Blanche Yurka(1887-1974)

Blanche avoided films until she saw the brilliance of the movie Il traditore (1935). Stage star Alla Nazimova was indirectly responsible for her getting the role of Madame DeFarge in Le due città (1935). They had never met but when the part was offered to the silent screen star, she felt it was not right for her and told them the only person she thought could play the part was Blanche. Blanche was the 67th and last actress to test for the part.

[on fame] "I never met a single person who lived the way the public believed we lived."