Hedda Nova — A Refugee from Russia (1918) 🇺🇸

Hedda Nova ran her long white fingers through the fur of her long white wolfhound. "Ah, the poor Russia!" she sighed esoterically. "So torn-up now, it is pitiable. Some day I'm going back to Russia.

"That is why I do not want my identity known," she pursued; "if they found out I was Hedawiga M., the news might get to Russia and enemies of my family would recognize me and — well — things might not go so well for me and others I know."

If you can remember the name of the first Revolutionary Cabinet of Russia, and can pronounce his name — but you couldn't pronounce it. Thus the identity of Hedda Nova's father and Hedda Nova must remain a mystery for the duration of the war at least.

She was born in Odessa, Russia, almost twenty-one years ago. Her father was a manufacturer of pianos and had homes in Odessa, Moscow, and Petrograd — -so quite naturally little Hedawiga de veloped dramatic talent at a very early age. She was educated in a German convent; she lived in Paris for a while; then in St. Petersburg, finally making her way home to Odessa. Then came — the war. The inevitable disruption of home ties: her brother, fighting for Russia, was killed in battle; her father began to have mysterious affiliations…

Then it was that Hedda left her home to go to London; and from London to New York, where she became associated with motion pictures. Miss Nova appeared in Lubin photoplays; for Edgar Lewis in "The Bar Sinister"; and finally, she joined forces with Vitagraph.

She is now the star of a serial, "The Woman in the Web."

Miss Nova has not yet mastered the English tongue, but she is trying very hard. It is to be hoped that she will retain always her delightful accent, although it doesn't help her on the screen. But so long as she continues her silver-sheet appearances, there will be interviewers sent to interview her and — well, the accent is lovely!

"Hedawiga M —" is the way she whispers her real name. The title of the wolfhound is unpronounceable.

Photo by: Evans

Collection: Photoplay Magazine, October 1918