Olympe Bradna: Movies & Filmography

Olympe Bradna, born Antoinette Olympe Bradna on August 12, 1920, in Paris, France, was a French-born dancer and actress who became a notable figure in Hollywood during the 1930s. She was born in a dressing room at the Olympic Theatre in Paris, a fitting beginning for someone who would spend her life in the performing arts. Her father, Joseph Bradna, was a Bohemian Czech circus performer, and her mother, Jana Bradna, was an Austrian German opera singer turned bareback rider, while her aunt Ella Bradna was an equestrienne, making the circus a family affair. By the age of just 18 months, young Olympe was already performing on stage, following a line of trained dogs, and by age 8 she was attracting so much attention that agents wanted to book her as a solo act. Her parents accompanied her on tours across Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France, where she showcased her dancing talents. She later joined the prestigious Folies Bergère and also performed at the French Casino in New York City, dancing in Stockholm and other world capitals, establishing herself as a talented international dancer before transitioning to film. Bradna signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures after moving to Hollywood in 1934, and in 1936 she made her screen debut in Three Cheers for Love, followed by appearances in College Holiday. She went on to take on more serious dramatic roles in films such as The Last Train from Madrid and Souls at Sea. During her career she appeared in more than a dozen films and worked alongside notable stars including Ronald Reagan, George Raft, and Gary Cooper. In May 1941 she married Douglass Woods Wilhoit, Sr., which led to her retirement from acting, and the couple went on to have three children, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. They lived in Stockton, California, before settling in Lodi, California, remaining married for over seventy years until Douglas's death in February 2012. Olympe Bradna passed away on November 5, 2012, in Stockton, California, at the age of 92, survived by a son, two daughters, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as a talented dancer and actress who bridged the worlds of European circus performance and Hollywood cinema.