Geva, Tamara (1906–1997)

Russian-born actress and dancer. Born Tamara Gevergeva or Gevergeyeva in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1906, of Russian, Swedish, and Italian descent; died at her Manhattan home on December 9, 1997; studied at State Ballet School of Maryinksy Theatre (Theatre Street School); married George Balanchine, in 1923 (separated and divorced soon after); married Kapa Davidoff (divorced); married John Emery (divorced).

Tamara Geva trained as a dancer at the Theatre Street School (formerly the Russian Imperial Ballet School). In July 1924, at age 16, she left Russia with a small company that included George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova and danced in recitals in Frankfurt and Ems, Germany. In October of that year, she appeared at the Empire in London with Balanchine, whom she had married. She then toured the Continent with the Diaghilev Monte Carlo Ballet. Engaged by Nikita Balieff, Geva made her debut in America with his Chauve-Souris company at the Cosmopolitan Theater in New York on October 10, 1927, dancing "Grotesque Espagnole" for which she received glowing reviews. The following year, she turned her attention to musical comedy, appearing in Florenz Ziegfeld's Whoopee with Eddie Cantor. In 1933, Geva performed in her first straight play, as Lania in Divine Drudge. At the Adelphi in 1935, she danced Balanchine's ballet Errante at the first performance of The American Ballet, but her sub-sequent career was devoted to musicals, plays, and films. Other stage roles included Vera Baranova in On Your Toes (1936), Irene in Idiot's Delight (1938), and Helen of Troy in The Trojan Women (1941). Geva appeared in and directed Sartre's No Exit for the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles; created choreography for the film Spectre of the Rose; and appeared in the movies Night Plane from Chungking and Orchestra Wives.