Zarah Leander

Beginning her acting-singing career in provincial Swedish theaters in 1929, she soon worked her way up to starring roles in Stockholm and Vienna. In 1936 she signed a contract with the Berlin film studio, UFA, despite her imperfect command of German. During World War II she became the highest-paid star of the Nazi cinema, upsetting Dr. Goebbels, Minister of Propoganda, who felt that this role should have been filled by a German actress. After the war she tried to re-establish her career with Swedish audiences but was slow to overcome their hostility. Her few post-war films met with little success but in the 1960's she enjoyed a "comeback" of sorts appearing in musicals and concerts in German and Austria.