Miss Valentina Zimina/Miss Vera Sisson

Right now I am watching an episode of the "Hollywood" documentary series that was made back in either the 70s or 80s. I have seen a few of the episodes and they are just great because they have a ton of information as well as interviews with such silent film stars as Viola Dana, Lillian Gish, Mary Astor...etc! The one I am watching is called "The End of an Era" and it is about the beginning of the talkies. What I think is interesting is how pretty much everyone thought the talking picture was just a fad and that it wouldn't last. It seems so odd to think that people were thinking that way when we are so used to the talking picture that a silent film is seen as a novelty. My the times have changed. I don't know about you, but I sure would have LOVED to have been back in the time where silents were big and then the talkies slowly came to be.

Anyways, on to business. Unfortunately, these two ladies had short careers on the screen and both had tragic endings, one at her own hand.

Valentina Zimina was born on January 1, 1899 in Russia. She had quite a hard life growing up. She served with the Women's Battalion of Death for three years when she was in her late teens. Their job was to inspire the Russian soliders and help stir up propaganda and support from the country.

While serving, she was arrested and thrown into a prison in Siberia. She managed to escape and made her way to the United States. Sadly, her family was killed in the ensuing war.

Not sure what exactly prompted Valentina to make a go in the movies. Perhaps it was the fact that her mother was a famous stage actress in Moscow and she wanted to honor her mother's memory. Either way, she made her film debut in 1925 opposite Bessie Love (not bad). The next year she appeared in La Boheme along with Lillian Gish and John Gilbert (again, not bad).

Sadly, she only had an opportunity to make six films.

Valentina Zimina passed away on December 3, 1928 from influenza. She was only 29 years old.

She was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Even though she died young, she did in fact get married, to a magazine/newspaper editor named Elwood Hopkins. The two were married in 1926 and stay married until she died. Elwood died two years after Valentina and their ashes are together in an urn.

According to Hollywood lore, Valentina's last film, The Scarlet Lady (1928) was cursed because a few other people involved in it died before their time. The director, Alan Crossland, died at age 41 in a car accident. Leading lady, Lya de Putti died when she was 34 from an infection caused by a chicken bone that became stuck in her throat. Lead actor, Warner Oland died when she was 58 from pneumonia. And another actor, Otto Matieson died at age 38 in a car accident. Seems the movie curses began back in the day!

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Vera Sisson was born on July 31, 1891 in Salt Lake City, Utah. From some census research I did, I believe her mother's name was Carrie and she was originally from Colorado. There is no listing of a father but in a 1920 census she is listed as widowed.

She made her film debut in 1913 and went on to appear in around 80 silent films.

Some of her films include: The Stool Pigeon (1915) alongside Lon Chaney, who both starred and directed the film, The Married Virgin (1918) with then newcomer, Rudolph Valentino and Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926) with Louise Brooks

She never made it out of the character role niche and ended up leaving the movie industry in 1926. I do not know what she did in between her film retirement and her death unfortunately.

Vera Sisson passed away on August 6, 1954 from a barbiturate overdose. She was 63 years old.

She was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Vera was married once, to actor/director Richard Rosson in 1921. Richard was brother to Hal Rosson, a cinematographer who had once been married to Jean Harlow. Another brother, Arthur, worked as a director. Vera planned to retire after marrying Richard, but came back for one more picture. They remained married until Richard's death in 1953 from carbon monoxide poisoning. It is possible that Vera was despondent over her husband's suicide that she decided to take her own life a year later.