Bella Darvi, a 1950s Hollywood sensation, rose to fame as a cinematic Cinderella, only to have her fairy tale come crashing down, ending in heartbreak and tragedy. As a self-destructive beauty, her life was marked by misfortune. Born of Polish and French descent, she miraculously survived the horrors of a World War II concentration camp as a youth, only to become entangled in the lavish lifestyle of Monaco's casinos as a young adult in Europe. An inveterate gambler and drinker, she was, by chance, discovered by movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck and his wife, Virginia Fox, who believed she possessed a foreign cinematic allure reminiscent of Ingrid Bergman.
Despite her lack of acting experience, the Zanucks paid off her gambling debts and whisked her away to Hollywood to be groomed for stardom. Her stage name "Darvi" was derived from the combined first names of her mentors. It should have been a dream-come-true opportunity. Fate, however, would not be so kind.
After three high-profile roles in The Egyptian (1954),Hell and High Water (1954),and The Racers (1955) opposite top male film stars Victor Mature, Richard Widmark, and Kirk Douglas, respectively, Darvi's limited abilities were painfully transparent. Not only was she hindered by an ever-so-slight crossed-eyed appearance, but she also had a trace of a lisp, which, combined with a foreign accent, made her speech appear slurred and difficult to understand.
It didn't take long for the actress to go off the deep end. Within a short time, a major sex scandal involving Mr. Zanuck had wife Virginia packing Darvi's bags, and any "career" she once had in America was over. She retreated back to Europe, made a few inconsequential films, and quickly returned to her adverse habits – liquor and the gambling tables. But this time, there was no one to save her. Mounting debts and despair eventually turned her thoughts to suicide. After several attempts, Darvi finally succeeded in 1971 by turning on the gas stove in her apartment. She was only 42.
