Elza Radziņa

(1917 - 2005)

Elza Radziņa (February 10, 1917; Kharkiv, Russian Empire – August 18, 2005; Riga, Latvia) was a Latvian theater and cinema actress, master of the spoken word (reader). She received award of People's Artist of the USSR in 1976 and Order of the Three Stars in 1995. She studied in Jelgava theater studio in 1942. After the World War II worked in Jelgava Drama theater (1945-1953). For a brief moment she worked in Valmiera Drama theater, but from 1954 worked in Latvian National Theater, where she became one of the leading actresses. In 1949 she made her debut in biographical drama film "Rainis" from Riga Film Studio.