her only son was born, whom his parents named Toren.
The second husband was the publisher Hughes Miller. The wedding took place on May 17, 1970. Their marriage lasted until Hughes' death. He passed away in 1989.
In the 2000s, the actress was diagnosed with leukemia. She was treated in one of the American clinics, but the disease won. Mala passed away in 2007 at the age of 76.
