Menzelli, Lola (c. 1898–1951)

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Menzelli, Lola (c. 1898–1951)

American ballet dancer. Born c. 1898 in Vienna, Austria; died Mar 11, 1951, in Chicago, IL; m. Senia Solomonoff (dancer), 1914; children: Marya Saunders (dancer).

Danced at age 4 in German-language opera in New York City; worked as German-language actress until 1912; studied with Elisabetta Menzelli—who also adopted her—as of age 8; performed in numerous recitals throughout New York City organized by her mentor; danced in Weber and Field musicals, including The Man with Three Wives (1913); performed on tour with vaudeville ballet dancer Stafford Pemberton, also a student of Elisabetta Menzelli; danced in vaudeville and variety successfully in Europe and US; toured with husband for 15 years before retiring to FL.