Vera Olcott
Encyclopedia
Vera Olcott was an American dancer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
who became popular in Europe
in the early
20th century.
dances in vaudeville
venues in New York City
. Among them were La Sylphe
, Eva Tanguay
, Lotta Faust
and Gertrude Hoffman
.
Olcott ran away from home at the age of sixteen and found work as a Broadway chorus girl.
In 1908 she wore an abbreviated tarletan skirt in her rendition of the Salome dance at Huber's 14th Street (Manhattan)
Museum. Regarding her inspiration, she admitted to taking notice of any newspaper or magazine with a picture of Salome. However she professed to have neither read the
Bible
or been aware of the story of Salome and Herod Antipas
. She was apprehensive that the police would soon prohibit her competitors' presentations of the Salome dance. Olcott was frank in saying some of 'em ain't refined. She feared this would lead to the cancellation of all performances of the dance.
She possessed exquisitely formed, tiny feet, which earned for her the silver slippers, presented to the woman with the smallest and most beautiful feet in Paris, France. Following her selection, Olcott signed a contract which catapulted her from a chorus girl to one of the most well paid stars of the French stage. She also received as gifts more than one hundred pairs of shoes, especially made for her tiny
feet. Olcott claimed a $100,000 prize in 1922 for having the most beautiful legs in Paris. She quickly had them insured for $100,000. In March 1923 she appeared at
the Palace Theatre, London
with Harry Pilcer in Toutes les Femmes. (All The Ladies) Her attire for this show included a feathered headdress with curling plumes. In August 1923 she was aboard the President Harding, passenger ship of the United States Lines
, when it docked in Hoboken, New Jersey
. Olcott was a passenger on the RMS Berengaria which departed
New York City destined for Cherbourg, France and Southampton, England, in December 1923.
She introduced the Charleston
to Berlin, Germany at the Theatre des Westens, in August 1926. In 1927 she traveled from Paris to the French Riviera
, performing her interpretation of the black bottom (dance)
.
known when married, eventually tired of her husband's lavish attention and the luxuries he bestowed on her. She made her way back to
United States
and was soon divorced by Zarnekau. The Count made provisions for his final Slavic
estates to be given to Olcott. When he
died in front of the Winter Palace
, his land was taken by Bolsheviks.
Another newspaper article reported Olcott in Berlin searching for Zarnekau in September 1926. This story described her acting upon a clue that he did not die in battle, an event which was never verified. Olcott supposedly received a mysterious letter from abroad stating that Zarnekau was still alive. According to this news item Olcott returned to the United States at Zarnekau's instruction during World War I
. She ventured to Europe
in 1926 with a desire to reunite with him, so that they could resume their position in Czarist circles. At the time there was still hope of a royal restoration in Russia
.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
who became popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the early
20th century.
Dance innovator
She was one of many women who performed SalomeSalome
Salome , the Daughter of Herodias , is known from the New Testament...
dances in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
venues in New York City
New 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...
. Among them were La Sylphe
La Sylphe
La Sylphe was an exotic American dancer who became a sensation while performing at the Folies Bergère in the 1890s. Her true name was Edith Lambelle Langerfeld. -Parents:...
, Eva Tanguay
Eva Tanguay
Eva Tanguay was a Canadian-born singer and entertainer who billed herself as "the girl who made vaudeville famous".-Early life:...
, Lotta Faust
Lotta Faust
Lotta Faust was an actress, dancer, and singer from Brooklyn, New York. She performed an interpretation of the Salome dance based on the Salome by Oscar Wilde.Faust attended public schools in Brooklyn...
and Gertrude Hoffman
Gertrude Hoffman
Gertrude W. Hoffmann was a German-born American character actress who began her Hollywood career as she was entering her sunset years.-Family:...
.
Olcott ran away from home at the age of sixteen and found work as a Broadway chorus girl.
In 1908 she wore an abbreviated tarletan skirt in her rendition of the Salome dance at Huber's 14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....
Museum. Regarding her inspiration, she admitted to taking notice of any newspaper or magazine with a picture of Salome. However she professed to have neither read the
Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
or been aware of the story of Salome and Herod Antipas
Herod Antipas
Herod Antipater , known by the nickname Antipas, was a 1st-century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch...
. She was apprehensive that the police would soon prohibit her competitors' presentations of the Salome dance. Olcott was frank in saying some of 'em ain't refined. She feared this would lead to the cancellation of all performances of the dance.
She possessed exquisitely formed, tiny feet, which earned for her the silver slippers, presented to the woman with the smallest and most beautiful feet in Paris, France. Following her selection, Olcott signed a contract which catapulted her from a chorus girl to one of the most well paid stars of the French stage. She also received as gifts more than one hundred pairs of shoes, especially made for her tiny
feet. Olcott claimed a $100,000 prize in 1922 for having the most beautiful legs in Paris. She quickly had them insured for $100,000. In March 1923 she appeared at
the Palace Theatre, London
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
with Harry Pilcer in Toutes les Femmes. (All The Ladies) Her attire for this show included a feathered headdress with curling plumes. In August 1923 she was aboard the President Harding, passenger ship of the United States Lines
United States Lines
United States Lines was a transatlantic shipping company that operated cargo services from 1921 to 1989, and ocean liners until 1969—most famously the SS United States.-1920s:...
, when it docked in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. Olcott was a passenger on the RMS Berengaria which departed
New York City destined for Cherbourg, France and Southampton, England, in December 1923.
She introduced the Charleston
Charleston (dance)
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
to Berlin, Germany at the Theatre des Westens, in August 1926. In 1927 she traveled from Paris to the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, performing her interpretation of the black bottom (dance)
Black Bottom (dance)
Black Bottom refers to a dance. which became popular in the 1920s, during the period known as the Flapper era.The dance originated in New Orleans in the 1900s. The theatrical show Dinah brought the Black Bottom dance to New York in 1924, and the George White's Scandals featured it at the Apollo...
.
Marriage to Russian noble
Olcott became the first wife of Count Alexis Constantinovitch Zarnekau, a Russian nobleman and cousin of Czar Nicholas II, whom she secretly wedded. Vera Ivanova, as she wasknown when married, eventually tired of her husband's lavish attention and the luxuries he bestowed on her. She made her way back to
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was soon divorced by Zarnekau. The Count made provisions for his final Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
estates to be given to Olcott. When he
died in front of the Winter Palace
Winter Palace
The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was, from 1732 to 1917, the official residence of the Russian monarchs. Situated between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, adjacent to the site of Peter the Great's original Winter Palace, the present and fourth Winter Palace was built and...
, his land was taken by Bolsheviks.
Another newspaper article reported Olcott in Berlin searching for Zarnekau in September 1926. This story described her acting upon a clue that he did not die in battle, an event which was never verified. Olcott supposedly received a mysterious letter from abroad stating that Zarnekau was still alive. According to this news item Olcott returned to the United States at Zarnekau's instruction during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. She ventured to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1926 with a desire to reunite with him, so that they could resume their position in Czarist circles. At the time there was still hope of a royal restoration in 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...
.
External links
- Vera Olcott at Internet Broadway Database