'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAIhAAAgEDAgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAAMRBQYUISIxQVGB/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJ6FuJ9H21ESHHt8RZvJcDEdLqTghvfb5mt3j7w01o9ovEkBioJCquAceOdKUH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Maria Riva, the only child of iconic actress Marlene Dietrich, died at 100. She had a long ride in the world of movies, arts, and narration. Riva worked in front of the camera and later in life as an author, glorifying and documenting her mother's life and career. She began at an early age, and she starred with her mother in one of her best-known films.
Maria was born on December 13, 1924, in Berlin, but the family later moved to the United States. She was raised in Hollywood and watched her mother become a global star, but Maria always wanted to create her own identity. She performed on stage and television, and people noticed when live television was introduced.
Maria first took on a significant role in 1934, starring in The Scarlet Empress with her mother, directed by Josef von Sternberg. Her colleagues admired her work, and so did the critics. At some point, Riva began focusing on writing, and subsequently, a comprehensive biography of her mother was released, putting her and her late mother back in the limelight.
Maria Riva's early beginnings and film debut
Maria Riva first appeared on-screen in 1934, when she was little more than a child. She acted as a young Catherine the Great in the movie The Scarlet Empress.
Her mother, Marlene Dietrich, acted as Catherine the Great. The similarity between the mother and daughter facilitated the transition.
Television career and later work
Back in the 1950s, one couldn’t miss Maria Riva on American TV. She landed a three-year deal with CBS and was seen everywhere: Studio One, Hallmark Hall of Fame, and Lux Video Theatre. She shared the screen with big names like Rod Steiger, Paul Newman, Omar Sharif, Jack Lemmon, and Walter Matthau.
She picked up back-to-back Emmy nominations for best actress in 1952 and 1953. Maria had real range, and she made it clear she belonged in both Hollywood and television. Then, just as things were really taking off, she stepped out of the spotlight.
Trending
She decided to focus on managing her mother’s career and started writing instead. Fast forward to 1992, Maria released Marlene Dietrich: The Life, a biography about her mother. The book hit the New York Times Best Seller list, and critics loved how honest and revealing it was.
Read More: Who was Maria Riva? Acclaimed CBS actress and author dies at 100
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
