Jadwiga Smosarska

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Jadwiga Smosarska
Jadwiga Smosarska in 1934
Born(1898-09-23)23 September 1898
Warsaw, Poland, Russian Empire (now Warsaw, Poland)
Died1 November 1971(1971-11-01) (aged 73)
Warsaw, Poland
OccupationActress
Years active1919–1937
Grave of Jadwiga Smosarska and her husband Zygmunt Protassewicz at the Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw

Jadwiga Smosarska (23 September 1898 – 1 November 1971) was a Polish film actress.[1] She appeared in more than 25 films between 1919 and 1937, as well as various stage productions.

Biography[edit]

Smosarska was known for playing characters representative of Polish clichés that reflected the suffering of the country's citizens. Patriotic, romantic and in good social standing, her characters often struggled with malaise and a tragic love life.[2]: 7 [3] In the 1920s she rose to fame in Poland as one of Sfinks Film Studio's leading stars after Pola Negri left the country for Germany.[2]

Smosarska fled Warsaw in 1939, seeking refuge in Lithuania before securing passage by boat to the United States through Scandinavia. Though she attempted to establish a career in Hollywood, her accent proved too much of a challenge for American film makers.[4] In 1954 Smosarska toured parts of Canada to help raise money for welfare projects aimed at assisting Polish immigrants. Sponsored by Toronto's Advance Film Service, the trip began at Eaton Auditorium on 6 March, before stops in London, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, Oshawa, Wellington and Brantford.[4] She remained in the United States until 1970, before returning to live the final year of her life in Poland.[5][6]: 243 

Selected filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Jadwiga Smosarska". filmpolski. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b Haltof, Marek (2002). Polish National Cinema. Berghahn Books. ISBN 9781571812759. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. ^ Grant, Barry Keith (ed.). Encyclopedia Of Film Schirmer Vol 3 - Independent Film - Road Movies. p. 272. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Former Polish Star Aids Welfare Projects". Kitchener-Waterloo Record (Microfilm). 15 March 1954. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Famous Women on Stamps". www2.arnes.si. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  6. ^ Lukowski, Jerzy; Zawadzki, Hubert (6 July 2006). A concise history of Poland (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521853323. Retrieved 20 December 2016.

External links[edit]