The Biography

Elisabeth Bergner (born Ella vel Ettel Bergner; August 22, 1897 – May 12, 1986) was an Austrian and British actress. Primarily a stage actress, her career flourished in Berlin and Paris, before she moved to London to work in films. She is best known for her title role in The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934) and arguably her signature role, Gemma Jones in Margaret Kennedy's play Escape Me Never. She originated it in London and on Broadway, and later reprised it in the 1935 film adaptation, which earned her an Academy Award nomination.