Taina Elg obit

Finland's first Hollywood star Taina Elg dies aged 95

Elg's silver screen success made her a superstar back home, and her visits to Finland in the 1950s became major media events. 

She was not on the list.

Finland's first (and arguably only) genuine Hollywood movie star, Taina Elg, has died at the age of 95, newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported on Monday.

Elg died at a nursing home in Helsinki on 15 May, HS said.

The future star was born in Helsinki in 1930 and started her Hollywood career in the 1950s. She studied ballet and first went abroad to find work as a dancer, before an injury cut that career short.

She was then invited to audition as an actor in Hollywood, and ended up signing a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios when she was just over the age of 20. At the time, MGM was one of the most powerful studios in Hollywood.

As the new technology of television was starting to draw audiences away from the cinema, MGM started to make big musicals, and Elg landed her biggest role in one of them.

Released in 1957 and directed by George Cukor, the musical comedy Les Girls starred Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor and Kay Kendall alongside Elg. The legendary Cole Porter was behind the film's music and lyrics.

The film won an Academy Award for best costume design and was also nominated in two other categories.

Elg won a Golden Globe award for that film, and also won a Golden Globe in the 'Female Foreign Newcomer' category in 1957 for her work in the film Gaby.

In an interview in the early 1990s, Elg told Yle how she became friends with Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Lana Turner, saying the latter taught her a lot about acting on the big screen.

Elg's Hollywood success made her a superstar back home, and her visits to Finland became major media events in the 1950s.

After a career in Hollywood that lasted until the end of the 1950s, Elg moved to New York City. There, in the 1960s, she appeared in Broadway musicals and also had a starring role in the western TV series Wagon Train.

Her career in theatre, film and television continued until the 1990s.

Actress

Kummelin Jackpot (2006)

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6.3

Mrs. Skogstedt

2006

 

Jeff Bridges and Barbra Streisand in The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

The Mirror Has Two Faces

6.6

Female Professor

1996

 

Woody Allen, Michael J. Fox, Dom DeLuise, and Mayim Bialik in Don't Drink the Water (1994)

Don't Drink the Water

6.2

TV Movie

Anna Gruber

1994

 

Loving (1983)

Loving

6.9

TV Series

Mrs. Mulryan

1993

4 episodes

 

Liebestraum (1991)

Liebestraum

5.8

Old Mother Ralston

1991

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

Claudia Soury

1987

1 episode

 

Sharon Gabet and Larkin Malloy in The Edge of Night (1956)

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7.8

TV Series

Waitress

1984

2 episodes

 

Blood and Honor: Youth Under Hitler (1982)

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7.3

TV Series

Adult Renate Keller (voice)

1982

1 episode

 

One Life to Live (1968)

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6.9

TV Series

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1980–1981

26 episodes

 

Lloyd Bridges and Britt Ekland in The Great Wallendas (1978)

The Great Wallendas

6.4

TV Movie

Helen Wallenda

1978

 

The Andros Targets (1977)

The Andros Targets

7.0

TV Series

Mystery Woman

1977

1 episode

 

The Adams Chronicles (1976)

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8.1

TV Mini Series

Comtesse de Vergennes

1976

1 episode

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Arnold Stang in Hercules in New York (1970)

Hercules in New York

3.3

Nemesis

1970

 

It Takes a Thief (1968)

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7.5

TV Series

Anya Selina

1968

1 episode

 

Juhlat linnassa

TV Movie

Isabelle, oopperan pikku tanssijatar

1966

 

James Pritchett in The Doctors (1963)

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7.1

TV Series

Diana Ross

1964

5 episodes

 

Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan in The Real McCoys (1957)

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7.6

TV Series

Taina Engstron

1962

1 episode

 

The Bacchantes (1961)

The Bacchantes

5.2

Dirce

1961

 

Rod Taylor in Hong Kong (1960)

Hong Kong

8.0

TV Series

Marta Nilsson

1960

1 episode

 

John McIntire in Wagon Train (1957)

Wagon Train

7.5

TV Series

Countess Baranof

1960

1 episode

 

Taina Elg and George Montgomery in Watusi (1959)

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5.5

Erica Neuler

1959

 

Kenneth More in The 39 Steps (1959)

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6.6

Fisher

1959

 

Northwest Passage (1958)

Northwest Passage

6.8

TV Series

Audrey Bonay

1959

1 episode

 

Red Buttons, Glenn Ford, and Taina Elg in Imitation General (1958)

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6.5

Simone

1958

 

Les Girls (1957)

Les Girls

6.6

Angèle Ducros

1957

 

Leslie Caron and John Kerr in Gaby (1956)

Gaby

6.0

Elsa

1956

 

Diane (1956)

Diane

6.1

Alys

1956

 

Lana Turner and Edmund Purdom in The Prodigal (1955)

The Prodigal

5.2

Elissa

1955

 

Guiding Light (1952)

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6.6

TV Series

Dr. Ingrid Fischer (1980)

1952–2009

 

Naimisiin päiväksi (1946)

Naimisiin päiväksi

4.7

Tanssija kabareessa (uncredited)

1946

 

Suomisen perhe (1941)

Suomisen perhe

5.3

Lapsi Ollin kutsuilla (uncredited)

1941

 

Soundtrack

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Histoire(s) du cinéma

7.2

TV Mini Series

performer: "Ça, c'est l'amour"

1988

1 episode

 

That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)

That's Entertainment, Part II

7.3

performer: "Les Girls"

1976

 

The Bell Telephone Hour (1959)

The Bell Telephone Hour

7.7

TV Series

performer: "What'll I Do?"

1959

1 episode

 

Les Girls (1957)

Les Girls

6.6

performer: "Les Girls", "Ça c'est l'Amour", "Ladies in Waiting", "The Rope Dance" (uncredited)

1957

 

Self

Huomenta Suomi (1989)

Huomenta Suomi

5.3

TV Series

Self

2011

1 episode

 

Ivan Puopolo in Strada (2008)

Strada

6.7

TV Series

Self

2009

1 episode

 

Starring - Taina Elg

6.4

TV Movie

Self

2003

 

Grace Kelly in True Love (2003)

True Love

6.0

Video

Self

2003

 

Gene Kelly, Taina Elg, Mitzi Gaynor, and Kay Kendall in Ça c'est l'amour (2003)

Ça c'est l'amour

7.4

Video

Self - On Camera Host

2003

 

The 29th Annual Tony Awards

TV Special

Self - Nominee

1975

 

Yökyöpelit

TV Series

Self

1966

 

Tuesday Weld in Mr. Broadway (1964)

Mr. Broadway

7.9

TV Series

Self

1964

1 episode

 

Suomalaisia maailman turuilla - Taina Elg

Short

Self

1963

 

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

Self - Guest

1963

1 episode

 

Here's Hollywood (1960)

Here's Hollywood

8.6

TV Series

Self

1961

1 episode

 

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948)

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall

7.6

TV Series

Self

1960

1 episode

 

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

8.0

TV Series

Self

1960

1 episode

 

The Bell Telephone Hour (1959)

The Bell Telephone Hour

7.7

TV Series

SelfSelf - Dancer

1959–1960

2 episodes

 

The 31st Annual Academy Awards (1959)

The 31st Annual Academy Awards

7.1

TV Special

Self - Performer

1959

 

"Academy Awards: 30th Annual," Jimmy Stewart as host, 1958.

The 30th Annual Academy Awards

6.8

TV Special

Self - Performer

1958

 

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita in The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1956)

The Steve Allen Plymouth Show

8.4

TV Series

Self - Recipient

1958

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Women He's Undressed (2015)

Women He's Undressed

7.1

(archive footage)

2015

 

Daytime's Greatest Weddings (2004)

Daytime's Greatest Weddings

6.1

Video

Olympia Buchanan (archive footage)

2004

 

Best of British (1987)

Best of British

8.1

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1987

1 episode

 

That's Dancing! (1985)

That's Dancing!

7.2

Archival footage from 'Les Girls' (archive footage)

1985

 

Mission of Danger (1960)

Mission of Danger

5.2

Audrey Bonay (archive footage)

1960