Viola Essen Death
Viola passed away on January 16, 1970 at the age of 44.
When did Viola Essen die?
January 16, 1970How old was Viola Essen when died?
44
Viola Essen Birthday and Date of Death
Viola Essen was born on August 11, 1925 and died on January 16, 1970. Viola was 44 years old at the time of death.
Birthday: August 11, 1925
Date of Death: January 16, 1970
Age at Death: 44
Viola Essen - Biography
Viola Essen became living proof that stardom in ballet does not generate equal success on screen. Signed by Republic boss Herbert J. Yates on the strength of her dance pantomime in the short-lived Broadway musical 'Hollywood Pinafore', the diminutive twenty-one year old ballerina was cast in one of the studio's biggest-ever productions, Specter of the Rose (1946). The picture was launched amidst an extensive publicity campaign with ads in most of the major periodicals, including 'Life', 'Cue' and 'Look' , and it was written, directed and produced by the prodigious academy award winner Ben Hecht. Unfortunately, the tale of 'dark terror and strange love' failed to generate box office in spite of moderate critical plaudits for being offbeat. The New York Times Review (September 2,1946) more scathingly urged Hecht "having satisfied his unconventional soul" to return to "writing the kind of conventional film he dislikes doing but does so with such resourcefulness that everyone else has a good time".Viola returned to the Ballet Theatre and later appeared on Broadway in 'Along Fifth Avenue' (1949), starring Jackie Gleason. She married actor Gabriel Dell of 'Dead End Kids' fame, sometime in the early 1950's. Professionally, she was destined never to appear on the big screen again and in her later life suffered financial hardship. She died in 1970, aged just 44.
