Sonia Karlov
Encyclopedia
Sonia Karlov was an American dancer, stage, and motion picture actress from Syracuse, New York
. Her birth name was Alma Jeanne Williams.
along with her sister Mary. Ned Wayburn signed her to perform in the Ziegfeld Follies
of Flo Ziegfeld.
She moved to Hollywood as a nineteen-year-old but left without a movie contract. Then Karlov was in an auto accident and lay in a hospital bed, disabled physically for six weeks. During this time she concocted a bold hoax which she intended to carry out. She also changed her hair color from brunette to blond. She returned to Hollywood using the name of Sonia Karlov, Norwegian
actress. Supposedly she was the daughter of a Russia
n father and a Norwegian mother. Karlov hired a press agent after convincing him that she was a great foreign actress. Another version of how Jeanne became Sonia is that she began dating a press agent who came up with the entire deception. Later he got drunk and revealed everything.
Newspaper reporters flocked to her side for interviews and the
daily papers were replete with stories about her. Then she was invited to
a newspaper luncheon as a guest of honor. A New York reporter recognized her as Jeanne Williams of the Follies.
The following morning she entered the office of Cecil B. Demille
and
confessed to him her ruse
. Karlov pleaded with him to give her a trial and not tear up her contract. Demille replied that she had been deceptive enough to trick him, his staff, and all of Hollywood. He said that if she was just as proficient as an actress, she could appear in his motion pictures. She was signed to an MGM contract for five years.
accent. She had learned it too proficiently and was forced to return to Broadway (Manhattan), for work.
In October 1930 Karlov played the role of Betty Gilbert in Sisters of the Chorus. The play came to the Ritz Theater in New York after a successful run in western American cities. Karlov's character was a chorus girl in this production that co-starred Enid Markey
and Edna Hibbard
. She was a part of the cast of Love On Approval, which was staged at The Playhouse in Chicago, Illinois, in June 1932.
Karlov turned to writing film scenarios, of which she had produced six by December 1934. Two of these were accepted and produced by MGM. Her sister, Jane, held a position at the Park Central Hotel
in New York City in the 1930s. Mary Williams continued performing as a dancer in the Ziegfeld Follies, George White's Scandals
, and the Grand Street Scandals.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. Her birth name was Alma Jeanne Williams.
Deceived film executives
Williams won a bathing suit contest, becoming Miss Syracuse of 1924. She was sixteen years of age. Afterward she moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
along with her sister Mary. Ned Wayburn signed her to perform in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
of Flo Ziegfeld.
She moved to Hollywood as a nineteen-year-old but left without a movie contract. Then Karlov was in an auto accident and lay in a hospital bed, disabled physically for six weeks. During this time she concocted a bold hoax which she intended to carry out. She also changed her hair color from brunette to blond. She returned to Hollywood using the name of Sonia Karlov, Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
actress. Supposedly she was the daughter of a 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...
n father and a Norwegian mother. Karlov hired a press agent after convincing him that she was a great foreign actress. Another version of how Jeanne became Sonia is that she began dating a press agent who came up with the entire deception. Later he got drunk and revealed everything.
Newspaper reporters flocked to her side for interviews and the
daily papers were replete with stories about her. Then she was invited to
a newspaper luncheon as a guest of honor. A New York reporter recognized her as Jeanne Williams of the Follies.
The following morning she entered the office of Cecil B. Demille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
and
confessed to him her ruse
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
. Karlov pleaded with him to give her a trial and not tear up her contract. Demille replied that she had been deceptive enough to trick him, his staff, and all of Hollywood. He said that if she was just as proficient as an actress, she could appear in his motion pictures. She was signed to an MGM contract for five years.
Movie and stage actress
Karlov's film career was a brief one. Her sole screen credit is in the role of Lulu Bellew in Lucky In Love (1929). She was released from her MGM contract but received some financial compensation. Charles R. Rogers, formerly an executive of RKO – Pathe Pictures, signed her to a term contract in July 1932. She found herself at a disadvantage in sound motion pictures because of her pronounced Russianaccent. She had learned it too proficiently and was forced to return to Broadway (Manhattan), for work.
In October 1930 Karlov played the role of Betty Gilbert in Sisters of the Chorus. The play came to the Ritz Theater in New York after a successful run in western American cities. Karlov's character was a chorus girl in this production that co-starred Enid Markey
Enid Markey
Enid Markey was an American actress of stage, film and television. She originated the role of Jane in films, playing the character twice - in 1918 .Her first film role was in The Fortunes of War...
and Edna Hibbard
Edna Hibbard
Edna Hibbard was a stage and motion picture actress from California. She had a sharp tongue and was known for her roles in comedy.-Theatrical prominence:...
. She was a part of the cast of Love On Approval, which was staged at The Playhouse in Chicago, Illinois, in June 1932.
Karlov turned to writing film scenarios, of which she had produced six by December 1934. Two of these were accepted and produced by MGM. Her sister, Jane, held a position at the Park Central Hotel
Park Central Hotel
The Park Central Hotel is a 31-story, 935-room hotel located at 870 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York.Built in the pre-Depression late-twenties, its grand opening took place on June 12, 1927...
in New York City in the 1930s. Mary Williams continued performing as a dancer in the Ziegfeld Follies, George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
, and the Grand Street Scandals.